Retirement and Income

• About 86 percent of older adults with income receive Social Security income (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). For 21 percent of these older adults, Social Security is their sole source of income (Social Security Administration, 2006).
• By 2030, it is projected that 25 percent of older persons will be from ethnic minority groups. Up to 23 percent of older African Americans and 19 percent of older Hispanics live in poverty (Fleck, 2008) compared with the estimated 8.9 percent older White Americans who live in poverty (American Psychological Association Task Force on Socioeconomic Status, 2006).
• Regardless of race, older women are more likely to be poor. Recent data reveal that women age 65 and older are nearly twice as likely to be poor compared to older men (Lee & Shaw, 2008).
• Older individuals in the highest wealth decile can attribute the majority of their wealth to pensions, housing and other assets, which are generally absent among those of lower SES (Butrica, Toder, & Toohey, 2008).
• About one in 10 persons age 50 and older who report that a disability has reduced or eliminated their ability to work are assisted by Social Security Disability Insurance (Fleck, 2008).
• In 2002, 20 percent of health care costs for persons 65 years and older were not covered by Medicare, the federal program for older adults and/or disabled persons who qualify for Social Security (APA, 2005).
• Older individuals of lower SES have increased mortality rates (Bassuk, Berkman, & Amick, 2002), higher stroke incidence (Avendano, et al., 2006), higher incidence of progressive chronic kidney disease (Merkin et al., 2007), lower health-related quality of life (Huguet, Kaplan, & Feeny, 2008), smaller social networks and lower quality of social relations.
• Older individuals of lower SES have been found to be exposed to substandard prescription practices, such as receiving excessive amounts of prescription drugs for the same ailment and being prescribed combinations of drugs that may lead to potentially harmful interactions (Odubanjo, Bennett, and Feely, 2004).

Psychological Health and Well-Being

• Of older adults, 20-25 percent may meet criteria for some form of psychological disorder (Administration on Aging, 2001). An estimated 15 million older adults will experience mental health problems by the year 2030 (APA, 2004).
• Older persons with less than a high school education are at greater risk for depression (APA, 2003).
• Low educational achievement has consistently been associated with a higher incidence of Alzheimer’s disease later in life. Blue collar work has also been associated with Alzheimer’s and dementia. (Fratiglioni, Winblad, & von Strauss, 2007; Karp et al., 2004; Fratiglioni & Rocca, 2001).
• Although good social networks have been shown to buffer stress (Krause, 2001), older persons living in poor neighborhoods are more likely to have underdeveloped (Feldman & Steptoe, 2004) and poorly integrated social networks (Black & Rubinstein, 2000).
• Consider measuring, reporting and controlling for SES in all research and published work on older adults. Report participant characteristics related to SES.
• Contribute to the body of research on the societal barriers experienced by older persons, particularly low-SES groups and/or persons of minority status, and the impact of these barriers on health and positive well-being.
• Consider how SES affects older clients’ presenting problems, ways of coping and the development of effective treatment strategies. Practice proactive screening of older clients for psychological and physical distress and coordinated care with other health professionals.
• Ensure that trainees are sensitive to age and the implications of aging on the psychological and physical health of clients. Provide trainees with exposure to older populations and specialized training on the screening and treatment of older adults.
• Combat ageism and advocate for sensitivity in your workplace.

Get Involved

• Support legislation and policies that explore and work to eliminate socioeconomic disparities. Visit theOffice on Government Relations for more details.
• Become an SES Key Contact! As an expert, advocate for SES related issues.
• Join APA’s SES Network to contribute and stay abreast of current developments in SES-related activities.
• Visit APA’s Office on Socioeconomic Status (OSES) website.
• Visit APA’s Office on Aging website.
• Sign up for the APA Aging Issues Newsletter to be aware of APA activities on aging by sending an email. References can be found online.