Question

IS poverty greater among older people or among children?

Explain the dependency theory

What is the generational equity debate?

What can be the benefits of intergenerational programs?

What would be the benefit of a walled retirement village?

Answer 1

1.

Older people and children are two generations which are studied to assess the poverty level among them. While older people are dependent on the pensions, jobs and private businesses for their household income, children are dependent on their parent in the age 0 - 15 and then on scholarships or part time jobs in the age 15-18. Both the age groups 0-18 and 65+ have been studied on the basis of three definitions of poverty. These are Henderson Poverty line, OECD 50% poverty line and OECD 60% poverty line. The basic fact is that they all lead to a similar conclusion.

The conclusion states that the risk of people post retirement age is decreasing for falling into the poverty when compared to 15 years ago, which was 32.4% in the past. However, post retirement, people are much more likely to fall into poverty when compared to any other age groups. According to a study made in 2014, 23% people over 65 years of age were experiencing poverty while the average for all age groups was approximately 10%.

Hence, Old age people are more likely to be experiencing poverty than children.

2.

Dependency theory - Dependency theory, in simple terms, defines the relationship between the developing and developed geographies or we can say rich and poor. It identifies the flow of resource from the periphery poor to the core of rich states.

Typically, underdeveloped countries offer cheap labour and raw material to the world market. These are sold to rich states or advance countries which can transform the raw material into finished products. And these finished goods are then bought by underdeveloped countries at high prices which further depletes the capital which they could use in developing themselves. The result is a cycle which divides the world economy in a rich core and poor periphery.

3.

Generational Equity debate - Generational equity is defined as the theory which identifies the concept that different generations should be treated in similar manner and similar opportunities. This concept of Generational equity is often contradicted by the ones who criticize the share of societal resources which are consumed by elderly people today and will be consumed by the elderly people in the future. Hence, it is identified by these invokers thaat a tradeoff exists between the needs of children and the needs of elderly. It evaluates that there is a conflict between the age groups. And also gives rise to a generational equitry debate.

4.

Benefits of Intergenerational Programs-

a. Older generations are rich in experience and this is beneficial to younger generations. This energizes older adults and gives them a sense of purpose to share their experiences and skills with others.

b. Isolation leads to depression in not just elderly but any age group. However, elderly are more exposed to the isolation. Intergenerational programs relieves them from isolation and hence depression.

c. Older people learn new skills from younger generations and younger people gains from elderly's mature mentorship. This is beneficial to all.

d. Facing old age is a matter of concern for many younger people. Intergenerational programs let younger interact with elderly and learn to face their own old age positively.

e. Interacting with elderly fills a social gaps for the children and younger people who have lost their grandparents or other seniors in their family.