Rural Elderly Household Life-Course Transitions, 1900 and 1980 Compared

Abstract

The changing household status of the elderly has become an important policy and research question. Using the life-course approach this paper compares elderly household status and elderly household composition of a rural community in 1900 and 1980 better to elucidate historical change in a rural context. To show specific rural characteristics, the 1900 and 1980 data are further compared to available national and urban information. The rural elderly household life-course in 1900 differs in several characteristicsfrom its urban and national counterparts; by 1980, however, the situation in the rural community differs little from that in the national population.