PERSPECTIVES OF AGED ON VICTIMIZATION, 'AGEISM', AND THEIR PROBLEMS IN URBAN SOCIETY

• NCJ Number: 48804
• Journal: Gerontologist Volume: 17 Issue: 2 Dated: (APRIL 1977) Pages: 121-129
• Author(s): E KAHANA; J LIANG; B FELTON; T FAIRCHILD; Z HAREL
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 9 pages
• Grant Number(s): 7 RO1MH21465-01
• Sponsoring Agency: US Dept of Health, Education, and Welfare
• Corporate Author: Gerontological Soc
• Publication Format: Article
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

OLDER PERSONS LIVING IN TWO URBAN COMMUNITIES WERE SURVEYED REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY, AGENCIES, AND NEIGHBORHOODS; COMMUNITY PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FEAR OF CRIME, WERE OF PRIMARY CONCERN.

Abstract

THE SAMPLE CONSISTED OF 402 SUBJECTS, AGED 65 OR OVER, DRAWN FROM 2 DISTINCT MICHIGAN COMMUNITIES, HAMTRAMCK AND OAK PARK. WITHIN EACH OF THESE COMMUNITIES, TWO SEPARATE SUBSAMPLES WERE SELECTED, ONE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND ANOTHER FROM SUBSIDIZED HOUSING SITES. A SAMPLE OF 154 SUBJECTS WERE DRAWN FROM THE VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS OF HAMTRAMCK, AN AUTONOMOUS CITY SURROUNDED BY DETROIT, WITH CONCENTRATIONS OF ELDERLY PERSONS OF POLISH AND UKRANIAN CATHOLIC BACKGROUND, AND A GROWING NUMBER OF YOUNG BLACK FAMILIES. THE PUBLIC HOUSING SAMPLE WAS SELECTED FROM A HOUSING SITE WHICH HAS ASSIGNED 127 OUT OF 300 UNITS TO SENIOR CITIZENS. FROM THE VOTER REGISTRATION LISTS OF OAK PARK, A NORTHWESTERN SUBURB OF DETROIT WITH A HEAVY CONCENTRATION OF OLDER PEOPLE OF JEWISH BACKGROUND AND LOWER-MIDDLE SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL, 148 SUBJECTS WERE SELECTED, AND 53 RANDOMLY SELECTED FROM AN APARTMENT COMPLEX HOUSING 168 SENIOR CITIZENS. THROUGH PERSONAL INTERVIEWS, SUBJECTS WERE ASKED TO REPORT ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED SOCIAL VICTIMIZATION IN THE FOLLOWING MAJOR PROBLEM AREAS: (1) PERSONAL VICTIMIZATION OR REJECTION, INCLUDING ITEMS SUCH AS MANDATORY RETIREMENT OR OTHER FORM OF EMPLOYMENT, PROBLEMS IN PURCHASE OF SERVICES AND REPAIRS, DISCRIMINATION BY CLUBS, AND LACK OF ATTENTION FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS; (2) PROBLEMS WITH AGENCIES OR ORGANIZATIONS; AND (3) NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS, SUCH AS PROBLEMS WITH TEENAGERS, UNDESIRABLE NEIGHBORS, CITY SERVICES, AND CRIME ON THE STREET. SURVEY FINDINGS DID NOT INDICATE SIGNIFICANT ACTUAL OR PERCEIVED DISCRIMINATION OR REJECTION BY EMPLOYERS, AGENCIES, FAMILY, OR FRIENDS; HOWEVER, COMMUNITY AND NEIGHBORHOOD PROBLEMS, INCLUDING FEAR OF CRIME, WERE SHOWN TO BE OF PRIMARY CONCERN FOR URBAN AGED. TABLES OF THE DATA ARE INCLUDED, ALONG WITH REFERENCES. (RCB)