4.07 Aging and Inequality

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

The elderly make up a highly diverse category about whom few broad generalizations can be made. For one thing, elderly persons reflect the diversity of U.S. society that we've noted elsewhere in this course:

• They are rich, poor, and in between.
• They belong to all racial and ethnic groups.
• They live alone and in families of various sorts.
• They vary in their political values and preferences.
• They are gay and lesbian as well as hetero-sexual.

Furthermore, like other Americans, they are diverse with respect to health; although some suffer from mental and physical disabilities, most lead active, independent lives. That said, there are some important social inequalities that elderly people often have to face. This lesson explores the inequalities and social issues faced by many elderly people.