Growing Old in America: Expectations vs. Reality
Getting old isn’t nearly as bad as people think it will be. Nor is it quite as good. A new Pew Research social trends survey finds a sizeable gap between expectations and actual experiences.
Most Middle-Aged Adults Are Rethinking Retirement Plans
In the midst of a recession that has taken a heavy toll on many nest eggs, just over half of all working adults ages 50 to 64 say they may delay their retirement — and another 16% say they never expect to stop working.
Not Your Grandfather’s Recession — Literally
Relatively speaking, older Americans’ attitudes and lifestyles have been less affected by the economic slump than have those of younger Americans. Meantime, the “Threshold Generation,” people nearing retirement, have been hardest hit, as they’ve seen their nest eggs shrink the most.
Newspapers Face a Challenging Calculus
The growth in readership online has not offset the decline in print for newspapers.
Generations Online in 2009
Contrary to the image of Generation Y as the “Net Generation,” internet users in their twenties do not dominate every aspect of online life. Gen X is the most likely to shop, bank and look for health information online. And larger percentages of older generations are doing many more activities online.
Social Networks Grow: Friending Mom and Dad
The share of adult internet users who have a profile on a social networking site has more than quadrupled in the past four years.
Democrats Post Gains in Affiliation Across Age Cohorts
The proportion of voters identifying with the Democratic Party has grown significantly since the 2004 election, and the shift has been particularly dramatic among younger voters.
The Widening Gap
While Barack Obama’s appeal to the young coincides with their increasing Democratic alignment, older voters do not show the greater allegiance to the GOP that might explain their relative reluctance to support him.
Gen Dems: The Party’s Advantage Among Young Voters Widens
Trends in the opinions of America’s youngest voters are often a barometer of shifting political winds. And that appears to be the case in 2008. Use the interactive tool to track generational differences in party affiliation over time.
In November, Will Age Matter?
John McCain’s age has remained notably absent as a campaign issue, but earlier polling data suggest it could become a big issue for the Arizona senator come November.
