Ageing in the 21st century - are baby boomers prepared?: a study of preparation for later life in a context of social change.

Structural ageing and social change mean that the socio-economic and cultural context for ageing in the 21st century differs from that experienced by previous generations. Contemporary models of positive ageing have challenged constructions of aging as decline and disengagement and resulted in higher expectations for retirement. However, these new notions of ageing may yet be eroded by the economic and social uncertainties associated with modern life; the reformation of the social contract; and dubious assumptions about the prevalence of healthy lifestyles. As population ageing gathers momentum, state supports are becoming more tightly targeted and risk is increasingly being devolved to the individual. This progressive contraction of the welfare state has occurred during a period in which employment has become more precarious, family structures more diverse and marriage less stable. These and other social transformations have significance for how both individuals and governments prepare for later life. Baby boomers, as the first generation to age in this fundamentally different environment, are likely to face challenges that were not present for previous generations and will present policy-makers with new dilemmas. Against this background, the thesis is a study of how the radical social changes of the last half century are likely to shape the way in which ageing is experienced by baby boomers and subsequent generations. The thesis is underpinned by demographic (Riley et al 1999) and socio-cultural (Giddens 1990; 2002) theories of social change and is organised into two components. The first uses ABS Census data to explore differences between a pre-war cohort and a sub-cohort of baby boomers. The second component uses primary and secondary data from the North West Adelaide Health Cohort Study to analyse later life preparation in the baby boomer cohort. It uses an holistic conceptual framework that considers the interplay between: public protection, self-insurance, and self-protection. From a theoretical and practical perspective the research identifies the need for policymakers to be cognisant of how social change will impact on the resources baby boomers bring to old age and on how they negotiate the later life transition. It identifies variations in both the financial and non-financial resources available to different subgroups and in the factors that constrain their capacity to build and maintain the resources that will support them in later life. Evidence from this study shows that low income earners, singles, and those with poor mental health are more likely to have fewer resources than the rest of the population and to be at greater risk of poor outcomes. This is also the case for females who are more likely to enter later life with multiple chronic conditions and fewer financial resources than men. There is, therefore, a need to develop appropriately targeted policies to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are adequately met.Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Social Sciences, 201