A. The authors of the assigned readings 40-43 present a variety of ideas regarding the use of a "retirement" period in the life course. Compare and contrast these perspectives. How do you perceive what the American cultural attitudes towards any of the ideas proposed by the authors. Further, do you believe there are generational differences in hopes/plans for retirement. For example, is what you hope and plan for in retirement what your parents/grandparents hope for/are doing? Are there changes that should be made at the societal level to accomplish any of the concepts/ideas proposed by the authors?

Reading 41: Prime Time Marc Freedman be our only increasing natural resource. Neverhi- soeve.... Perhaps most important, older Americans pos- less, it is not a resource in oversupply. At precisely women, according to time-diary studies conducted for Independent Sector, the proportion of adults ways. Society desperately needs them, and at the by the University of Marylands Survey Research who volunteer declined from 54 to 49 percent same time, there is considerable reason to believe that older Americans could reap tremendous Rebalancing Responsibilities mutual benefit in the process-without many At present the responsibilities in our sociery are of the frustrations and sacrifices middle-aged wildly skewed, with individuals in the middle genwomen have faced in their historical role. This eration overworked while older men and women are match, between the untapped resources of older undensed. One group laces a time fammine; hhe outer Americans and the needs of American communi- is adrift in a sea of discretionary time (clinging to ties, constitutes the great opportunity presented by the "busy ehic" as a way of saving off the persistent America's aging. Given so many appealing factors, one might of the third age holds the polenial to redress this expect to see an all-out clamor to engage older imbalance, so hat the midde ages riceeve a much Americans in new roles focused on greater involve- needed respite while individuals in later life gain ment in communities (for example, a nationwide lives with additional purpose, meaning, strocure, crusade akin to Miami's mobilization of older vol- and significance. unteers on behalf of schools). After all, as the Gray Indeed, one of the principal beneficiaries of Panchers' late founder Maggie Kuhn observed, "We this redistribution may be the younger generadon't have a single person to waste"-much less tion. Older adults who take on more responsibll. Source: Prime Time: How Baby Boomers Will Revolutionize Retirement and Transform America, by Mare Freedman, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures. Copyright 01999 Civic Ventures. Used by permission. All rights reserved. themostexperienced,stable,andavailableportionityfordevelopingandcaringforyoungpeopleofthepopulation(especiallyatthesametimewecanprovidethisgroupwithadditionalsupportlecturesinglemomsonwelfarethattheyneedtowhilehelpingparentsleadsaner,morebalanced contribute in some way to society). However, there lives. 450 Basic Concepts III | Social and Economic Outlook for an Aging Society Reading 42: Moving Toward a Creative Retirement Are the Carters able to carry out their creative tn the world?" This is not 2 completely altruistic retirement because they are especially privileged? question. A handsome couple in their mid-50s, Gale Graham Bell, for example, admired Guglielmo Marbe the place to find out." quality of life they saw among peers a few years a creative of finding new uses for our past experisame. Factors such as increased longevity, income work. Unlike adolescents, we bring a tremenlege lectures and ushering at plays and concents. security, new work patterns and radically changed dous amount of information and hard-won per"We're getting off the consumer treadmill," said views about aging have turned retirement into a spective to the task. Cleve. "Greater simplicity is a blessing," added many-splendored thing, too much in flux to take Not everyone feels a call to reinvent himself. Millions of people retire, take a few months or a Marion. forgranted.Predictableornot,GaleandCliffwerewaitingButmany,likeGaleandCliff,do.Theyarepath-findersbecausefewestablishedavenuesorposi-off,andreturntotheworkforce,eitherfull for some answers, Adding complexity to their search, tive role models exist. Gale and Cliff mentioned or part time. Some do this because they need to Spiritual Revival the Canadian couple from Edmonton, Alberta, were reading former President Jimmy Carter's book, stretch their dollars to cover a longer life expec-. As we get older, we become more aware of our considering the benefits of relocating, possibly to the "The Virtues of Aging," learning from and admirtancy. Others love the work they do, how it con- limited time on the planet. We may gain a deeper Sunbelt of the United States. Milder weather, how- ing the Carters' enthusiastic dedication to serving firms their sense of personal value and identity, the appreciation for the mysteries of life and find our ever, was not their only objective. "You could be just others as a source of renewal and restored pursocial contact or the way work helps to structure capacity for reverence growing. Earlier habils of as dissatisfied and restless on a warm, sunny day as pose. The Carters didn't start from scratch. They a cloudy, chilly one," said Cliff. took what they knew and had done and found their days. A creative approach to continued paid work others find they have drified away from the farill my observations and synthesize basic dimensions of the presidency and public opinion polls, they should involve following your sense of value. religion or have become inactive since the childre a creative retirement. First, a definition: Creativity found greater freedom to be themselves and do This means following the dictates of your heart no longer connect them with religious schoolin is a way of looking at the world to see possibilities what meant the most to them. in pursuing what seems right for you, and asking, events and celebrations. Sill, their desire for a ti "Will what I want to do make a positive difference inner life remains. Reading 43: The Fading Dream of Retirement than USS 30,000 thanks to automation as well as at age 30, bul only 50 percent of those born in 1984 In 1959, more than a third of all elderly Americans lived in poverty. Slashing that number to under 10 perent by the late 1990 s was among the great U.S. Focus on the Future I believe eliminating old-age poverty encirely Rising life expectancies required companies The U.S. Wisdom Corps? nificant achievement. But that meager goal is in serious jeopardy. My investment returns, companies have been getting rid of them in a hunt for savings and more profits for research shows more Americans are increasingly shareholders. Only 16 percent of Fortune 500com struggling to save enough for their later years, And share thanies offered such plans in 2017, compared with 59 percent just two decades ago. This leads me to ask one question: Do Americans The Department of Labor reports that the numwant to return to a time when so many of their elders as a percent of the labor force peaked in 1981 at 28 percent. Only about 9 percent participated in 2015. Instead, theyve shifted to defined contribution A Wobbly Retirement plans like the 401(k), placing the financial risk of Since its advent in 1935, Social Security has been one retirement on workers. leg of Americans' three-legged retirement stool. The middle-class Americans continued to share in the benefit retirement plans and personal savings sup- nation's prosperity. ported by broadly shared economic prosperity. This stool turned out to be remarkably successThe American Dream Fades for Many ful by reducing the poverty rate among Americans But increasingly, that is not happening. aged 65 and older from as high as 78 percent in That's in part because employment growth in 1939 to 35 percent in 1959 - as Social Security ben- the U.S. is now concentrated among highly skilled efits began kicking in-to 10 percent by 1995 . workers and low-paying service sector jobs, leavBut in recent decades, the defined benefit plans ing fewer and fewer positions that provide enough and worker savings legs have become increasingly income to set aside money for savings. wobbly. If they break entirely, saving Social Security My research shows job opportunities are becomes even more vital. increasing most rapidly in positions that pay less Source: David W. Rasmussen, "Social Security Helped Slash Elderly Poverty to 9.2 Percent in the 20th Century-That Triumph is Now in Jeopardy," The Conversation (Nou. 26, 2018), https.//theconversation.com/social-security-helped -slash-elderly-poverty-to-9-2-percent--in-the-20th-century-that-triumph--is-now-in-jeopardy-99359. (Continued) The U.S, Constitution does not provide II. The Wisdom Corps, in its "Alternatives to War," has been making efforts to ensure a role for former presidents, but in our history, weve seen some very interesting that their oral history testimonies are examples. One of my favorites is John preserved on video for future generations, as Quincy Adams, who went on to become a an inspiration to help us find alternatives to congressman after leaving the presidency. violence in human affairs. I didnt feel that option would work for - Community leadership roles. The Wisdom me, and I couldnt exactly run for my local Corps has a roster that furnishes board school bourd - although at times I conmembers for libraries, schools, social sidered itl As it's turned oul, the Wisdom service agencies, and nonprofit groups of Cops has been the most exciting thing all kinds. In a particularly successful part of Ive done since leaving the White House. its program, the Wisdom Corps sends longIn his speech, Clinton detailed examples of experienced nonprofit executives to agencies how the Wisdom Corps has used the accumu- needing a temporary CEO while an executive lated life experience of retired leaders: search is taking place. These agencies are looking for a strong person who has no - Conflit mediation. By the early years of the interest in permanent power. Retired leaders 21 st century, Americans were getting fed have proved to be just what was needed. up with lawsuits and the breakdown of the legal system. They found an alternative Is the U.S. Wisdom Corps just a fantasy? Not approach for conflict resolution in a program necessarily. A forerunner already exists. SCORE originating in Boulder, Colorado, where (formerly known as the Service Corps of Retired senior citizens were being trained to serve Executives), a program by the U.S. Small Business as mediators in tenant-landlord disputes, Administration, enlists retired business execubusiness conflicts, and other areas where tives for volunteer roles as counselors and advisgood judgment can overcome antagonism. ers helping small business owners. SCORE now - Proxy decision making. More and more people comprises 13,000 older volunteers in 750 offices are surviving into old age without anyone to around the country. SCORE volunteers rely on life make health care decisions on their behalf experience to give advice on all aspects of busiif they lose mental capacity. A program ness: writing a business plan, devising a marketthat began in New Mexico trains retired ing strategy, avoiding pitflls in expansion, and social workers and teachers to become so on. Through free counseling sessions and lowsurrogate decision makers for those with cost workshops, SCORE volunteers are now servdiminished mental capacity who have no ing as mentors to more than a quarter of a million family members to speak for them. Difficult entrepreneurs each year. Building on this pattern end-of-life decisions require all the wisdom of success, SCORE volunteers have expanded to available. serve new community needs: developing rural - Oral history. Only a handful of people in their communities, assisting businesses filing papers 90s have firsthand memories of World War for Chapter 13 bankruptcy, and counseling business owners in the aftermath of natural disasters. 456 Basic Concepts III I Social and Economic Outlook for an