Trade unions and the elderly population: is retirement still linked to the sphere of work?

Although trade unions focus on the labor force, they are important for the retirees as well. In Germany there are three main reasons for this importance. 1) Quite unintentionally, the unions - with 1.7 million retired members - have become one of the largest old-age organizations, 2) In a corporatist work and welfare regime such as Germany, the unions are one of the key actors not only in labor market policy but also in social policy, including the generational contract of old-age security. 3) The unions potentially link the retirees to the sphere of work, and thus to the concerns and conflicts of the work society. In an aging society, the saliency of such a link between work and retirement is increasing. On the one hand, with their active membership decreasing, unions are compelled to turn also to those who have retired from work to maintain their organizational strength. On the other hand, the retirees have a greater interest in union activity. By calling for a larger share in union affairs, they present the unions with an organizational dilemma. This article discusses the practice and potential of the link between unions and their older members from both perspectives: from that of the unions and their interest in the retirees and from that of the retirees and their interest in maintaining membership. Our empirical basis is a multi-level study of unions and old-age politics in Germany, including some steps towards comparison with other European countries. The study focuses on the German Metal Workers' Union - with its 3 million members the biggest single trade union not only in Germany but in all the Western world. After introducing our approach, we follow the three points outlined above. We begin by examining the evolution of the membership share of retirees in the unions. Secondly, we discuss the role of the unions in the corporatist system, especially with respect to policies concerning the elderly population. The third point, the link between retirement and the work sphere, is treated by first looking at the organizational supply of union activities for the elderly population, and then at the demand by elderly members. Finally, we briefly address the possible directions for the future, especially with regard to models of organizational representation.     

From reforms to rationing? Current allocative trends in social services in Sweden

In Sweden, the current national deficit is putting immense pressure on all government spending. Economic recession and increased levels of unemployment have jointly altered the image of the welfare state and redirected focus on it as a financial burden. A matter of considerable political and public concern is the consequences of the economic constraints on social services - the part of the welfare programs carried out by local authorities. This article raises concerns of resource allocation, starting from an outline of the impact of economic developments on different sectors of the social services. Expenditure for elderly care, child care and individual and family care is analyzed in the light of demographic changes and coverage rates. A main focus is put on the most recent development and the perceivable strategies for managing the financial cut-backs are discussed in detail. Two strategies stand out as central. One is dilution, which is granting help to an unchanged number or proportion of people granted help, combined with a decreased level or altered quality of the service provided. The other is focusing, where eligibility is defined more narrowly and in the normal case results in a consistent or even improved level of service to the most needy. Dilution seems to be the major strategy for child care and focusing the allocative trend in services for elderly people.     

Social Policies for the Elderly in the Republic of Korea and Japan: A Comparative Perspective*

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) and Japan are highly industrialized and modern nations which are both influenced by the Confucian tradition of respect for the elderly and family responsibility for the care of aging parents. In both countries the proportion of the elderly population is increasing. Japan, since the end of World War II, has utilized its government bureaucracy to help develop the social welfare system and to formulate social policies and programs for the elderly. Japan's tradition of samurai Confucianism is congruent with the commitment of the Japanese government to such social development as a matter of national policy. The Republic of Korea has not assigned a comprehensive planning role to its government bureaucracy. Lacking the mix of industrial/post-industrial infrastructure of Japan and not yet faced with the immediacy of a very large elderly population, the Republic of Korea's government has developed its social policies for the elderly in a more incremental manner, usually emphasizing small scale and piecemeal initiatives. With respect to social support, it has emphasized voluntary family efforts as congruent with the Korean (and Chinese) variant of Confucianism. This paper will compare and contrast these different approaches.     

Yanks vs. Brits

Field visits to a random sample of 103 retirement homes in Oxfordshire, England, and Washington State reveal 49 statistically significant differences. Findings include: in England, more homes have a resident manager; generally, more of the resi- dents are local people; they are older and more feeble but walk more; facilities and services are more modest and cost less; tenants are not as involved in common activities; however, they have more free- dom. In America, the building usually is newer; it is more secure from outsiders; it costs more to live there; transportation is better; there are more opportunities for social interaction among residents; they have more voluntary associations and power; tenants haven't been in the home as long; and fewer married couples live in it.     

Mental Health Needs and Supportive Services for Elderly and Disabled Residents

Abstract

This study longitudinally assesses the impact that the provision of supportive services has on the mental well-being of the elderly and disabled population living in independent housing developments. The results indicate that the use of supportive services by the mentally ill allowed them to overcome initial lower functional status and achieve a level of mental functioning virtually similar to that of the total resident population. Thus, it is argued that independent living facilities with supportive services can certainly be a successful and cost effective model for a number of frail elderly and mentally ill residents.     

The Potential of the SSI Program to Reduce Poverty Among the Elderly

Abstract

Despite large public policy efforts over the past 30 years, a large minority of households remains consistently inadequately prepared for retirement. If policymakers want to address this shortcoming, public policy has to change from its current path. This paper suggests a system of mandatory private pensions funded by a minimum mandatory contribution of 3% of payroll. In addition, a number of institutional changes are suggested to reduce the costs and risks of individual accounts.     

Constructing Deservingness

Abstract

This study examines the influence of financial incentives and the racial status of the patient on the use of extended care following an episode of hospitalization. Post-hospital care (PHC) is defined as the services provided by a skilled nursing facility (SNF) or intermediate care facility (ICF) following discharge. The focus of the analysis is on the use or nonuse of PHC, the presence or absence of a delay in transfer to an ICF or SNF and, limited to those who experienced a postponement, the length of the delayed discharge. After controlling for multiple factors, the results indicate that Medicare beneficiaries were more likely to use PHC, less likely to experience a delay in discharge, and used fewer days of prolonged care. Medicaid recipients and uninsured patients experienced reduced access to PHC. The results also indicated that the access of Native Americans and Americans to PHC was impeded.     

A Heavenly Collaboration: Social Workers and Churches Working to Increase Advance Directive Completion among African American Elderly

The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) was enacted in 1990 as a guarantee to patients that their wishes surrounding end-of-life care would be honored if they expressed verbally or through advance directives the desired level of care they wished to receive at the end of life. Research shows that African Americans have the lowest percentage of advance directives completed among the major racial groups in the United States despite the PSDA's purpose. African American elderly rely on community supports such as social workers and the church to meet physical and spiritual needs. However, these two entities have yet to collaborate to eradicate the dismal percentages of completed advance directives among African American elderly. This article explores how the religious community and social workers can work toward educating this population on the importance of advance directives and empowering them to take the necessary steps at completion if they choose to do so.     

Methodological challenges in the implementation and evaluation of social welfare policies

As social reality is quite elusive, even regarding seemingly well-recognized everyday concepts and objects, there are always methodological challenges underlying assessments and evaluations of implementation policies. The present article addresses this area of concern by presenting the results of a rereading of an empirical study of elderly home care services. Our results reveal the emergence of a dissolution of common and professional key concepts and objects in these welfare services to a degree that challenges both the implementation policy and the evaluation of policy. We claim that this has methodological implications for evaluation of implementation policies in general.