Year: 1954
Type: article
Abstract: i o n centered on the a g i n g p o r t i o n of the population.THe reasons T o r this attention, albeit delayed, are in part due to the tremendous increase o l that p o p u l a t i o n c l a s s i f i e d as aged.Tbere are twice as m a n y people I n the U n i t e d States today as in 1900, b u t n e a r l y four times as m a n y p e r s o n s sixty-five y e ars o l d and over.Th.usIn 1900 a b o u t three m i l l i o n p e r s o n s were sixtyfive and over, but In 1 9 5 0 there were over twelve a n d a H a l f m i l l i o n (38).Also, a great I n c r e a s e In those forty -f i v e to s i x t y -f o u r years o l d is sho r n in tHe last fifty years; i n 1900, 13.7 percent we r e In tHe age range, i n 1950 this H a d i n c r e a s e d to 20.2 percent, or a n e t inc r e a s e f r o m ten a n d a H a l f m i l l i o n to tHIrty a n d a H a l f million.C o n c o m i t a n t w i t H tHIs increase in p o p u l a t i o n Has b e e n an incr e a s e in tHe average life span.W H i l e in 1 9 0 0 tHe e x p e c t a n c y was 48. 2 3 yea rs for males, tHis Has i n c r e a s e d to 65.49 i n 1948 (32).For females the c o r r e s p o n d i n g figures are f r o m 51.08 y e a r s In 1 9 0 0 to 71.04In 1948.THe n e e d for additional m a n p o w e r during W o r l d W a r II a n d the subsequent use of the older w o r k e r to p a r t i a l l y fill this need, was a further r e a s o n for I n c r e a s e d societal c o n c e r n f or the aged.D u r i n g 1945 o v e r 51 p e r c e n t o f the m e n o v e r sixty-five w e r e in the labor force, while only 10 p e r c e n t of* the older w o m e n were employed (58).However, wi t h the w a r 's e n d this l a b o r source apparently became less nee d e d for in 1952 only 42 percent of the older m e n and 8 percent of the w o m e n were lab o r force participants.Other statistics on the older also gene r a t e d concern.M a l a m u d (89) reports that about one-third of the admittances to state hosp i t a l s in 1940 were over sixty.Also the resident p o p u l a t i o n was aged, one-third over sixty years old.M a l z b e r g found similar proportions in first admissions a n d residences in New Y o r k (90).The Veterans A d m i n i s t r a t i o n is quite concerned w i t h this rise in p o p u l a t i o n of older m e n t a l l y ill.D u n n (34) reports that in 1940, twenty yea r s after W o r l d W a r I, there were approximately 16,000 veterans in the domiciliary homes of the Veterans Administration.The total n u m ber of veterans was approximately 4,000,000.There are n o w approximately 18,500 , 0 0 0 and he estimates that there will be about 75,000 in domiciliary homes by 1970.The average age of the veteran patient is fifty-five a nd this should rise.Increase in longevity has b e e n already achieved: we seem certain to have in our p o p u l a t i o n increasingly large numbers of older people.The que s t i o n then is as to the characteristics of older persons a n d their potentialities, and means by w h i c h these potentialities m a y be best realized.The l i terature on these topics is now extensive.Issues mos t relevant to the writer's I n v e s t i g a t i o n m a y be b r i e f l y r e v i e w e d .* Abilities in the 01 der Yea r s An y c o n s ideration of abilities in the older years n a t u r a l l y begins with, a review of findings w i t h tests of general ability.There seems little doubt that average scores on the usual "intelligence" tests decrease w i t h age.Lorge (87) reviewed the literature until 1947 and came to this conclusion.Conrad and Jones in 1933 (22)* Miles a n d Miles in 1932 (101) and W e c h s l e r in 1941 (152) f o u n d the decline to b e g i n in the late teens or early twenties* and to be slow at first but more r a p i d in the sixties and a f t e r . .This decline was* however* differential for various areas.L e a s t decrement in performance was on subtests such as i n f o r mation, vocabulary* and similarity test items* and greatest on n umerical computations* series completion, digit symbols involves so much, a "gentleman's output pen day" as well as being subject to various other unaccountable conditions, it is seldom used as a criteria.As long as each worker p r o duces a certain m i n i m u m this is usually enoughTor job continuance.It is possible, however, to obtain samples of this production, or else ratings which supposedly reflect this production.In this area studies are not as clearly demonstrable as those cited for illness and accident.A n early Tiffin study (145), work reported at Ohio State U n i versity by Cover and Pressey (23), Stanton (139) Bowers (7), and S m i t h (136), and a recent New Jersey study by G-adel (44), provide evidence on age and p roduction rating or o u t p u t .Various other methods of appraising older workers have been tried.Tiffin found that the age steel workers o b t a i n ed most merit ratings was thirty-five.Cover and Pressey (23) f o u n d that the older sales route driver was more c a r e ful w i t h company equipment, and showed more business judg ment i n dealing w i t h customers but made less sales; physical fatigue in carrying goods, etc., was thought to be a maj o r factor.Bowers (7) found the older workers In a large Industry superior in "steadiness" and "conscientiousness," and equal to the younger In over-all ratings.Smith (136) found similarly favorable ratings for the older In both skilled and semi-skilled jobs.G-adel (44) reported that older w o m e n in clerical jobs performed as satisfactorily as Ruch (128).However, Gundlach (53) could demonstrate no relationship between age and opinion liberality.Market research on the acceptance or rejection of new commercial products, and innovations in packaging showed no age differences evidencing conservatism or rejection of the ne w (119) .A number of inquiries have asked as to the age when one felt most happy.Morgan (109), and Landis (74) concluded that older persons chose the period between twenty-five and forty-five, but Kuhlen's group (72) mentioned an earlier age -twenty to thirty.While happiness was seen as most high in the earlier ages, older persons do not typically judge themselves as now unhappy.Gardiner (46) found that only three percent of his aged people judged themselves as not happy.The primary sources of unhappiness were bereave ment and poor health.Keer, Newman, and Sadewic (65) report changes in worries and anxieties at various ages and in widely differ ing occupational groups, vising mailed questionnaires, with the usual difficulties in evaluating possible differences between those returning the questionnaire versus those failing to return it."Appearance, and sexual m o rality 1 5 were found of most concern in the twenties, "economic and financial worries" in the thirties, "giving up important hopes and ambitions," and "marital difficulties" in the forties.Gantril and Strunk (14-) report a poll conducted in Hunga:ry in 1946 which included questions on the source oT worries.Differences between one group under forty, and the other older, were slight.Older men worried more about nourishment, job relations, and health, older women more about nourishment and health.Making money, and fuel, were of greater concern to younger men.Clothes and shoes, making money, support of family and children were areas of most concern for younger women.Presumably much of these find ings were products of the situation in that country.Probably the most widely used device in evaluating adjustment in age was prepared by Burgess, Cavan, and Havighurst (11).In "Your Attitudes and Activities" 110 statements are to be checked "yes" or "no," or responded to on an intensity continuum of four to seven points.The areas assessed by the schedule include health, family, friends, leisure and recreation, clubs and organizations, employment history, financial security, early life and attitudes.Scores are assigned values on the basis of comparisons of responses of older individuals judged by interviewers to be well or poorly adjusted.Correlations from .53 to .78 between scores and judgment are reported.Cavan and others (16), in a study of 499 m e n and 759 women aged sixty to ninety-nine using this schedule, found i n creasing age associated with (l) a decrease in the number of close companions, (2) a decrease in social participation, (3) increased feeling of economic security in spite of lowered amount of income,, (4) increase in physical han d i caps, illness, and nervousness, and a decrease in feelings of satisfaction with health, (5) increase in religious activities and dependence on religion, and (6) decrease in feelings of happiness, usefulness, zest and general interest in life.Women had a lower index, poorer adjustment, in area four particularly.Shanas, et al (129) found members of the Fossils Club (a club for retired m e n made up mostly of former p r o fessional men, and socio-economically above average) better adjusted to old age than the general popiilation.The authors concluded the important reasons for this were economic security, relatively late retirement, and congenial housing and living conditions of these Washington oldsters.Working with older resident groups in Florida, Granick (49) found little difference between two communities, differing in economic status, in psychological problems of aging.While these two communities were at least of middle economic status, differences do appear when quite widely contrasting groups are considered.Shanas (130) found poorer adjustment scores among recipients of old age assistance than among other older pop^^lation groups such as retired Y.M.C.A. workers or schoolteachers.Granick (49), Iiavighurst (54), Shanas (130), and writers of popular articles, find about seven factors important in achieving happiness in old age.These include good health, financial security, hobbies and interests, friends and acquaintances, living with, spouse, age, and sex.Dell (28) using data collected previously by Granick compar
Author: John Patrick McNulty
Institution: The Ohio State University
Language: English
Subfield: General Health Professions
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2807738803