CHANGES EN ACTIVITY OF OLDER PEOPLE: BENZIE COUNTY, MICHIGAN Thesis for the Dogma of M. A. hiICHEG-AN STATE UNWERSITY Jeannette Bond Shadko 19:67 Mir‘ligan State J LIBRARY Univers I . III I ‘ III III1 l III IIII \1 1 III-.1 ‘ II IIIII I II "III III I ‘9 . 2 IIII II III my ABSTRACT CHANGES IN ACTIVITY OF OLDER PEOPLE: BENZIE COUNTY, MICHIGAN by Jeannette Bond Shadko This descriptive study was designed to gain famil- iarity with the characteristics of men and women over 65 who live in Benzie County, Michigan. Changes were identified in activities that related to work, family and social roles. An attempt was made to ascertain their satisfactions with their lives past and present. A primary objective of the study was to achieve new insights into the needs of older people in order to develop more meaningful programs for this age group by the Cooperative Extension Service and other agencies concerned with educational programs. Literature reviewed suggested seven basic needs of older people: adjustment to a new income level; care of health; suitable housing and living arrangements; family associations; social contacts with friends and neighbors; creative use of time; and acceptance of the reality of death. This study centered around changes in work, family and social activities and the older people's perception of their own satisfaction or dissatisfaction with life. Jeannette Bond-Shadko A structured interview using an interview schedule completed by the researcher was used to gather data. A self report index was used to collect data about life sat- isfaction. A list of the older people in Benzie County was obtained from the county's supervisors. The population was composed of 918 persons, over 65 (427 men and 491 women). One hundred people (50 men and 50 women) were randomly selected for the survey. Data were hand scored by the researcher. Life satisfaction scores were determined using the coding sys- tem developed for the index. The researcher and an inde- pendent coder categorized the responses for the index. Biographical information was analyzed and described. Activities were categorized according to a pre-determined classification for activities. Comparisons were made be— tween past and present activities in work, family and so- cial roles. Comparisons were made between men and women. The majority of the sample were married. More than three-fourths of the men but a little less than half of the women were married. There were more than three times as many widows as widowers. More of each sex lived in the country. Nearly the same number of men and women lived in the country as lived in town. More than 90 percent of each sex lived in their own homes. Jeannette Bond Shadko Only six percent of the men and ten percent of the women lived with children. Less than 20 percent of either sex expressed any desire to change their present living arrangements. The majority of respondents, 66 percent of the men and 86 percent of the women, saw their health as good or fair. Male respondents had completed a median of 8.6 years of schooling. Female respondents had completed a median of 9.5 school years. This was one year less for each sex than the average for Benzie residents 25 years and older. Although well past retirement age, 37 percent of the respondents continued to work for pay. Twenty percent of the men continued to work full time. Another 22 percent were working part time. None of the women were working full time. Thirty-two percent were working part time. The largest numbers of men had worked in agricultural and skilled jobs. The largest numbers of women had worked in clerical and unskilled jobs. Most of the men still work- ing full time were in agricultural jobs. Both men and women 65 tended to drift into unskilled kinds of occupations. Men said they continued to work mainly because they liked to work. Women said they worked for economic and social reasons. They felt they were needed. Less than half of each sex reported making plans for retirement. Of those who had made plans a majority Jeannette Bond Shadko -.of the men and a larger majority of the women said they had been able to follow their plans. These people had frequent contacts with children and other family members. A majority of them also had fre- quent contacts with friends. Men said activities they enjoyed most were those concerned with other people, recreational activities,and their work. Women said the ones they enjoyed most were recreational activities and those concerned with other people. After 65 years of age participation by both men and women in formal social activities decreased. The drop was greater for men than for women. The data suggested many of the respondents were becoming less community cen- X. tered and more home centered in their later years. Men's and women's responses to the Life Satisfac- tion Index indicated that older residents of Benzie County, men and women, were predominantly positive in their atti- tudes. This study suggests the need for the Cooperative Extension Service and other educational agencies to use several ways of reaching older people. These ways might include home visits, short newsletters, radio and television programs. The older age group could be included in programs for other adults. Older people should not always be iso- lated as a group. Older people need to be helped and Jeannette Bond Shadko .motivated to help themselves and each other. Younger people, adults and children, should be con- ditioned to look on old age as a part of life, as a time with opportunities and satisfactions of its own. CHANGES IN ACTIVITY OF OLDER PEOPLE: BENZIE COUNTY, MICHIGAN By Jeannette Bond Shadko A THESIS Submitted to Michigan State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS Department of Home Management and Child Development 1967 / " C ('2‘ HS: C 2/ .. T /.I I . ._- /.."‘ j / ; /. ; ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Sincere appreciation is expressed to individuals who have contributed to the-completion of this study. Most sincere appreciation is expressed to Dr. Beatrice Paolucci for her unfailing help, counsel and inspiration. The writer gratefully acknowledges other faculty members who served on the advisory committee: Dr. Alice Thorpe, Miss Lucille Ketchum, and Dr. Mason Miller. For suggestions and support the author expresses her thanks to her colleagues in the Cooperative Extension Service. Special thanks is also due to all the good senior citizens in Benzie County who cooperated so will- ingly to make this study possible. ....... ii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . . . . . . LIST OF TABLES. . . . . . . Chapter II. II. III. IV. INTRODUCTION . . . . Purpose of the Study . Objectives of the Study. REVIEW OF LITERATURE Work Activities. . Family Activities. Social Activities. Methodology. . . . PROCEDURE. . . . . . Development of the Instrument Selection of the Sample. Collection of Data . Coding and Analysis of Data. . O O . FINDINGS . . . . . . . . . . . Description of the Sample. Changes in Work Activities . Changes in Family and Social Activities. Changes in Formal Social Activities. CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION . Discussion . Work Role. . Family Role. Social Roles . . . Life Satisfaction. Suggestions for Research Implications for the Cooperative BIBLIOGRAPHY. . . . . . . . APPENDIX: Interview Schedule . iii Extensio Service and Other Educational Agencies Life Satisfaction Index Scoring Key. n Page ii iv Table l. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. LIST OF TABLES Age Groups. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marital Status. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Place of Residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . Seasonal Residence. . . . . . . . . . . . . Reasons Given for Living in Benzie County . Number of Men and Women who Liked or Disliked Living in Present Neighborhood. . . . . . Kinds of Suggestions Given for Improving Neighborhoods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . HOUSing . O . . . . . . O . . . . O . . . . Number of Persons Desiring to Change Living Arrangements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Persons Sharing Living Arrangements . . . . Statements Concerning Health. . . . . . . . Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Past and Present Occupations. . . . . . . . Continued to Work After Retirement Age. . . Years Spent in Work . . . . . . . . . . . . Reasons Given for Present Employment. . . . Number who Planned for Retirement . . . . . Kinds of Plans Made for Retirement. . . . . Frequency of Participation in Specified Activi- ties . . . . . . O . O . . . . . O . O O . Activities of Previous Day Reported . . . . iv Page 26 27 29 29 29 31 32 33 33 34 34 35 37 39 40 41 41 42 44 47 Table 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. Kinds of Activities Reported as Enjoyed Most. . Kinds of Activities They Would Like Most To Do. Differences Stated in Life Ten to Fifteen Years Ago . . . . . . O O . O . . . . . . . . . . 0 Number of Persons Participating in Formal Social Activities, Past and Present . . . . . Number of Organizations Belonged to by Indi- Viduals . . O O O . . . . . O O . . . . . . 0 Number of Persons Holding or Having Held Office in Social Organizatibns . . . . . . . . . . . Number of Special Group Activities per Indi- Vidual O O O O O O O O O O O O O . . . . O O 0 Number of Respondents Agreeing, Disagreeing or Uncertain about Life Satisfaction Statements. Range of Positive Attitudes as Indicated by Life Satisfaction Index Scores. . . . . . . . Page 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 65 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Our twentieth-century Western society prides itself in having a major concern for the individual and corporate needs of its members. There is con- cern that, wherever possible, services and facili- ties be provided that will assist individual mem- bers to function at their greatest possible capac- ity, thereby making a contribution to society. A large segment of society is composed of senior citizens. . . . Due to population growth and new medical advances, both the absolute and the rela- tive size of this segment of society is increasing rapidly. These and other factors have generated special concern for the problems of the aging.1 Nine percent of Michigan's population is over 65 years of age. Benzie County is a small county in the north- ern part of the state. Twelve and six-tenths percent of the county's population is 65 years old or older. Benzie is in the highest quarter of counties in Michigan in its number of older residents.2 The Cooperative Extension Service of Michigan State 1United Community Services of Grand Rapids and Kent County. Characteristics and Needs of Senior Citizens in Kent County, Michigan. A survey conducted by the Planning Division in Cooperation with the Michigan Department of Health (Grand Rapids, Kent County: United Community Serv- ices, 1964), p. 1. 2Allan Beegle et al., Michigan Population 1960, Selected Characteristics and Changes, Special Bulletin 438, 1962. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Michigan State University, Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing, Michigan, pp. 30-31. University carries on a major part of its homemaking edu- cational program through extension study clubs. Benzie study clubs have many members in the older age group. Extension Home Economists are interested in learn- ing more about the changing needs and roles--work, family and social--of these older people. A study of their activ- ities, past and present, and a study of satisfactions or dissatisfactions of their lives, past and present, could lead to better program planning by the Cooperative Exten- sion Service and other adult educational agencies within the county. Such a study could also lead to more constructive program planning for younger people as they prepare for the later years. Objectives Objectives of the study are: 1. To gain familiarity with the characteristics of this age group in Benzie County. 2. To identify changes in the activities of older people as they relate to work, family and so- cial roles. 3. To identify satisfaction or dissatisfaction with these activities past and present. 4. To achieve new insights in order to formulate more precise research problems. 5. To achieve new insights in order to develop more meaningful programs for older people by the Cooperative Extension Service and other agencies concerned with educational programs. This is a descriptive study intended to portray accurately the characteristics of a particular group.1 1Claire Selltiz et al., Research Methods in Social Relations (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 19637, p. 50. CHAPTER II REVIEW OF LITERATURE Much has been said and written on the subject of aging and older people. Interest in this age group has developed in fairly recent times. During the 1920's a few articles about older people appeared in the Journal of Home Economics. In a 1933 issue of this journal a book called Salvaging Old Age1 was men- tioned. The title of this book may suggest the nature of the philosophy of the times. During the late 30's and 40's there was a progressive increase in the number of books, articles in periodicals, and studies of needs and concerns of older people. In the 50's the information available on aging increased greatly in quantity as people began to realize that growing numbers of persons were living beyond the age of 65. Serious studies of the aging probably began in the 1940's. The Division of Gerontology, University of Mich- igan, was a pioneer in the study of aging people and the aging process. In 1948 the Governor of Michigan appointed lLillien J. Martin and Clare DeGruchy, Books and Periodicals, "Salvaging Old Age," in: Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 22, May, 1930, p. 411. an interdepartmental committee on aging. This led to a study committee, then to a council and eventually to the establishment of the present Michigan Commission on Aging in 1960.1 The first studies focused on financial situations and needs, health and housing. However, as early as 1950 Donahue and Tibbetts2 identified other problems of older people in addition to physical ones. They suggested the 'need for: opportunities to take part in activities which give the satisfaction of continued creativity; for compan— ionship, relationships which provide emotional security; and for opportunities for continued usefulness in society. There is general agreement in the literature about the basic needs of older people. Duvall indicated there are seven developmental needs. (1) One of the most crucial adjustments of aging family members is the adjustment to a new income level. Some members may need to continue to work for financial reasons. It may be desirable for others to continue work- ing for psychological and social reasons. I (2) Good health care-means daily care and periodic health examinations. Regular exercise and an adequate diet 1Michigan Commission on Aging, A Report othhe Gov— ernor's Task Forges on Aging (Lansing, Michigan: Commis- sion on Aging, 1964), p. A3. 2Wilma Donahue, Clark Tibbitts (Ed.), Planning the Older Years (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1950), p. 3. are as important as in the earlier years of life. Health care can take an increasingly larger part of the older per- son's income. (3) Housing and living arrangements may need to be changed to adapt physical arrangements to health and economic situations. Home for older people should be a safe and pleasant place. (4) Family associations are one of the greatest sources of emotional support in the later years of life. After retirement the older person's most important satis- factions may come from meaningful relationships with other family members. (5) There is a continued need for social contacts and social responsibilities. To enjoy old friends and make new ones is important throughout life. The older person should also be a citizen of his community. (6) The meaningful, creative use of time calls for a continuance of special interests and a development of new interests. Such activities help the older person find recognition and esteem for his accomplishments. They help him to keep on feeling useful and important. (7) There is a need to face death for oneself and members of one's family, death as a part of life, death as inevitable. The older person can accept constructively the reality of death.1 lEvelyn M. Duvall, Family Development (2nd ed.) This study therefore centered around three areas of change in work, family and social activities of older persons living in Benzie County. A brief review of litera- ture regarding these three areas follows. Work Activities In some cultures older people have a prescribed role. They take a well defined part in work and leisure activities. They do not do hard physical work but they are a necessary part of the total activity pattern. Rural communities in the United States have tradi— tionally had a prescribed place for older persons. However, over the past thirty years changes have been so rapid that a prescribed role for all people, including the aging, rare- ly exists. Smithl suggests that the aged have to find a new role. Often it is a non-economic role in a society which highly values an economic one. Hunter and Maurice2 report that in the American (Philadelphia and New York: The J. B. Lippincott Company, 1962), pp. 438-400 . lWilliam M. Smith, "Old Age: So Old Nobody Wants You,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 41, December, 1949, p. 308. 2Woodrow Hunter and Helen Maurice, Older People Tell Their Story, Report of a Survey of the Needs of Older People Undertaken in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Recommenda— tions for Community Action. Developed by a Local Forum on Aging, University of Michigan, Institute for Human Adjust- ment, Division of Gerontology (Ann Arbor: Brown-Brumfield, Inc., 1953), p. 17. society it is work that gives meaning to existence. Work is a sign of worth in the eyes of the family and the com- munity. It structures an individual's and a family's social life. Many older people need to work for financial reasons. As they grow older they find it hard or impossible to get work. This seriously frustrates them in their efforts to remain productive, self-reliant and respected members of their family and community. People are encouraged to retire at 65 or 62 to a leisure they have never learned to value or use. Too often this can mean doing little or nothing in a society that has long placed much value on being active and productive.1 Today we are moving toward a leisure oriented soci- ety where withdrawal from work does not mean withdrawal from life but an opportunity for self expression, for cre- ativity, and for community service.2 Can usefulness now take a different form? Can this new form become as mean- ingful as work? Michelon3 stated that the objective of further lMichigan Commission on Aging, A Report on the Gov- ernor's Task Forces on A in . Michigan Commission on Aging. TLansIng, Michigan, 1965 , p. G1. 21bid., p. H1. 3L. C. Michelon, "The New Leisure Class,” The Amer- ican Journal of Sociolggy, Vol. LIX, No. 4, January, 1954, p. 378. education is not to make the positive meanings of work nega- tive but to develop a positive appreciation of retirement opportunities. Older persons must transfer old meanings to new activities and must find some new meanings, new satis- factions in the retired role. A study1 conducted by the National Commission on Aging showed that most people want to continue to work as long as they are able. The Commission surveyed 47 large companies (10,000 or more employees). Other surveys2 taken by the Social Security Admin- istration, University Research groups, The Twentieth Cen- tury Fund, National Opinion Survey Organizations, and some industrial firms indicated 50% or more of workers do not want to retire at 65. The reason most often given was financial need. Other reasons given were: liked the job, wanted to keep busy; liked the familiar routine; enjoyed the associations; found work a source of recognition and status; work was an opportunity for creative endeavor; work gave a purpose to life; and some reported feeling better mentally and physically when working. 1National Committee on Aging, Work Attitudes at ‘Age65 Survey, A Survey of 254 U.S. Corporations, National Committee on Aging, New York City, New York, 1959, pp. 3-5 (In: Background Paper on Education for Aging, White House Conference on Aging, p. 42). 2Eugene A. Friedman, "The Good Use of Leisure. The Work of Leisure,” In: Wilma Donahue et a1. (editors), Free Time: Challenge to Later Maturity (Ann Arbor: The Univer- sity of Michigan Press, 1958), p. 121. 10 It would seem that many people have a negative at- titude toward retirement. They avoid serious planning for it. However, since 1950, retirement studiesl seem to show a consistently lower percentage of workers who do not want to retire. There is also some evidence to suggest that em- ployees of companies with systematic programs of pre-retire- ment counseling over a period of years have more favorable attitudes toward retirement than workers in companies with- out this kind of program.2 The Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania took a survey3 of its employees approaching retirement in 1952. A majority had thought about retirement and had talked it over with others, but few had made any definite plans. The company found that those who had made plans were find- ing the plans worked out as they had hoped. Those who had not made plans did not seem to be so fortunate. The retirement role as a separate role has been less quickly accepted by farmers. It has been a more grad- ual process for them. The use of modern mechanized proced- ures has reduced the number of useful tasks older people lIbid., pp. 121-22. 21bid., p. 122. 3The Benefit Office of the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania: Survey on Preparation for Retirement, January, 1950. In: Background Paper on Education for Aging, White House Conference on Aging, pp. 43-44. 11 have traditionally performed in rural areas. In a study1 of 575 farm people, less than one-third had made definite plans for retirement. However, 85 percent planned to retire. Family Activities The family is the first and most important source of comfort and psychological support. Family relationships are a vital factor in a satisfying old age. Schorr2 has stated there is a growing body of evi- dence to show that only about 15 percent of aging parents live more than a short ride from some child. About 50 per- cent live within walking distance or a short ride. About one-third live with a child. More than two out of three older parents see their children at least once a week. If they cannot visit they keep in touch by telephone, sometimes daily. A Cornell study3 of retirement used a sample of 1Howard M. Sauer, Jeanne C. Biggar, "Plans, Atti- tudes on Retirement and Social Security," Farm and Home_ Research, Vol. XV, No. 3, 1964. Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota. 2Alvin L. Schorr,"Filial Responsibility and the Aging,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 54, No. 4, April, 1962, p. 273. In: Alvin L. Schorr, Filial Responsibility in the Modern American Family_(Washington, D.C.: U.S. Gov- ernment Printing Office, 1960), p. 6. And: Ethel Shanos, "Living Arrangements of Older People in the United States,” The Gerontologist, 1, No. 1, March, 1961, pp. 27-29. 3Gordon F. Streib and Wayne E. Thompson, "The Older 12 2300 people. They found a large majority of the older parents in their sample had frequent contacts with their children's families. Three out of four saw children often; 70 percent saw grandchildren often. One-third were with brothers and sisters often. One-fourth saw nieces and nephews often. Twelve percent were in frequent touch with cousins. Reynolds and McKinney,l reporting on the 1950 White House Conference on Aging, suggested that personal patterns of adjustment in family relationships which are character- istic of both one's youth and middle age determine the type and quality of family relations in old age. Among the char- acteristics they assumed to be helpful to successful aging were: a large family; strong kinship ties; a family well integrated into community life; preservation of some indi- vidual property rights and other personal privileges; op- portunities to contribute to society; and some stability in integration between traditional and changing values. Albrecht2 and Duvall3 state that maintaining close Person in a Family Context," in:Clark Tibbetts, ed., Hand- book of Social Gerontology_(Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1960), p. 476. lLucille W. Reynolds, Florence McKinney, ”Report from the 1950 Conference on Aging," Journal of Home Econom- ics, Vol. 43, January, 1951, pp. 42-43. 2Ruth Albrecht, "Relationships of Older Parents with Their Children," Marriage and Family Living, Vol. XVI, No. 1, February, 1954, p. 33. 3Duvall, II, p. 464. l3 and meaningful contacts with family members can be a most rewarding task of the later years. As the individual ages the family decreases in size. Some members may move far away, some die. Children go to homes of their own. Knowledgeable parents have encouraged their child- ren's autonomy and growth through the years. These parents find new relationships with mature children and grandchild— ren. They accept and welcome in-laws as members of the family. At the same time these kinds of parents have con- tinued their own development with interests in addition to their families. Social Activities Man cannot live by himself. He is a part of soci- ety. Continuous social contact helps to maintain his mental health. There are several social adjustments and maladjust- ments to old age. These include a range of behaviors from withdrawal to overinvolvement.l The Kent County Survey2 found that the desire for lMichigan Commission on Aging, p. G16. 2United Community Services of Grand Rapids and Kent County, Characteristics and Needs of Senior Citizens in Kent County, Michigan. A Survey Conducted by the Planning Division of the United Community Services of Grand Rapids and Kent County in Cooperation with the Michigan Department of Mental Health, 1964, p. 50. l4 companionship is very great in older people. Many of the people they surveyed would like a central meeting place available for use and someone to visit them occasionally. ‘xL‘ They wanted contacts with other older people in addition to contacts with their children and other family members. The meaningful use of their time was another important con- cern1 of older persons. New routines, fellowship with old and new friends, following old interests and choosing some new leisure activities can help the aging to find new set- isfactions to take the place of old ones, and can help them to find old satisfactions in new activities. Old age tends to make people more like what they already are. Preparation for the later years begins in youth. Living each stage of life completely helps one move on more easily to the next stage, accepting it, enjoying its special satisfactions and meeting its problems. There seems to be some agreement among many author- ities that most older people are happiest who have learned how to play when they were young, who developed interests and skills that enable them to enjoy increased leisure time after retirement.2 Attempts have been made to define and measure the 1Michigan Commission on Aging, p. L3. 2Esther McGinnis, "Age Is Meant for Living,” Jour- nal of Home Economics, Vol. 42, January, 1950, pp. 9-12. 15 psychological well being of older people. This has been done with the intention of developing and using a measure as an operational definition of aging. Measures of satis— faction with life in the later years have been attempted.1 Feelings of satisfaction seem to be related to how well the older person adjusts to this period in his life. The researcher was interested in discovering whether or not older citizens in Benzie County viewed their present situ- ation positively or negatively; whether they were satisfied or dissatisfied with their lives past and present. Methodology_ There have been three general points of view in approaches to the problem of defining and measuring success- ful aging: 1. Active social participation throughout life increases well being in later years. Cabot2 found that with some exceptions older men and women serving as volun- teers for a large variety of causes had begun this type of service before the age of 45. 2. The most successful aging life styles may not vary from those of the persons' middle years. This could lBernice L. Neugarten, Robert J. Havighurst, and Sheldon S. Tobin, "The Measurement of Life Satisfaction," Journal of Gerontology, Vol. 16, No. 2, April, 1961, p. 134. 2Natolie Harris Cabot, You Can't Count on Dying (Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1961), p. 241. 16 be interpreted to mean that those who were little involved in social kinds of activities through the early and middle years of life might continue to find this a satisfactory life style in old age. 3. A third assumption is concerned with the indi- vidual's own evaluation of his present and past life, his satisfactions, his happiness. There are scales and activity scores for measuring the social acceptability of the older persons' behavior.1 However, it may not be appropriate to measure well being in old age by the same standards that are applied to middle age. The process of "growing,“ not "getting,“ old could make it more intelligent to give up or modify some of the activities of the early and middle years of life. Other measures have been used that take into account the person's associations with family, friends, formal and informal groups but also use his feelings of importance and satisfaction and his emotional stability as a point of reference.2 Several instruments3 that attempt to measure suc— cessful aging have been developed and tested since 1949. lNeugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, p. 134. 2Ibid., p. 135. 31bid., pp. 134-43. 17 The Kansas City Study of Adult Life1 was concerned with leisure activities of four social class groups: upper and upper middle, lower middle, upper-lower and lower. Havighurst2 noted that activities for upper and middle classes included formal associations, participation in sports and gardening (mainly flowers). Lower-middle and upper-lower classes favored manipulative activities and watching TV. Lower-lower classes preferred visiting friends and relatives and gardening (mainly vegetable). Each socio-economic group3 found different meanings in leisure. Upper and middle classes said: “It gives me a chance to achieve something.;“ "It is a benefit to soci— ety.” Lower-middle classes said: ”It brings me in contact with friends." Working class people said, "It helps to make the time pass," and lower class people stressed, ”It helps me financially." Upper and middle class people tended to be community centered in their leisure time activities. Lower middle and lower classes were inclined to be home centered in leisure activities. There were, however, many exceptions. 1Robert J. Havighurst, "The Nature and Values of Meaningful Free Time Activity." In: R. W. Kleemeier (ed.), Aging and Leisure, A Research Perspective into the Meanin — ful Use of Time (New York: Oxford University Press, 196i , pp. 314-18 0 21bid., pp. 315-16. 31bid., pp. 317-18. 18 In the Kansas City study1 the investigators attempt- ed to develop a measure that would use the individual's own evaluations as a point of reference--one that would be relatively independent of activity or social participation levels. A second purpose of the investigations was to de— velop a short, easily administered instrument that could be used in other studies. Using data from this study, five components2 of psychological well being were defined: (1) He takes pleasure from the round of activities that make up his daily life. (2) Regards life as meaningful and ac- cepts that which life has been. (3) Feels he has succeeded in achieving his major goals. (4) Holds a positive image of self. (5) Maintains happy and optimistic attitudes and mood. As a result of the Kansas City study3 two self- report instruments were devised that could be used separ- ately or together--The Life Satisfaction Index A4 and The Life Satisfaction Index 8.5 Investigators note that direct self reports, even w Neugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, p. 135. NH Ibid., p. 137. Ibid., p. 141. 1500 Ibide , pp. 141-42. U1 Ibid. 19 though carefully measured, can be expected to agree only partially with the evaluations of life satisfactions made by an outside observer.1 The purpose of the study was to find ways in which the Cooperative Extension Service and other agencies con- cerned with the total welfare of older people could help to make the later years of life not merely bearable or com- fortable but really meaningful for the older people them- selves and for society. Currently the Cooperative Exten- sion Service has viewed problems of the older population as ones that could be handled in special groups or meetings. The literature raised questions concerning some stereotypes of older people. Are older persons really dif- ferent than other adults? Are there stages in the lives of older citizens? Do changes in the aging affect their style of living? The review of literature led the author to consider an investigation of their satisfaction with life and the kinds of changes that take place in activities relevant to the three most important human roles for men and women as they pass from middle age, the productive years, through the later years of the life cycle. lIbid., p. 142. CHAPTER III PROCEDURE This chapter deals with the development of the in- strument, the selection of the sample, gathering of the data, coding and analysis of the data. Data were gathered by the researcher in a structured interview. A self report index was used to collect data about life satisfaction. Develgpment of the Instrument An interview schedule (see Appendix, p. 85) using fixed alternative and open ended questions was designed. Items were formulated and selected which were specifically related to the activity changes to be studied. The interview schedule consisted of 25 questions. The first part requested information about the respondent's work, family and social activities at the present time com- pared with these activities ten or fifteen years ago. The second part solicited data on how the respond- ents looked at life, their satisfaction with life in the past and the present. The third part asked for information concerning age, marital status, education, physical living arrangements and state of health. 20 21 Four questions (Nos. 1 to 4) were asked to obtain information about the respondent's work activities at the present time and in the past. If the respondents were pres- ently working, their reasons for working were sought. Eight questions (Nos. 5 through 12) were asked to learn about changing activities in family and community. One open-ended question (No. 5) asked how time was spent the previous day from the time of getting up until the time of going to bed. Two questions (Nos. 8 and 9) were asked concerning satisfactions with daily activities. The respondents were asked to check (No. 10) a list of 26 activities most people say they do daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. Two questions (Nos. 11 and 12) attempted to ascer- tain membership in organizations now and in the past and kinds of participation in these organizations. One ques- tion (No. 13) requested information on plans made in the past for retirement and if these plans had been carried out. Respondents were asked what recommendations (No. 14) they would make to persons aged 40 to 50 years old in plan- ning for the later years. A measurement of life satisfaction (No. 15), the Life Satisfaction Index A,1 was used to determine feelings about life in general and to measure to some extent satis- faction or dissatisfaction with past and present roles. 1Neugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, XVI, p. 141. 22 The interview schedule was pretested by administer— ing it to two women in an adjoining county and to a man in another adjoining county. The purpose of the pre-test was to check clarity of the questions, to ascertain the diffi- culty of comprehension and to insure that the data could be gathered. No important changes were made in the instru- ment as a result of the pre-test. Selection of the Sample A list of the total population of older people in Benzie County was obtained from the 13 township and village supervisors. The population was composed of 918 persons, 427 men and 491 women. One hundred people, 50 men and 50 women, were randomly selected1 for the survey. These people met the following qualifications: (1) Were over 65 years of age. (2) Lived at home or under homelike conditions. Institutionalized persons were not included in this sample of the population. (Havighurst and Albrecht2 report that less than five percent of all older people are living in 1M. G. Kendall and B. B. Smith, Egbles of Randgg_ Sampling_Numbers, Tracts for Computers XXIV (London: Cam- bridge University Press, 1939), pp. 23-24 and 142-43. 2Robert J. Havighurst and Ruth Albrecht, Older People (New York: Longmans, Green & Co., 1953), p. 9. In: Iva M. Bader and Adeline M. Hoffman, "Research in Aging,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 58, No. 1, January, 1966, p. 10. 23 institutions for the aged. Herzogl estimates that an ad- ditional five to ten percent are disabled and are being cared for at home by relatives and friends. This leaves 85 to 90 percent of people over 65 who are living independ- ently and it points out the desirability for seeking repre- sentative samples of the total population of older people.) (3) Were residents of the county for six months or more of the year. Out of the original selection of 100 men and women, four persons refused to take part in the survey. One ad- ditional person did not keep an appointment for an inter- view. The refusal rate for this survey, then, was five percent. Consequently, using the same table of random numbers, five additional names were drawn. Collection of Data Data were gathered on an interview schedule com- pleted by the researcher during a personal interview with each respondent in his home setting. Few appointments were prearranged. Occasionally it was inconvenient for the person to have an interview at the time of contact, so another time was scheduled. lA. Herzog, ”Portrait of Our Senior Citizens," New York Times Magazine, November 4, 1962, pp. 23-46. In: Iva M. Bader and Adeline M. Hoffman, "Research in Aging," Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 58, No. 1, January, 1966, p. 10. ‘ ' If 24 Some telephone appointments were made when the interviewer was unable to find anyone at home after three to four per— sonal calls. Most people were alone during the interview. In some cases, there were one or more persons present. Items in the schedule were read to the respondent. Responses were recorded in the words of the respondent. Where necessary the interviewer explained the question in greater detail to the respondent. The interviews were conducted during a three month period from August 10 to November 20, 1965. Interview time ranged from 45 minutes to two hours and 15 minutes. Coding and Analysisgof Data Data were hand-scored by the researcher. The cod- ing system developed by Neugarten, Havighurst and Tobinl was used for determining life satisfaction scores. (See Scoring Key, Appendix, p. £L4.) The researcher and an in- dependent coder, a teacher, categorized the responses for these scores. There was high agreement between the coders. The two coders disagreed on 33 out of 800 answers for the men and they disagreed on 38 out of 800 answers for the women. The answers in question were rechecked on the original interview schedules. The coders then made a final decision on classification. w lNeugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, XVI, p. 141. 25 Biographical information such as age, marital status, education, place of residence, living arrangements and em- ployment were analyzed and described. Activities were categorized according to Sorokin'sl classification for activities. These were: 1. Activities directly satisfying physiological needs. 2. Activities of economic and chore nature as means to other ends. 3. Societal activities concerned with the inter- action of the individual with others. 4. Religious activities such as attending services or religious ceremonies. 5. Artistic activities which involved active par- ticipation in the arts and crafts. 6. Intellectual activities including attending lectures, reading, studying, or going to school. 7. Miscellaneous pleasurable activities or activ- ities of a pleasurable character pursued for their own value. Comparisons were made between past and present ac- tivities in work, family and social roles. Comparisons were made between men and women. 1Pitirim A. Sorokin and Clarence Q. Berger, Time Bud ets of Human Behavior (Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1939), p. 89. CHAPTER IV FINDINGS This chapter describes the sample, and views changes in three areas of activity for older people: work, family and social. The chapter includes a self evaluation of the respondent's attitude toward his life past and present. Description of the Sample The sample consisted of 50 men and 50 women over the age of 65 who were residents of Benzie County, Michigan, during 1965. The ages of the respondents ranged from 65 to 90. There were more older men than women in this sample: 24 percent were men 80 years or over as compared with 12 per- cent of women in the over 80 group. Table 1. Age Groups Age Groups Men Women No. % No. % 65 - 69 15 3O 18 36 7O - 74 13 26 16 32 75 - 79 10 20 10 20 80 - 84 7 14 3 6 85 - 89 4 8 2 4 9O - l 2 0 0 No answer 0 0 1‘ 2 Total 50 100 50 100 ’One woman avoided telling her age. 26 27 The majority of the sample were married. There were more than three times as many widows as widowers. Table 2. Marital Status Marital Status Men Women No. % No. % Married 39 78 23 46 Never Married 2 4 2 4 Widowed 7 14 25 50 Divorced or Separated 2 4 0 0 Total 50 100 50 100 This sample follows the same trend as the general population in Benzie County and the State of Michigan. Of Benzie County persons over 14 years of age in 1961, 70.1 percent of the men and 69.6 percent of the women were married. Four and four-tenths percent of the men and l One-half of one 12.7 percent of the women were widowed. percent more of the men than of the women were married. There were nearly three times as many widowed women as men. State of Michigan statistics2 in 1961 list 59.5 percent of men over 65 and 30.7 percent of women over 65 as married. Thirty and one-tenth percent of Michigan men lU.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Census of Popula- tion: 1960. General Population Characteristics Michi an. Final Report PC (1)-24B, pp. 24-153, Table 28 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1961). 2U.S. Bureau of the Census, U.S. Census of Popula- tion: 1960. Detailed Characteristics Michi an. Final Report PC (1)-24D, pp. 24-403, Table 105 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1961). 28 over 65 and 60.6 percent of women over 65 were widowed. Nearly twice as many men as women in the older age group were married. Twice as many women as men were widowed. This sample also follows the trend of older citi- zens in urban areas in Michigan. In the Grand Rapids Study1 65 percent of the men and 19.8 percent of the women were married. Twenty-five percent of the men and 61.5 percent of the women were widowed. Two and one-half times as many women as men were widowed. The Kalamazoo Study2 reported that 65 percent of the men and 16 percent of the women were married while 24 percent of the men and 61 percent of the women were widowed. Two and one—half times as many women as men were widowed. The data indicated that the typical older Benzie man was married; the typical older Benzie woman was wid- owed. In general, this seems to be characteristic of the older population in Michigan. More respondents lived in the country rather than in town; 60 percent were country dwellers. Sex seemed to make no difference as to place of residence. 1Hunter and Maurice, p. 48. 2Kalamazoo Committee on Aging. A Report prepared by William D. Allen and Samuel V. Bennett, Survey of Senior Citizens igWKalamazgg (Kalamazoo: Western Michigan Uni- versity, 1961), p. 5. 29 Table 3. Place of Residence Residence Men Women No. % No. % Town 19 38 21 42 Country 31 62 29 58 Total 50 100 50 100 The majority of respondents were year-round resi- dents of Benzie County. Only 13 percent left the county during the winter season. Table 4. Seasonal Residence Season Men Women No. % No. % Year around 45 90 42 84 Away in winter 5 10 8 16 Total 50 100 50 100 These older people mentioned five kinds of reasons for choosing to live in the county. Table 5. Reasons Given for Living in Benzie County Reasons Men Women No. % No. % Family 30 60 36 72 Social 6 12 4 8 Recreation 8 l6 5 10 Work 4 8 3 6 Health 2 4 l 2 No answer 0 0 l 2 Total 50 100 50 100 3O Included in family reasons were such things as: born here or brought here by family, came to live with or near children, came to help or care for parents, and hus- band's or wife's home was here. Other respondents said they had chosen Benzie County because: they had friends here; they wanted a place in the country; they had been here to vacation, hunt or fish and decided to retire in the area; one man was transferred to a job in the county; one had lost his city job during the depression. Three people had respiratory conditions that seemed to be improved by northern Michigan's climate. One woman and two men came from Norway. Norwegians make up the largest ethnic group in Benzie County. One woman came from Canada. Several respondents came from neighboring states. However, most of those who migrated into the county were from Michigan counties and most of these people were from nearby counties. One man said he was here “accidental like”--he and his wife grew up in the same back yard in Illinois. Her family came up here and he tagged along. He's "never been sorry." A very high percentage of these people said they liked living in their neighborhoods. 31 Table 6. Number of Men and Women who Liked or Disliked Living in Present Neighborhood Attitude toward . Men Women Neighborhood No. % No. % Liked 46 92 45 90 Disliked O 0 2 4 Indirect Answer 0 0 l 2 No Answer 4 8 2 4 Total 50 100 50 100 Men and women both mentioned the beauty of the country, good neighbors and relatives, and convenience to stores and post office as reasons for liking their neighborhoods. Two of the men had lived over 70 years in the same place. One woman said, "Yes, I like it here. It's where we sunk our roots." Respondents were asked to give suggestions for improving their neighborhoods. The greatest number of both men and women said their neighborhoods were all right as they were. The next ranked suggestion from both men and women gave more close neighbors and more neighborly relations as a need. Men thought somewhat in terms of economic needs, more work opportunities and better wages. Women tended to think more in terms of physical improvements for the home and community. 32 Table 7. Kinds of Suggestions Given for Improving Neighborhoods Suggestions Men Women No. % . No-- % Social ” More close neighbors and more neighborly relations 6 12 6 12 More contact with church 1 0 0 Better law enforcement and town management 1 2 l 2 112m Need small firms to give more employment 5 10 O 0 Need higher wages 2 4 0 0 Physical Improvement Homes 3 6 4 8 Roads 1 2 3 Mail route 0 0 1 2 Neighborhood is all right as it is 10 20 13 26 No suggestions given 8 l6 14 28 No answer 13 26 10 20 Total 50 100 52‘ 104 ‘One woman made three suggestions. Donahue and Tibbettsl say older people need living arrangements that are more than a shelter and that furnish opportunities for relationships with other people and op- portunities for privacy. Benzie County older people indi- cated that their living arrangements met these criteria. Most of the respondents lived in individual, private 1Donahue and Tibbetts, p. 3. 33 residences. Only two women lived in apartments. Four per- sons, two men and two women, lived in trailers. Table 8. Housing Housing Men Women No. % No. % House 48 96 46 92 Apartment 0 0 2‘ 4 Trailer 2 4 2 4 Total 50 100 50 100 'One woman's apartment is part of a house. She cares for the entire house. Few men or women expressed a desire to change pres- ent living arrangements. Table 9. Number of Persons Desiring to Change Living Arrangements Desired Change Men Women No. % No. % Yes 9‘ 18 8 16 No 38 76 4O 80 Maybe l 2 0 In the future 2 4 1 2 No answer 0 0 1 2 Total 50 100 50 100 Reasons given for wanting to change were: present home too large; present home needed improvement; farm too much work; a warmer climate is needed for the winter; and a desire to be nearer stores, church and post office. One man and four women had recently changed living 34 arrangements. The man moved from a larger house to a smaller one on the same road, but nearer the main highway. One woman moved into a smaller house. Two women moved into trailers. One woman moved from town to country. Few respondents lived with children or other rela- tives. The majority lived with their spouse or alone. More than twice as many women as men lived alone. Table 10. Persons Sharing Living Arrangements Persons Men Women No. % No. % Spouse 37 74 23 46 Alone 8 16 17 34 Children 3 6 5 10 Relatives 2 4 8 Other 0 0 1 2 Total 50 100 50 100 The majority of the respondents viewed their state of health as being “good" or ”fair.“ Only 11 percent as- sessed it as “poor" while 13 percent assessed their health as ”very good." Table 11. Statements Concerning Health Health Men Women No. % No. % Very good 8 l6 5 10 Good 21 42 29 58 Fair 12 24 14 28 Poor 9 18 2 4 Total 50 100 50 100 35 Women had a little more schooling than men. More women than men had attended college. Twice as many women as men had taken special courses. Table 12. Education Years in School Men Women No. % No. % Elementary School 8 years 19 38 15 30 7 or less 12 24 7 14 High School 4 years 5 10 7 l4 3 or less 8 16 8 16 College Master's degree 1 2 1 2 Bachelor's degree 0 5 10 3 years or less 5 10 3 6 Special Courses‘ 8 16 17 34 ‘Special courses and training included business, nurse's training, librarian, county normal, trade school and others. Figures from the 1960 Census1 credit Benzie County males of 25 years and older with 9.9 median school years completed. Benzie County females of 25 years and older had completed 10.9 median school years. lU.S. Bureau of the Census. U.S. Census of Popu- lation: 1960. General Social and Economic Characteristics, Michigan, Final Report PC (1)—24C, p. 24-301, Table 83 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1962). 36 In this sample male respondents 65 years and older had completed a median of 8.6 years of schooling. Female respondents of 65 and over had completed a median of 9.58 school years. Men gave three reasons for not getting more educa- tion: helping at home on the farm, going into the army for World War I, and lack of money. Women mentioned: helping at home, poor health, and "too far to walk to high school" as reasons for not getting more schooling. One woman said she completed the 8th grade after her own boy went to school. Comments from men respondents included: "I missed education greatly through the years." "I took courses after I began to see the value in education.” One person commented that he "had gone only through the 3rd grade and had gotten so I could spell out words and read pretty well but I never could figure much." Changes in Work Activities A comparison was made of work activities of the respondents at the time of the interview and of their re- call of work activities in the past, ten or fifteen years ago. 37 Table 13. Past and Present Occupationsl Past Present Occupations Men Women. Men Women No. % No. % No. % No. % Professional and Managerial 6 12 9 18 0 0 1 2 Clerical 1 2 ll 22 1 2 2 Service 0 0 4 8 1 O 0 Agriculture, Horti- culture, Forestry, Fishing 15 30 5 10 7 14 l 2 Skilled 12 24 l 2 3 6 1 2 Semi-skilled 8 16 1 2 1 2 0 0 Unskilled 8 16 14 28 3 8 16 Unemployed 0 0 5 10 34 68 37 74 All of the men and all but one of the women in the professional category had dropped out of these occupations. Eighty-two percent of the women had dropped out of clerical occupations. Most of those who had been employed in skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled jobs had retired. Four times as many women over 65 were working in unskilled jobs than were engaged in any other kind of work. Only those classified in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Fishing continued to work in the same occupa- tion after the age of 65. lClassifications from Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Volume 11, Occupational Classification, Second Edi- tion, Federal Security Agency, Social Security Administra- tion Bureau of Employment Security, March, 1949 (Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office), p. ix. 38 During their working years more women than men were in professional and managerial occupations, in clerical occupations and in unskilled jobs. The largest single group of men were in agricultural, horticultural, forestry and fishing occupations; the next largest number were in skilled jobs. Many of the women had worked before marriage. Others had worked only after marriage. Some of the women who did professional work before marriage (teaching, nursing, etc.) worked at unskilled jobs during their married years. Eleven women mentioned working from four to 18 years in the county's canning plants. This work is seasonal. It averages about four months per year. Five women had never worked outside their homes at any kind of a regular job for pay. Only one said she had never worked for pay. One woman said she had been a homemaker 53 years. One woman helped her husband in their hardware store for 50 years. Another sewed at home for others for 50 years. One woman taught school, retired and then became a librarian for a few years. She is now the county truant officer and does several part time jobs. (These are regu- lar once-a-month kinds of jobs.) Ninety-five percent of the group had worked for pay during their lifetime. Although well past retirement age, 37 percent of the respondents continued to work for pay. 39 Table 14. Continued to Work After Retirement Age Working . Men Women No. % No. ‘1. Yes (full time) 10 20 0 0 No 29 58 34 68 Part time or occasionally (some degree of regu- larity) 11 22 16 32 Total 50 100 50 100 Ten men but none of the women reported still work— ing full time. Eleven men and 16 women reported working part time or occasionally. Women who were presently working mentioned taking care of older people, taking care of grandchildren while their mothers worked, and doing laundry work for others. One said she was still working actively on their own fruit farm. The number of years spent in work as reported by the men varied from 10-14 years to 60—64 years. The num- ber of years women spent in work varied from none to 50-54 years. Seventy-four percent of the 50 men worked over 25 years each. There seemed to be some unreported lapses in working time in several of the responses. The depression of 1933 to 1938 could have been a factor. Some men may not have been working during a part of those years or they could have been working at jobs they preferred not to re- port. 40 Table 15. Years Spent in Work Years Men Women No. % No. % 0 0 0 l 2 1-4 0 O 3 6 5-9 0 O 10 20 10-14 3 6 3 6 15-19 5 10 4 8 20-24 5 10 5 10 25-29 8 16 1 2 30-34 10 20 1 2 35-39 3 6 3 6 40-44 5 10 3 6 45-49 3 6 l 2 50-54 5 10 2 4 55-59 1 2 0 0 60-64 2 4 0 0 Total 50 100 50 100 'Women who worked in fruit packing plants off and on for 20 (or more) years were allowed four months per year. The mean (average) number of working years for men was 33.4. For women the mean was 19.9 years. Individuals continued to work for economic, social and personal reasons. The majority of the men presently working did so primarily because they enjoyed working. Women worked for social and economic reasons. Several persons gave more than one reason for continuing to work. More women than men said they were working for economic reasons. Three times as many men as women said they liked to work. Three men said they worked for some— thing to do. Two men admitted they did not enjoy retirement. 41 One man had a special goal of saving for grandchildren's college funds. Table 16. Reasons Given for Present Employment Reasons Men Women No. I % No. % Economic ' 4 8 6 12 Social (needed; liked the company) 5 10 7 14 Personal (liked the job) 13 26 4 8 None given 0 0 3 6 Respondents were asked if they had made plans for retirement, if they had been able to follow their plans, and what kind of advice they would give to younger people in planning for this stage of life. Less than half of each sex reported making definite plans for retirement. Table 17. Number Who Planned for Retirement l_1 Planned Men Women No. % No. % Yes 20 40 17 34 No 29 58 33 66 Not retired 9‘ 18 6‘ 12 No answer 1 2 0 0 ‘Duplicates Of those who had made plans not all were able to follow their plans. Eleven of the 20 men who had made plans 42 said they were able to follow them. Fifteen of the women who had made plans said they were able to follow them. The kinds of plans made for retirement were clas- sified in ten categories. Table 18. Kinds of Plans Made for Retirement Plans Men Women I-' O p Wanted to keep on working. Wanted to travel Buy resort property Build a home Have a home in a rural area I-' 0 Stay right here Hunt and fish Read Sew, knit Work for social security OOOI—‘ONOONQ PNI—‘OWOIFDOO ‘One woman said, "I wanted to read, sew and travel as much as I could. I didn't retire until I was 71. I've spent a lot of time in the hospital but I have and will follow these plans as much as I can. I'm not going to get old in my mind." Other women commented that they "planned as they went along" or "didn't think that far ahead" or "intended to keep on with their work." Men said they "didn't expect to have to“ or “didn't want to retire" or were "too busy working to plan." Respondents were asked if they would offer any ad— vice to people in the 40-to-50 year age group as they make plans for the later years of life. Their suggestions included: check financial 43 arrangements; keep up an interest in something such as work, recreation, hobbies and travel; take care of health; be thinking of a suitable place to live; help others in church and community; and prepare emotionally for the years of retirement. Changes in Family and Social Activities Respondents were asked to check common activities done often, occasionally or never. Sixty-four percent of the men and 60 percent of the women said they see children and other relatives often-- daily, weekly or every two weeks. Thirty-four percent of the men and 36 percent of the women saw children and other relatives occasionally, once a month to once a year. Dis- tance seemed to be the only factor involved when people did not see children or other relatives often. Four percent of the women said they had no rela- tives. They were the last of their families. These women did see their friends often. Both men and women visited and entertained rela- tives and friends. Contacts with friends were important. Four percent of the men and 26 percent of the women said they regularly use the phone for visiting. The Kalamazoo Study1 of 1961 reported that of those who had telephones 34 percent of the men and 70 percent lAllen and Bennett, p. 22. 44 N N «H N Ne NN NH N NN NH Ne NN OH N ON OH Hanu pan HHN O O NN He NH N N e ON OH OH N «N Ne O O umnuouu .HHeH .3mm N N OH N N H e N NN NN Ne NN ON NH ON ON name O O N H ON ON NN NH Ne eN ON NN NH N OH N nmsmN can manna NNHN O O N H NH N v N ON NN ON NN NN NH «N NH >9 nouns O O N H NH N NH N NN NN NN NN NH N «H N oHpNu on swunHH N H N H eN NN NN NN eN NH ON OH O O N H an>os on on N H NH N NN Ne NN NN OH N NH N N H O O sumunHH on on O O N H e N e N ON ON NN NN NN NH NN HH nopHu man now on O O N H ON ON NN NN ON OH ON NH O O O O nunm>o unseen pamnn< O O N H Ne NN NN NN Ne HN NN NH NH N N N nocHuons nnHu pnmnn< O O N H NN NH NN NH Ne HN NN NH ON NH NN NH nunsnu ncmnu< A0>Hmnmmv coahmmuuom N e OH N eN NH Ne vN Ne NN ON NH OH N NH N sue: nounnu NH N OH N NH N ON NH Ne HN Ne HN ON NH NH N Hm>nue O O N H NN NH NN NH Ne NN NN NH ON NH eN NH anmz meme O O N H NN He Ne «N NH N Ne NN O O N H wHoN can .nNHN .nnsm A0>HuuHHNHmu one mocmfiwm :Hmuumhcm O O N N e N OH N eN NN NN NN NN HH ON OH mm>Hanou new mpanum HHNH> O O N H e N O O NN NH NN NH ON ON vN NN .nm>Hanon new amnuHHnu mam necmHuN can NHHsmN O O N H NH N ON OH Ne NN ON NN NN NH NN NH Huozcmenno O O N H O O OH N. .O .O- _ee mN .OOH Om .NN.WN. xuoamnnom . . meuonu a .02 MIHoz a .02 In .oszm .02 In .pz.,.m,npz a .62 :0503 cos c0503 :02 Immeoz. Ems c0603 :02 hpfi>finu< mesmc< oz wm>mz NHHNCOHNNUUO cmumo mmHuH>Hmu< omHMHumom GH coaummflufiuumm mo hucmsvmuh .ma OHQMB 45 of the women used the phone to visit friends, family mem- bers and neighbors. Seven percent of the men and 13 percent of the women wrote letters weekly. However, 22 percent of the men and 36 percent of the women wrote letters occasionally (monthly). Nineteen percent of the men and one percent of the women said they never wrote letters. Most recreational activities fell in the passive category. The most frequent active recreational activity mentioned was walking. Twenty-four percent of the men and 30 percent of the women walked often. Eighteen percent of the men and 22 percent of the women walked occasionally. This left 36 percent of the men and 26 percent of the women who said they never took walks. Many of these mentioned that they had enough walking in household, garden or other chore activities. A few respondents, both men and women, said it was not as easy for them to walk as it used to be. Eighty-four percent of the women did sewing, knit- ting or crocheting. Some women did all three. Five men admitted they mended or sewed on buttons. Reading headed the list of passive recreational activities, with 40 percent of the men and 34 percent of the women doing some reading daily. One man read two hours a day. Forty-six percent of the men and 58 percent of the women read occasionally. Four percent of the men and two percent of the women said they never did any reading. 46 Men were more apt to read newspapers and magazines. Women read books as well as newspapers and magazines. Some of the respondents mentioned that it was harder on their eyes to read as they grew older. Though a high percentage of them read, few of the respondents went to the library. One man said he had "never been in the community library” three-quarters of a mile from his home. Twenty-four percent of the men and 38 percent of the women watched television often. Seventy percent of the men and 50 percent of the women watched it occasionally. Only four percent of the men and 12 percent of the women said they never watched television. Seventy-two percent of the men and 66 percent of the women listened to the radio occasionally. They liked it for sports and news. A few people listened to the radio often. They liked t? listen as they worked in the house or yard. Not many of either sex attended movies. “Not since TV" was a frequent reply to this question. Twenty-six percent of the men and 30 percent of the women attended church often. Thirty-four percent of the men and 42 percent of the women attended occasionally. Thirty-eight percent of the men and 28 percent of the women said they never go to church. Some of this last group lis- tened to church services on radio or television. 47 A few of each sex said they like to “sit and think" often. Many do it occasionally, while a goodly number said they never do this. Several said they do their thinking as they work. Respondents were asked how they had spent the day before the interview. Their activities were categorized according to Sorokin's1 classification for activities. Table 20. Activities of Previous Day Reported Activities Mgg_ Women Number Number Satisfying Physiological Needs 16 35 Economic and Chore Nature 64 54 Societal 20 41 Religious 2 3 Artistic O 20' Intellectual 9 12 Recreational and Pleasurable 61 31 ’Sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting. Some of this could have been mending-—and been more properly clas— sified under activities of an economic and chore nature. Physiological activities included meal preparation, baking, resting and visiting doctor or dentist. Activities of an economic and chore nature included work at a job; house repair and building; care of garden and yard; care of pets, poultry and livestock; doing errands; buying groceries; and care of the car. lSorokin and Berger, p. 89. 48 Societal activities given were visiting and having visitors, helping others, writing letters and attending meetings. More than twice as many women (20 percent) as men (eight percent) reported helping others. Men reported 61 recreational or pleasurable kinds of activities and women reported 31. These activities in- cluded listening to the radio (10 percent of the men and four percent of the women); watching television (64 percent of the men and 48 percent of the women); playing cards, fishing and golfing. Twenty-eight percent of the men and 16 percent of the women said they "loafed" or "sat" a part of the day. The greatest number of activities reported by men were in the economic and chore group (64) and in the rec- reational group (61). Thirty percent of the 50 men had worked on the job the day before their interview. The greatest number of activities reported by women were in the economic and chore group (54), satisfying phys- iological needs (35), and recreational activities (31). Eighty-six percent of the men and 74 percent of the women described the day before they were interviewed as typical of their days. Of those who reported the day as "not typical," men said: "Went fishing." “Spend other days on public service, Kiwanis, etc.” ”Go someplace.” ”Help friends." "Different things come up.“ “Don't go to a sale every day." “Keep books for a service club and for a church." 49 Women said: "Don't always go to a birthday party--or a ladies' aid." "Often go to committee and library board meetings." "Some days I work hard all day." "Harvested berries." "Generally sew more in the afternoon." "Evenings usually work cross stitch, crochet and sew rags for rugs." "It's according to the time of year. In the spring there are cottages to clean." ”Don't do storm windows every day.“ Twenty—six men and 35 women said their weekends were different from week days. Seven men and 15 women "al- ways" went to church. Sixteen men and 19 women were apt to have company or go visiting. Two men and eight women might go out to dinner. Four men and nine women went for a ride or took a trip. Others spoke of sleeping later on weekends, watching television, fishing, picking and arrang- ing flowers, and weekend shopping. Several reported they often engaged in more than one of these activities on week- ends. Respondents were asked what activity they had en- joyed most on the day previous to the interview. The greatest number of men, 26 percent, reported they enjoyed most those activities concerned with other people such as visiting with family, friends or relatives, caring for or playing with grandchildren. Recreational activities were second in number, 24 percent. Twenty-two percent of the men enjoyed most their work activities. 50 Table 21. Kinds of Activities1 Reported as Enjoyed Most Activities Men Women No. % No. % Physiological 8 l6 8 16 Economic ll 22 4 8 Societal 13 26 10 20 Religious 0 0 3 6 Artistic 0 0 7 14 Intellectual 1 2 l 2 Recreational or Pleasurable 12 24 14 28 No answer 5 10 3 6 Total 50 100 50 100 The greatest number of women, 28 percent, gave ac- tivities in the recreational categories as the ones they enjoyed most. Twenty percent enjoyed societal activities concerned with family, friends and relatives. Four percent of the men and two percent of the women said "coming home from a trip" was the thing they had liked most. Four percent of the men and six percent of the women found the greatest satisfaction in a ride. Six percent of the men enjoyed listening to a ball game on the radio. Four percent of the women liked "bird watching." Four per- cent of the women liked "being outdoors" while two percent. of the men enjoyed a day on the farm. A few made general statements such as, "I enjoyed lIbid., p. 89. 51 the whole day," or "I enjoy life every day." Respondents were asked to indicate what they would do today if they could do anything they would like to do. Table 22. Kinds of Activitiesl They Would Like Most To Do Activities Men Women No. % No. % Physiological 5 10 6 12 Economic 19 38 5 10 Societal 2 4 ll 22 Religious 0 0 0 0 Artistic 0 0 10 Intellectual 0 0 1 2 Recreational or Pleasurable 17 34 14 28 Uncertain 7 14 8 16 Total 50 100 50 100 Six percent of the men and eight percent of the women wanted to sleep, rest, sit or do nothing. Thirty-eight percent of the men but only six per— cent of the women preferred to work. For the women this meant housework, baking or work in the yard. Four percent of the men and 22 percent of the women would choose activities concerned with others. This does not seem to agree with the men's report of what they enjoyed most the day before (see Table 21). Thirty—four percent of the men and 28 percent of 11bid., p. 89. 52 the women would prefer activities in the recreational group. Fishing was the most frequent choice for 20 percent of the men. Traveling (14 percent) and going for a ride (10 per- cent) were the most desired choices for women. Four percent of the men mentioned hunting, four percent bowling, four percent golf, and four percent watching a ball game. One woman mentioned fishing, another doing jigsaw puzzles. One man commented, "I'm satisfied." Another said, “I don't know what I would do." One woman said, "I'm doing just what I want to do." Another said, "I'm not very fussy. I like just the routine things." A few said, “I couldn't say.” Eighty-four percent of the men and 74 percent of the women said daily life was different for them 10 to 15 years ago. Table 23. Differences Stated in Life Ten to Fifteen Years Ago Differences Men Women No. % No. % Working 29 58 16 32 Husband working -- -- 8 16 Spouse alive 4 8 8 16 Farming 7 14 3 6 Able to work, get around and travel 7 14 9 18 Could drive car 1 2 0 0 Living in own home 2 4 l 2 Active in community 4 8 3 6 Spent time with old friends 1 2 0 0 Responsible for children 0 0 4 8 Responsible for grand— children 0 0 2 4 No answer 0 0 0 0 53 Respondents mentioned 11 important areas of change in their routines during the past 10 to 15 years. The primary change was in the work role. Eighty percent of the men and 100 percent of the women were no longer work— ing outside their homes at a full time job (see Table 14). Changes in Formal Social Activities Respondents were asked for information concerning their part in formal social activities now and at the time when they were in the 40-to-50 year age group. Table 24. Number of Persons Participating in Formal Social Activities, Past and Present Activities Egg; Present Men Women Y Men Women No. % No. % No. % No. % Fraternal Groups 32 64 23 46 15 30 16 32 Church 23 46 37 74 14 28 32 64 Church Connected Groups 11 22 36 78 8 16 23 46 Veterans Groups 15 30 10 20 8 16 8 16 Card and Social Clubs 8 l6 17 34 3 6 8 16 Groups for Older People 0 0 1 2 0 0 4 8 Neighbor Groups 13 26 27 54 12 24 18 36 Other 4 8 12 24 l 2 3 6 None 6 12 5 10 21 42 8 16 At the time of the survey the greatest number of men were active in: fraternal organizations, in church attendance and church connected groups, neighborhood groups, and veteran's organizations. Women were most active in: church attendance, church connected groups, neighborhood 54 groups, and fraternal organizations. Participation in neighborhood groups was about the same past and present for the men. The women decreased their participation in neighborhood groups in later years. Both men and women dropped out of fraternal and veteran's organizations. Both sexes dropped out of church-connected groups. More men than women dropped church attendance. Participation in card and social clubs dropped by over half for both sexes. The number of both men and women who did not belong to any organized group increased at the age of 65 and over. However, more than three times as many men, 42 percent, did not belong to any organization after the age of 65, as there were, 12 percent, who had not belonged to any or- ganization at the age of 40 or 50. Table 25. Number of Organizations Belonged to by Individuals Egg; Present Number Men Women Men Women No. % No. % No. % No. % None 6 12 5 10 21 42 8 16 One 17 34 5 10 12 24 10 20 Two 11 22 9 l8 9 18 12 24 Three 5 10 8 16 5 10 8 16 Four 7 14 8 16 l 2 7 14 Five 2 4 8 16 0 O 3 6 Six 0 0 4 8 2 4 0 0 Seven 1 2 3 6 0 O 1 2 Eight 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Nine 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total 50 100 50 100 50 100 50 100 55 Respondents were asked about the number and kinds of offices and special responsibilities they had held or were holding in organized groups. Table 26. Number of Persons Holding or Having Held Office in Social Organizations Organizations Men Women No. % No. % Fraternal organizations 14 28 12 24 Church and church connected groups 2 4 16 32 Veteran's organizations 5 10 1 2 Card and or social clubs 0 O l 2 Clubs or centers for older people 0 0 1 2 Organizations of same nationality 0 O 0 0 Neighborhood clubs 3 6 5 10 Other 3 6 4 8 None mentioned 35 70 29 58 There were several men and women who went through all the offices in fraternal organizations. Seventy percent of the men and 58 percent of the women did not report that they were holding or had ever held an office in a social organization. One man reported having held a total of seven of— fices in various club groups. One woman reported having held a total of five offices. Both men and women were concerned with activities C>f benefit to youth such as teaching Sunday School classes, 56 helping with teenage parties and sponsoring little league ball teams. Table 27. Number of Special Group Activities per Individual Number Men Women No. % No. % None 35 70 29 58 One 14 11 22 Two Three Four Five Six Seven I-‘OOI-‘Nbfl NOONém OOI—‘I—‘NO‘ There was a good deal of donation of labor by men for community improvement and church repair. Much work was done by women for bazaars, church dinners, sewing for‘ charitable purposes, collecting funds and work in neighbor- hood improvement associations. Some mentioned their contribution as giving finan- cial support or entertaining the group. The self-rating Life Satisfaction Index A1 was used to obtain the respondents' own evaluation of their happi- ness and of their satisfactions with life past and present. The index includes statements about life in general that people feel differently about. lNeugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, XVI, p. 141. 57 H H NN NN O N ON NN N O NN NN a .03 Hanson non noon H H NN NN O H NH «N H O NH HN .02 HH non .oNN Ha HNNH H .N N N Ne No N o ON Ne o O No oN a .oouHu N N No No H N NN NN N O HN NN .oz nonzoson pom oHo Homm H .N . 0H2: H0>0 N N N NN O O N NN N e NH ON a soap an as on NoHnnouonoH N N N NN O O N Ne N N N ON .02 no one on H nNcHnn one .N .ewsuam on» ma as on common N ON NH HN O NN OH NN o NH oN NN a on NNcHnn unannoHo non N ON NH HN O NH N NN N N NH NN .oz NoHnNououoH «eon nuooxo H .N N H ON N O O NN N e N NN NH a .noooonocos no NcHuon sum N H ON N O O Ne H N H Ho N .oz on H NNcHnn on» H0 unoz .N H N NN Ne O N ON NN N N Na NN a .3oo NH NH one» H N NN Ne O N ON NH H H NN NN .oz uaHoomn on oHsou «HHH H: .e N N NN NN O N NN NN e N NN NN a .oHHH He no N N NN NN O H NN NH N N NN HH .02 oan nanunouo an» NH «Has .N .3ocx H oHoooo on» «0 umoe N HH NN ON O OH NN NN N NH ON NN N one» oNHH oH Newman on» no N HH NN ON O N HH eN N N NH NN .oz onos coupon o>on H Hoom H .N .on oasoz menu H HN ON NN O NN NH NN N NH «N NN a unmoon» H can» Henson soon H HN ON NN O NH N NN H N NH NN .oz NNoHnn .uooHo nzouN moo n< .H .32 D o < .32. D a 4 6:4. D o 4 oz 02 oz Hmuoa cases no: muceamumum mucmfioumum coauummmapmm NHHH nacho chuHNUCD Ho OCHoonmmNa .maaoou04 mucmocommom mo Honasz .mN OHQMH 58 .uuuumn no: .onwoz mcHuuom NH cos ommuo>m N ON NN NN N NN NN NH N NH NN NN a on» no uoH on» .NNN oHaooo N ON NN NN N NH NN N N N NN NH .02 neon nun: Ho «HHon oH .NH .abumo 00» N H NN NH N O ON N N N NN ON N posse on» cH czoo noN H N H NN NH H O NN N N H NN OH .oz .mHoooo nonno on oouoosou .NH .poucmz H non?» nonnuoosH on» N N ON NN N N NN NN N N NN ON a no nnos Ham n.coHo H .oHHH N N ON NN H N NN NH N N NN ON .02 Ne no>o gown HNHnn H can: .NH .0020 N NN N HN N NN OH NN NH NN N NN n unoooom oooN N ones H .oNN N NN N HN N NH N NN N NH H NN .02 He «Hoooo Honno on ooumoEou .NH .omHH he cH mcoamfluoo cmHHoom N N NN NH N N ON NH N N ON NN a no noH N moms o>.H .NNN N N NN NH H N ON N H N NN HH .02 He oHoooo nonno on eonsosou .NH N N NN NN N OH ON NN N N ON NN n .oHooo H HH oo>o NHHH N N NN NN N N OH NN H H NH NN .oz nnmo as oNonnu no: oHsoz H .HH N O HH NN N O NH ON N O N NN a .ooHHNHuNn HHmz HHHHNH an H N O HH NN H O N ON N O N NN .oz .NHHH me no Homo nooH H n< .OH .22 O O < .22 o O 4. £5 a O 4 02 02 OZ Hmuoa c6803 do: nauseoumum HoosoHuoouO NN oHnNH 59 These statements were read to each person in the survey. They were asked if they agreed, disagreed or were uncertain about the statements. Men and women were in close agreement in their an- swers to four statements (1, 3, 9 and 11, Table 28). Fifty- eight percent of the men and 58 percent of the women said life seems better than they thought it would be as they grew older. One man said he would like to live to be 100-- so many interesting things are going to happen. One woman said, "Little things don't bother you like they did when you were younger." Another said, "We're not conscious of being old, we're so active. We're not sitting around thinking about. it." Sixty-six percent of the men and 72 percent of the women did not think this was the dreariest time of their lives. Two or three women mentioned that "it is dreary when you are alone." One man said he is "not plumb satisfied with settin' around. I can't do hard work but I keep busy." Sixty-two percent of the men and 68 percent of the women admitted they feel their age but it doesn't bother them. Several said they are more tired at the end of a day or they get tired more easily than they used to. Equal numbers of men and women, 66 percent, felt they probably would not change their past lives even if they could. 60 Men made these statements: "I would like to live my life over." "Not about my family I wouldn't change.” "You can see where you made some mistakes but Lord's sake you're making them all the time anyway.” "In some ways it could have been better--can't kick.“ Women made these statements: "There are things I would change.“ "No, I wouldn't, I've had a happy life. Husband's folks were real nice. Had a healthy bunch of kids. We had a good time together.“ . "Yes, I would change a lot of things." Respondents, men and women, were in fairly close agreement on five statements (6, 8, 12, 13 and 16, Table 28). Fifty-six percent of the men and 66 percent of the women expect some interesting and pleasant things to happen in the future. One man said, ”Nice things are going to happen all the time. You can do a whole lot toward making them that way." Another said, ”That's what I look forward to through family and friends." Women said: "I don't know, I just kinda take things as they come.“ "I have so many unexpected pleasures happen. I'm always looking forward to something." Fifty-four percent of the men and 44 percent of the women agreed they do feel old and somewhat tired--at least occasionally. One man said, "I don't feel old or tired beyond reason." Women said: "If I do a hard day's work it tells on me, other- wise I don't feel too bad." 61 “I don't know as I feel any tireder now than when I was taking care of my family." "There are times when we are all tired. Tiredness is a good feeling." Seventy percent of the men and 80 percent of the women did not think they had made more foolish decisions during their lifetimes than the average person. Men said: ”I probably made a few but I thought they were all right at the time." ”Gosh, I've made 'em!" Women said: "I don't know that I have, I'm pretty careful.” "I don't think I have. I never make snap decisions.” "A good share of decisions are made for you." Nearly half the men (48 percent) and over half (54 percent) of the women were willing to state they felt they made a good appearance in life compared with others their age. Several respondents said this was a statement others should answer for them. Forty-four percent of the men and 52 percent of the women said the lot of the average man is not getting ' worse. Men said: "There is more help for people." "Living standards are better." "Machinery does the work, we work shorter hours.” "The opportunity is here as never before. It's up to you." ”Nobody is satisfied. Neighbors used to get along. Now the whole world's in an uproar." "Physical needs are pretty well taken care of. Tensions and frustrations are greater. Emphasis is on the material today." "Costs more to live." "It's a different world. Today if you don't have it they'll give it to you." 62 Women said: ”With all the advantages we have today it ought to be getting better." ”Excluding war the outlook is better than it has ever been in history." "It's better for old folks." ”It's about the same as you look back in history." ”Every generation says the world is getting worse." “People expect too much.” “I think they do too much for people." "It's worse for young folks-~in debt so much." Three women said: "It is getting worse morally." Men differed from women in their agreement or disN agreement with statements 2, 4, 5, 7, 10, 14, and 15 (Table 28). Fifty-two percent of the men and 68 percent of the women felt they had gotten more breaks in life than other people. Men said: "Maybe because I took them." ”I've gotten my share. If you get your share you, don't worry about what the other fellow's getting." "Lost one of my daughters at 19. A financial and emotional burden. Wore my wife out traveling around try- ing to get help for her." Women said: "We all have our share of good and bad." “Breaks a person has depends somewhat on them.“ "Had so many good friends and a nice family and interesting work." "Had good health." Fifty-two percent of the men and 36 percent of the women felt their lives could be happier than they are right now. Men said: 63 "If I wasn't retired, I'd be happier.” "There are times when things could be better and times when they could be a heck of a lot worse.” A woman commented: "Most people's lives could be happier in some ways." Eighty-two percent of the men and 98 percent of the women said the things they do are not boring or monotonous. One man said, "I've always beenone never to make it boresome." Some women said, "It is monotonous if no one is around.“ Both men and women said, ”I don't do things if they're boring." Eighty percent of the men and 96 percent of the women said the things they do are as interesting to them as they ever were. Men said: "When I do something I take an interest in it.“ ”I enjoyed my work. There is not quite the satis- faction in the things I do now.” Two women said they enjoy things more now: "I have more time to concentrate.” “I have more time to figure them out." Ninety-two percent of the men and 80 percent of the women said they are fairly well satisfied as they look back over their lives. One man said: "I've had a good full life.“ One woman said: “I raised my family and they all turned out well. I don't know why I wouldn't be satisfied." Another woman said: “I think we should have the feeling we coulda done better." 64 Fifty-two percent of the men and 68 percent of the women were sure they have gotten most of the important things they wanted in life. Men said: "I got all the essentials. Lots of things I wanted-- afterward they were no loss.“ "I think I got everything that's really important." "Most important thing is your wife and family.” Women said: ”I didn't get a lot of things I wanted but I lived decently." "I have health and family.” Seventy-four percent of the men and 90 percent of the women said they do not get down in the dumps too often compared with other people. Two women reported: “Sometimes I get sad moments." "I don't get down in the dumps too often. Too oc- cupied, I don't let myself, when I feel it coming I get a pan of soapy water and start housecleaning.” Individual satisfaction scores were obtained by counting the positive statements using the scoring key de- veloped for this measurement1 (see Appendix, p. 84). Women scored somewhat higher in the life satisfac- tion measurement. Twice as many women as men had scores in the highest category. Ninety percent of the women and 78 per- cent of the men had positive scores on half or more of the 16 statements. None of the women had scores in the lowest cate- gory. However, four percent of the men had scores in this category. lNeugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, XVI, p. 141. 65 Table 29. Range of Positive Attitudes as Indicated by Life Satisfaction Index Scores Range Men Women No. % No. % 14 to 16 5 10 10 20 11 to 13 24 48 22 44 8 to 10 10 20 13 26 5 to 7 6 12 4 8 2 to 4 3 6 l 2 0 to 1 2 4 0 0 Total 50 100 50 100 Mean (ave.) 10.04 11.3 CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION The major objectives of this study were: 1. To gain familiarity with the characteristics of this age group in Benzie County, Michigan. To identify changes in the activities of older people as they relate to work, family and so- cial roles. To identify general satisfaction or dissatis- faction with the roles, past and present, of older persons in Benzie County. To achieve new insights in order to formulate more precise research problems. To achieve new insights, in order to develop more meaningful programs for older people, by the Cooperative Extension Service and other agencies concerned with educational programs. Discussion Data gathered in this study indicated older people in Benzie County were similar to the general adult popula- tion of the county and similar to the general population of older people in Michigan. Most older men were married. Nearly three times 66 67 as many women as men were widowed. The majority, 74 percent, of the men and less than half, 46 percent, of the women lived with their spouse. More than twice as many women as men lived alone. Few of these people lived with children or other relatives. Six percent of the men and 10 percent of the women lived with children. Over 90 percent of both sexes lived in their own homes. Less than 20 percent of each sex had a desire to change housing. Those who desired a change gave physical and economic reasons such as the home or farm was too large and required too much work, or needed improvement. Some had recently made changes in living arrange- ments. More older men and women lived in the country rather than in town. Nearly equal numbers of each sex lived in the country. Nearly equal numbers of each sex lived in town. The largest number of each sex had completed ele- mentary school. More women than men had completed high school. More women than men had completed college. Twice as many women as men had taken special courses. The median years of schooling for both men and women was about one year less than the median for the general population1 25 years and older in Benzie County. lU.S. Bureau of the Census, General Social and Eco- nomic Characteristics, Michi an, p. 24-301, Table 83. 68 Both men and women viewed their health positively. Nearly half the men and over half the women said their health was good. An additional 16 percent of the men and 10 percent of the women said their health was very good. In most of these characteristics Benzie's older people followed the general trend for the total population of the county and the state. Other studies done in Mich- igan reported similar trends. Work Role Work roles decreased after the age of 65. Both men and women dropped out of professional occupations and tended to drift into unskilled jobs. Benzie is a rural county but there seemed to be a certain amount of work for older people. A number of the respondents in this study were involved in some kind of paid work activity at the time of the survey. One-fifth of the men were working full time. An- other fifth were working part time. Fourteen of the 15 men, who had been engaged in agriculture and related indus— tries, reported they were continuing to work full or part time. None of the women were working full time at the time of the interviews. Thirty-two percent were working part time. A majority of them were working in unskilled kinds of jobs. The women's most important work role had been that of homemaker and housekeeper. The need for this 69 work role continues throughout a lifetime. However, there was less physical work for women to do as the family de- creased in size. Men continued to work for several reasons, but main- ly because they liked to work. Some of them (retired and about to retire) said they wished they could continue to work. Women tended to work more for economic, and for social reasons. They said they were needed. Some women said they had always enjoyed doing their housework. Less than half of each sex had made plans for re- tirement. Half the men and over three-fourths of the women who reported making plans were able to carry out their plans. Twenty percent of the men had hoped to keep on working. Twenty percent of the women had wanted to travel. Some of these people offered advice to persons in the 40 to 50 year age group as they looked toward retire- ment. Their suggestions included: check financial arrange- ments; keep up some interests; take care of health; plan for a suitable place to live; help others; and prepare emo- tionally for retirement. Men noted the greatest change in their lives from 10 to 15 years ago was in the work role. Most of them had: left full time jobs. Women noted three significant changes in their lives from 10 to 15 years ago. All of those who had worked had 70 left full time employment. Sixteen percent of the women had husbands who were now retired. Another 16 percent had become widows. Family Role Contacts with family members were frequent for both men and women. Most of these people had children living near them. Several lived next door or across the road from children or other relatives. Some of the respondents had children nearby and also some children who were far away. There were few children living at home in this age group. There was strong indication that parents and child- ren were keeping in close touch with each other, that fami- lies continued to be involved in close relationships through— out the later years. The respondents visited others. They had visitors, both relatives and friends. They wrote letters. Two men and several women used the telephone regularly for visits with children, other family members and friends. Social Roles Retirement meant a change in social relationships. In many instances on-the-job relationships might be the only ones a man had in addition to family ones. As people grew older some friends and neighbors were gradually removed by sickness and death. Some moved to other neighborhoods. When respondents were asked if they liked the area 71 where they lived 90 percent of both men and women said they liked their neighborhoods because of good neighbors and relatives, and convenient facilities. A few suggestions were given for improving neighborhoods. Twelve percent of both men and women said they would have liked more close neighbors and more neighborly relations. Men also suggested the need for more employment opportunities in the county. Respondents were asked to report the activity of the previous day they had enjoyed most. One-fourth of the men mentioned activities concerned with other people such I as visiting with family members, friends and relatives. Another fourth mentioned recreational activities. Nearly a fourth said they had enjoyed their work most, of all the previous day's activities. Over one-fourth of the women enjoyed recreational kinds of activities. One-fifth of the women enjoyed societal activities concerned with fam- ily, friends and relatives. When asked what they would do if they could do any- thing they wanted to, 38 percent of the men and 10 percent of the women preferred to work. Some of this work for men meant building or repair work on their own homes. For the women it meant work in their homes or yard. Thirty-four percent of the men and 28 percent of the women said they would like best activities in the recreational category. Four percent of the men and 22 percent of the women chose activities concerned with others. The men's choice seemed 72 to conflict with their report of having enjoyed most the day before those activities concerned with family, friends and relatives. These older people found television and radio ex- cellent sources of contact with the outside world. World- wide news kept them up to date. They were entertained. They could discuss the programs with other people. This seemed to give them a feeling of being involved with the mainstream of life at least as an observer, if they were not able to be active participants. Participation in formal social activities decreased due to loss of mobility and apparently to loss of motiva- tion. More than three times as many men did not belong to any organization after the age of 65, as there were who had not belonged to any organization at the age of 40 or 50. The drop in organization membership for women was not as dramatic. A few people may have joined more organizations and taken a more active part after retirement when they had more time. The evidence suggested that most of these people were becoming less community centered and more home cen- tered in their later years. Life Satisfaction Many studies, concerned with problems of older .people, have led to a rather general belief that most of 73 our aging population is apt to see the later years as sad, lonely, useless ones. Data from this study seem to contra- dict this stereotype. Older residents of Benzie County had a predominantly positive attitude toward their lives past and present. Most of them had been and were actively involved with others through family, friends, some work, some social activities, radio and television. It is possible that many of the respondents did not have very high expectations. They may have been re- signed to, or simply accepted, the aging process with its particular problems. On the other hand, they may have been realistic in their attitude toward life. Suggestions for Research Characteristics and needs among the age group stud- ied differed somewhat. Because there is a full generation between the 65 year olds and the 90 year olds it appears appropriate that the data could be analyzed to discover whether the differences are related to age. A follow-up study of the respondents might be con- ducted in 1970 and again in 1975 to determine changes in work, family and social roles and satisfactions or dissat- isfactions with life. The present study could provide the benchmark data for determining actual changes in roles. The data from this study could be further analyzed to find out if the people who were not involved in social kinds of activities at the time of the survey, or had never 74 been involved, were the ones who seemed more dissatisfied. More than one-third of the women respondents had been members of extension clubs at some time in their adult lives. Research needs to be done to determine if extension education helped them to prepare for the later years of life. Implications for thevgogperative Extension Service and Other Educational Agencies Educators need to look at the changing roles of oldsters and help them in making adjustments. They need to study ways in which existing educational resources can be used to help older people. The problems of the aging need to be studied and solved in relation to the needs of society as a whole. Planning should be done for all ages in relation to each other. All ages should be involved in the planning. Few Benzie senior citizens were seeking any group activities in addition to the ones in which they were al- ready involved. Many older people will not join groups. Educational groups may attempt to reach them individually or through those groupings that have interest for the older person, i.e., family or neighbors. Work has been a primary value in our culture. A clear-cut distinction between work and non-work is disap- pearing. And with this disappearance goes some of the sense of guilt and social abandonment that have affected some 75 retired persons in the past. Older people have decreased their work role but they still need to contribute to soci- ety. Through helping coming generations of older people see opportunities in retirement that will give them the satisfactions they have been getting from work may be an important task for educational groups that work with youth. Can families do more to help older members adjust to the process of aging? Can families do more to encour- age, to motivate older people, to find and use available resources in themselves and in the community? Cooperative extension could tailor programs that have appeal across generations rather than for specific age groups. There is a tendency to think old people are able to do only what they are doing now. Could the proper en— vironment, the opportunity and perhaps above all the moti- vation give greater possibilities for participation by the aging? Dorothy Leel says we need to rear a generation that does not think of old age as a special category. Old age is a part of living. We have to encourage children of all ages to accept old age as a part of life and old people as a part of their lives. All ages need to develop a bet— ter understanding of the aging process and a better lDorothy Lee, "Attitudes and Values: Family, Com- munity, Individual," Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 54, October, 1962, pp. 691-93. 76 appreciation of older people's abilities and possibilities. Old age can be a "growing old" process rather than a ”get- ting old" process. It would help children to understand oldsters bet- ter if they had more contact with older people in natural ways--perhaps in stories and in school books. Scout troops and 4H clubs could develop projects that would offer direct involvement with the older citizens in the community. In turn, the older people could offer some help with youngsters. Some might adopt grandchildren in the neighborhood if their own grandchildren are far away. Some might help in com- munity action programs concerned with children. Involvement in social activity has a high priority value in our society. However, there are many older people who may need to be helped to feel it is their right not to be involved in too much activity if this is their choice. Continuous involvement in social groups outside the family during all stages of life might not be the most desirable goal for everyone. Ways of reaching the older person through television, radio, or newsletters may be explored. Many of the current planned educational programs for older people are activity programs. As the person grows older and unable to take part, is he thrown back on inner resources he may not have? Ways of assisting persons early in life to build the inner resources needed to carry them through the last years of life are needed. 77 Older people want some social contacts with all ages. Church groups, extension clubs, senior citizen and other neighborhood groups are good agencies for these kinds of contacts. Programs need to be developed that cut across age groups. The Cooperative Extension Service could reach older people through home visits, short newsletters, and radio and television programs with homemaking information for all age groups, and for men as well as women. Older people should not always be isolated as an audience; they should be included as a part of the total adult audience. However, some programs concerning special needs of older people could be specifically scheduled for them. The many widows and widowers in this study suggest the need for information on home management, money manage- ment and legal management for older people who are alone. Other subjects of interest to older people include foods and nutrition, energy saving measures, gardening, clothing, health, safety, family relationships, and creative hobbies for leisure time. I Extension workers can cooperate with churches, health agencies, Farm Bureau, Grange, senior citizen groups and community agencies to help older people. Educators should survey older people to find their special abilities, then help them find constructive outlets for these abilities. Several women in this sample of the population had 78 been teachers or nurses before marriage. Their knowledge and skills could be useful in Extension classes and work-A shops and in the 4H program. The best preparation for old age may be meeting today's problems realistically. Educators can help younger and middle aged people to prepare for a meaningful old age by helping them to see old age as a part of a total life. BIBLIOGRAPHY Books Cabot, Natalie Harris. You Can't Count on Dying. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1961. Donahue, Wilma, and Tibbetts, Clark (Ed.). Planning the Later Years. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1950. Duvall, Evelyn M. Family Development (2nd ed.). Phila— delphia and New York: The J. B. Lippincott Company, 1962. Friedmann, Eugene A. "The Good Use of Leisure. The Work of Leisure." In: Donahue, Wilma; Hunter, Wood- row W.; Coon, Dorothy H.; Maurice, Helen K. (eds.). Free Time: Challenge to Later Maturity. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press, 1958. Havighurst, Robert J. "The Nature and Values of Meaning- ful Free Time Activity." In: R. W. Kleemier (ed.). Aging and Leisure, A Research Perspective into the Meaningful Use of Time. New York: Oxford Univer- sity Press, 1961. Kendall, M. G., and Smith, B. B. Tables of Random Sampling, Numbers. Tracts for Computers XXIV. London: Cam- bridge University Press, 1939. Selltiz, Claire; Jahoda, Marie; Deutsch, Morton; Cook, Stuart W. Research Methods in Social Relations, 2nd ed., rev. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Win- ston, 1963. Sorokin, Pitirim A., and Berger, Clarence Q. Time Budgets of Human Behavior. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1939. Streib, Gordon F., and Thompson, Wayne E. "The Older Per- son in a Family Context." In: Clark Tibbetts (ed.). Handbook of Social Gerontology. Chicago: Univer- sity of Chicago Press, 1960. 79 80 U.S. Department of Labor. Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Volume II, Occupational Classification, Second Edi- tion. Federal Security Agency, Social Security Ad- ministration Bureau of Employment Security, March, 1949. Washington, D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. Periodicals Albrecht, Ruth. "Relationships of Older Parents with Their Children," Marriage and Family Livigg, Vol. XVI, No. 1, February, 1954, p. 33. Havighurst, Robert J., and Albrecht, Ruth. Older People. New York: Longmans, Green and Co., 1953, p. 9; and Herzog, A. "Portrait of our Senior Citizens,“ New York Times Magazine, November 4, 1962, pp. 23- 46. In: Bader, Iva M., and Hoffman, Adeline M. "Research in Aging," Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 58, No. 1, January, 1966, p. 10. Lee, Dorothy. "Attitudes and Values: Family, Community, Individual," Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 54, October, 1962, pp. 690-94. Martin, Lillien J., and DeGruchy, Clare. Books and Period- icals, "Salvaging Old Age." In: Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 22, May, 1930, p. 411. Michelon, L. C. "The New Leisure Class," The American Journal of Sociology, Vol. LIX, No. 4, January, l954,‘p. 378. McGinnis, Esther. "Age Is Meant for Living,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 42, January, 1950, pp. 9-12. Neugarten, Bernice L.; Havighurst, Robert J.; and Tobin, Sheldon S. "The Measurement of Life Satisfaction," Journal of Gerontology, Vol. 16, No. 2, April, 1961, p. 134. Reynolds, Lucille W., and McKinney, Florence. "Report from the 1950 Conference on Aging," Journal of Home Eco- nomics, Vol. 43, January, 1951, pp. 42-43. Schorr, Alvin L. "Filial Responsibility and the Aging,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 54, No. 4, April, 1962, p. 273. In: Alvin L. Schorr, "Filial Re- . sponsibility in the Modern American Family.“ Wash- ington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1960, p. 6; and Ethel Shanos, "Living Arrangements of Older People in the United States," The Gerontolo- gist 1, No. 1, March, 1961, pp. 27-29. 81 Smith, William M. "Old Age: So Old Nobody Wants You,“ Journal of Home Economics, Vol. 41, December, 1949, p. 308. Reports and Surveys Benefit Office of the Bell Telephone Company of Pennsylvania (The). Survey on Preparation for Retirement, Janu- ary, 1950. In: Background Paper on Education for Aging, White House Conference on Aging, pp. 43-44. Hunter, Woodrow, and Maurice, Helen. Older People Tell Their Story. Report of a survey of the needs of older people undertaken in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and Recommendations for Community Action. Developed by a Local Forum on Aging. University of Michigan, Institute for Human Adjustment, Division of Geron- tology. Ann Arbor: Brumfield, Inc., 1953, p. 17. Michigan Commission on Aging. A Report on the Governor's Task Forces on Aging. Lansing, Michigan: Commis- sion on Aging, 1964, p. A3. National Committee on Aging. Work Attitudes at Age 65 Sur- ygy, A Survey of 254 U.S. Corporations, Nationalj Committee on Aging, New York City, New York, 1959, pp. 3—5. In: Background Paper on Education for ' Aging, White House Conference on Aging, p. 42. United Community Services of Grand Rapids and Kent County. Characteristics and Needs of Senior Citizens in Kent County, Michigan. A Survey conducted by the Planning Division in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Mental Health. Grand Rapids, Kent County: United Community Services, 1964, p. 1. Bulletins Beegle, Allan; Phadtare, Hambir; Rice, Roger; Thaden, John R. Michigan Population, 1960. Selected Characteristics and Changes. Special Bulletin 438, 1962, Depart- ment of Sociology and Anthropology. East Lansing, Michigan: Agricultural Experiment Station, Mich- igan State University, pp. 30—31. Sauer, Howard M., and Biggar, Jeanne C. "Plans, Attitudes on Retirement and Social Security," Farm and Home Research, Vol. XV, No. 3, 1964. Brookings, South Dakota: Agricultural Experiment Station, South Dakota State University. 82 Government Publications U.S. Bureau of the Census. U.S. Census of Population: 1960. Detailed Characteristics, Michigan. Final Report PC(1)424D, p. 24-403, Table 105. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1961. U.S. Bureau of the Census. U.S. Census of Population: 1960. General Population CharacEeristics, Michigan. Final Report PCTl)-24B, p. 24-153, Table 28. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1961. U.S. Bureau of the Census. U.S. Census of Population: 1960. General Social and Economic Characteristics, Mich- igan. Final Report PC(1)-24C, p. 24-301, Table 83. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1962. APPENDIX LIFE SATISFACTION INDEX 1 SCORING KEY Statement 1 - agree 2 - a 3 - disagree 4 - d 5 - d 6 - d 7 - a 8 - d 9 - a 10 - a 11 - a 12-d 13 - a 14 - d 15 - d 16 - d Score 1 positive point for each response marked in accord- ance with the above key. lNeugarten, Havighurst and Tobin, XVI, p. 141. 84 Jeannette Shadko Cooperative Extension Service Beulah, Michigan INTERVIEW SCHEDULE I am interested in learning more about you and what you are doing these days. Could I visit with you about what you are doing now compared to what you used to do? 1. What kind of work did you do when you were working? (Write down as completely as possible the description of work) 2. How long did you hold this job? 3. Are you presently working for pay? 4. If working, why are you working now? 85 86 5. How did you spend your time yesterday - from when you got up until you went to bed? Time Activity, 6:00 a.m. 6:30 6:30 " 7:00 7:00 " 7:30 7:30 " 8:00 8:00 " 8:30 9:00 " 9:30 9:30 " 10:00 10:00 " 10:30 10:30 " 11:00 11:00 “ 11:30 Time 11:30 a.m. 12:00 " 1:00 p.m. 1:30 " 2:00 " 2:30 " 3:00 " 3:30 “ 4:00 " 4:30 " 5:00 " 5:30 " 12:00 87 Activipy 88 Time Activity, 6:00 p.m. 6:30 6:30 " 7:00 7:00 " 7:30 7:30 " 8:00 8:00 " 8:30 8:30 " 9:00 9:00 " 9:30 9:30 " 10:00 10:00 " 10:30 10:30 " 11:00 11:00 " 11:30 11:30 " 12:00 89 6. Is the day you described typical of what you do every day? If not, how is it different? Is the weekend dif- ferent? 7. Is the daily life you just described different than life as you remember it 10-15 years ago? How? 8. Of all things you did yesterday, what did you enjoy most? 9. What would you like to do today if you could do anything you wanted to? 90 10. I'm going to read a lot of things people say they do. Would you tell me if you do these things - (if daily - note hours) Daily Weekly Monthly, Yearly Never See your children, grandchildren or other relatives Write letters to family or friends Go visit friends or relatives Entertain rela- tives or friends in your home Attend church services Attend union, club or lodge meetings Go to see sports events Go to the movies Listen to the radio Watch television Talk with friends Take walks 91 Daily Weekly Work in and around the house Work in the garden or yard Play cards or other table games Go for rides in car Go to a bar, pool room Go hunting, fishing or play golf Work on a hobby (SPECIFY) Just sit and think about things Sew, knit, crochet Attend classes at a school or center Spend time at the library Help in church work Other Monthly, Yearly Never 92 H.o>onm meadow one: unoau mummuv .ou oomsoaon so» o>onm acoaumwaammwo on» no moans oe HHO» one oHo nude» om no em one: no» can: on moon Rude» 30> 0>ms o» exHH o.H 0:02 Aaouoad coonwonnUHon unwoucou hufisnaeou mmnsHu ooonwonnuwoz huHHmGOHums mean or» mo oHoooo mo neoaumwdcmowo oHoovo wooHo How Hoodoo Ho QSHU mnaau Heaven m.smfi Ho m.ceaoz unnoau owmu meadumwacmuuo unannouo> monouo oouuoccou nousnu nuwsnu momUOH Ho mcoaumwacdmuo Hmcwoumum ONIONNNN on H see: 3oz um poocoaom ocoaom .oo 30% Don: one homo» CH puma oxen so» monoum «menu «0 SUan we Hash so» UHDOB .mdzoum HMHUme nqu mcwxuoz mENu ocean manomm meow .NH .M .0 .U .n ow .HH 93 13. When you were younger, say 10-15 years ago, what plans had you made for retirement? Did you If not, follow them? Why not? Yes No 14. What would you advise a person of 40 or 50 to do about retirement? 15. 10. 11. 12. 13. 94 Now I'd like to ask you some questions about life in general. Different people feel differently about things. I'd like to know how you feel. Will you tell me if you agree or disagree with the following ideas? If you're not sure, one way or another, tell me that too. AGREE DISAGREE OTHER As one grows older, things seem better than I thought they would be. I feel I have gotten more of the breaks in life than most of the people I know. This is the dreariest time of my life. My life could be happier than it is now. Most of the things I do are boring or monotonous. I expect some interesting and pleasant things to happen to me in the future. The things I do are as inter- esting to me as they ever were. I feel old and somewhat tired. I feel my age, but it does not bother me. As I look back on my life, I am fairly well satisfied. I would not change my past life even if I could. Compared to other people my age, I've made a lot of foolish decisions in my life. Compared to other people my age, I make a good appearance. 14. 15. 16. 95 AGREE DISAGREE When I think back over my life, I didn't get most of the important things I wanted. OTHER Compared to other peOple, I get down in the dumps too often. In spite of what some people say, the lot of the average man is getting worse, not better. 96 22 16. Do you like living in this neighborhood? Comments? 17. If not satisfied, what could be done to improve this neighborhood? 18. Have you any desire to change your living arrangements? YES Why? ' YES NO 19. 20. 21. 97 Now I need to know a little bit about you. Would you tell me: What age group you fit in? Whether or not you were: Your schooling? Education Elementary School High School College Other AGE GROUP 65 — 69 70 - 74 75 - 79 80 - 84 90 — up Married Widowed Divorced or Separated Never married Years Completed 98 22. Living arrangements (Check one) HOUSE Apartment Room, in a house Private home for elderly Trailer 23. Living with: (check one) Husband or wife Alone Children Daughter Son Relatives Friends Other 24. Place of residence Town Country Year-round residence Why did you choose Benzie County? 25. Description of state of health of the individual. Thank you for your time. 99 Schedule Number Name Address Sex M F Date of interview Day of Week Length of Interview 1965 HICHIGRN STATE UNIV. LIBRRRIES 93II “III II