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Populations with a high expectation of life & low fertility rates tend to have age distributions characterized by intensive ageing. In studies on the consequences of ageing usually it is assumed that the older age groups are a conservative & inert factor in SE development. This may be a categorical & one-sided view of this phenomenon. Observing the principal trends shown by the changing age structure of the population in the Ukrainian SSR, & analyzing factors determining these trends may indicate a number of approaches to the interpretation of the process of population ageing as an "objective reality." In this area of the USSR, as well as in the country as a whole, population ageing is the most apparent feature of current population distribution trends. In 1970, 14% of the population was aged 60 years or more. One of the principal causes of a rise in the age of the population is established as a fall in the birth rate. Trends in production as well as changes in consumption influence the birth rate. Another factor contributing to the ageing of the population is the fall in death rate. Indeed, there is still much more which can be done to prolong life. So, population ageing is a result of trends in demographic processes which depend on SE progress. Future successes in gerontology & geriatrics will postpone the onset of old age, & will have a rejuvenating effect on the population. In industrial countries, the main distinguishing feature of the new pattern of population replacement is its greater intensity, meaning an increase in the proportion of higher age groups & a greater investment in human resources. Socialism provides foundations for "harmonious demographic development" & scientifically valid population policies. R. Lent.

Among the conflicts of modern life is that faced by many educated women between the desire to pursue a professional career and the demands of their potential maternal role. Some resolve this by deferring having children. This deferment, coupled with an increased awareness of birth defects generally and of the problems faced by older mothers, leads to an increasing number of queries to genetic advisory services, family doctors, obstetricians, and family planning centres, as to the specific risks in reproduction by older parents. The appreciable risk of death in childbed of earlier days is no longer with us, thanks to modern obstetric techniques. But the child morbidity due to congenital and genetic disorders, already appreciable (Roberts, Chavez & Court, 1970; Roberts, 1975) and increasing both proportionately and absolutely, and the evidence that some of these increase in incidence with age, mean that there is a real basis for the enquirers' concern. The following review of the ways in which parental ageing affects the incidence of such disorders, and of the mechanisms that appear to be responsible, places the increased risks in perspective.

The 'graying' of Australia's population has generated much debate within government, demographic, health and social service circles in recent times. Current and projected shifts in population structure towards greater numbers of 'dependent' populations raise a number of complex issues in regard to resource allocation in both income support and service provision. Service issues revolve around questions of whether public or private provision will resolve the care issues for dependent elderly people. It is argued that contrary to popular opinion, family care is well entrenched within the framework of social care, and that the solution of community care, posited in relation to the rising levels of chronic illness and dependency within the elderly population, is actually an attempt to place more responsibility of care on to the family. It is further suggested that family care is, in fact, care by women who themselves are in a state of dependency. Citing evidence from a study conducted by the authors, the paper argues that family care imposes heavy burdens upon women and families and suggests that social policy should, firstly, actively bolster family care through the provision of supportive and supplementary services; and secondly, broaden its intent by exploring other options of care for elderly people. The latter response is important because without it, family care will only help to reinforce and sustain the dependent status of women.

The popular conception of ageing as a time of increasing deficiency, supported by a biological decline model, is criticized on both methodological and theoretical grounds. Recent research pertaining to misconceptions about ageing is examined. Regressive changes in the latter part of the life‐span appear to reflect environmental or experiential deficits rather than intrinsic ageing phenomena. Manipulative rather than descriptive research is suggested to uncover variables responsible for the often reported deficits in the aged.

The PDF of this file is 2,693 kbytes in size and therefore will take a long time to download if you click on the PDF link below. If you would like the file to be sent to you by email, please send a request to info@nepjol.info. Please include the citation below in your request. DOI: 10.3126/opsa.v3i0.1074Occasional Papers in Sociology and Anthropology Vol.3 1993 p.28-46

The menopause clearly marks the end of the reproductive phase in the female, but no comparable event of sudden discontinuity in fertility occurs in the male. Successful paternity in man has been recorded at the age of 94 (Seymour, Duffy & Koerner, 1935). This difference between the sexes is rather surprising, as the male does not seem to age in a fundamentally different way from the female and as, moreover, the death rate for males is higher in all age groups, than for females. This may be related to the presence of only one X chromosome, the eventual defects of which cannot be compensated for by the activity of the homologue. The Y chromosome does not appear to bear vital genes, as it is not essential for life, XO individuals being perfectly viable, in distinction to the YO genotype. Moreover in the absence of male inducers, the phenotype is female, suggesting that the male phenotype is a more complex differentiation. For whatever reason, the lower viability of the male remains a striking fact: males represent only 35% of the age group over 75 years. The persistence of reproductive function into old age is therefore the more surprising. This does not mean, however, that a gradual decrease in sexual activity and testicular function in the ageing male does not occur. From adolescence onwards, there is a continuous decline in sexual interest, arousal and activity, without a sudden discontinuity in any age group.