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Public Policy

 

 Background Information

Although the poverty rate for older adults has improved in the last 30 years, experts fear that in the future older people will be less well off than those today. 

Your author explained factors in last week's chapter that he believes will contribute to this decline and why other experts fear that older people will be less well off than those today.  Do you know what these are?   If not, re-read the section on "Changing Financial Outlook " in last week's reading.  Here's a hint- "Supply and Demand".

Assignment:

O.K., the President needs your help. He is about to invoke a new program called "Policies of Aging." Look over the articles in your Annual Editions or Moody text. Find one or two that look interesting to you. You are going to write to the president with your ideas.

You can do this by reading:

When you find one that grabs your interest read it and then think about the issue described. What could be done to support or help the cause?.

Then write to the President (start out with: Dear Mr. President) and help him decide which new programs, services or help he should consider implementing for older adults.  Include:

  1. what he  needs to know about the issue - what is the "so what" of this problem?
  2. what action you recommend to him?- if it cost money how will he pay for it?
  3. what impact or outcome might be expected- what is the goal?
  4.  Be sure to cite the article and your other sources .

 

Example. Article 9 Women's Sexuality as They Age (this article is now off limits for obvious reasons)

Dear Mr. President:

According to Doctors Koch and Mansfield (Women's Sexuality As They Age) not much research has been done on older women's sexuality. Most of the ideas we believe about older women and sexual functioning come from theories, research, and interpretation based on  male sexual patterns.  Because more than half of Americans over 60 are still sexuality active it would be good to understand if women have unique sexual needs and responses.

Research on male patterns of sexuality has resulted in medical interventions to help them obtain better sexual functioning. Many women who experience declines in their sexual desire, as they age, may think it is because of menopause or other physical changes. Shouldn't we know if this is really true?

Might I suggest, Mr. President, that in your new program, "Policies of Aging" you implement a research  project to study the sexuality of older women? It would be especially helpful to answer once and for all the question regarding menopause and declines in sexual functioning.  If the cause turns out to be something else such as attitude, body image, or esteem issues, as one study has suggested, it would be very helpful for society to have these answers.  Solutions could then be investigated and women educated.

Thank you in advance for your consideration,

Joe Smith,
Wonderful Student from Professor Wards Sociology of Aging Class

reference:

Cox, H. Annual Editions, Aging. (2008/2009).  New York, NY: McGraw Hill Higher Education.
 Koch, P. & Mansfield, P. (2005). Women's Sexuality As They Age. Journal of Sex Research, 42 (3), 215 - 223.

 

Be sure to ground your memo in facts from your text and lecture and cite any web sources you use. 

 *Again, if you chose to repeat a topic that one of your colleagues has already posted you must elaborate on it.  Provide additional data so we know you understand the issue. Please put the topic name in the Subject line of your posting . 

Tell the president 

Resources:

This is the point in our class where one needs to start incorporating and reflect what you have already leaned.

You have looked at the question of "does old age have meaning?" and the need for all of us to feel like we are part of the community, we have looked at income disparity, and the issue with social security and boomer retirement.

We talked about how people can shape change in society and the need for family and support systems. The materials have covered retirement plans and why people do or don’t retire. Your author asks "what should the role be for the public sector (the State) in caring for it's citizens, not only in later life but at all stages along the life course (i.e. from birth to death)? And last week we looked at funerals and issues in the industry.


So, as you can see, we have already studied many social policy ideas. Each of us has our own issues that pop out at us. Choose one of those issues to research and write about it this week. Make sure you know what you are talking about. Look up the facts first and cite your source.
Need help? It's just a click away: wards@arc.losrios.edu