Promoting and Strengthening the Foundation of Marriage - Essay Example

? Policy Paper on Healthy Aging through Promoting and Strengthening the Foundation of Marriage Outline Introduction The Health and Economic Impacts of Aging Welfare Reform: Proposed Changes in the Current Policy Conclusion Introduction Family as an institution is structured by the relationship through blood or even adoption, and by tradition, family is built around marriage (Macionis and Plummer, 2008). Nonetheless, the traditional set-up of having nuclear family, which consists of father and mother united by marriage and child or children, is witnessed to be declining in recent years. That is to say, the formation of family is changing with the given number of marriages ending up in divorce, people choosing not to get married but just cohabit instead, single parenthood and others. Along with this, what are overlooked are the effects of such weakening of the family institution, in particular, the impacts of divorce among individuals in the later years. Studies show the benefits of marriage among elderly such as the physical, emotional and mental health (Wilson and Oswald, 2005; Staton, 2008; Witherspoon Institute, 2008) as well as the advantages of married life on social and financial health (Witherspoon Institute, 2008). The current available policies in our society are primarily focusing on the needs of the older population such as social, health and financial assistance (National Academy on Aging Society (NAAS), 2010). Also, there are those who are focusing specifically on divorce and marriage (Lichter and Qian, 2007). However, no policies are implemented for preventive measures on the negative health consequences among the individuals in the later years through strengthening marriage. In this regard, to prevent the negative consequences of divorce and marriage in the later years, the marriage must be strengthened. Such preventive public policies must be implemented for the benefit of the older population and the society in general through its social, financial and health benefits. The Health and Economic Impacts of Aging The present – day policies in United States address the needs of the older segment through social, financial and health assistance (National Academy on Aging Society (NAAS), 2010). According to Caro, Moris and Norton (2000), the older segment, especially those who are living alone, is more financially disadvantaged than the rest of the population. In 1997, about 22.4 percent of older than 65 year old women living alone were at or below the poverty threshold. Meanwhile, 65 year old or older women with approximately 13.1 percent were just at or below the poverty line compared to 65 year old or older men with 7 percent. Based on the Social Security Administration, these older population depended for the assistance given by Social Security. It is the case that the unmarried women who were 65 years old or older depended slightly more than half of their income (51 percent) of their total income on Social Security, relative to nearly two – fifth (39 percent) of total income dependence among unmarried older men and 36 percent dependence of their financial profits for older couples. More numbers of older women are recipients of the SSI benefits relative to men. Indeed, women are significantly at risk of poverty in later years. This economic disadvantage among women in later years is explained by their major life transition events such as health problems, widowhood, and even divorce. Nonetheless, though the divorced spouses have been a policy concern over the years, divorced older women are not economically secured. Because the marital dissolution among these women is predominant at the later years, majority of them do not receive alimony. In this regard, they rely greatly on the assistance provided by Social Security. Likewise, it is the case that the received pensions at divorce via lump sum may not be advantageous to long – term financial security. Meanwhile, in terms of health assistance, the state recognizes the needs of the older Americans (Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2009). Their health needs are addressed through the public health system assistance. Over the past 25 years, Medicare has an increase in its spending in providing the health insurance for Americans. In 1980, its expenditure was noted to be $37 billion whereas in 2005, it was $336 billion (CDC, 2009). On the one hand, the aging population is expected to grow in 2030. This means that health care expenditure will surge to about 25% (CDC, 2009). The older adults are in need of more access to health care services because they are more prone to chronic diseases and other ailments associated with the diminished quality of life. At present, eight (8) out of ten (10) older adults are suffering from at least one chronic disease while five (5) out of ten have at least 2 chronic diseases (CDC, 2009). The state addresses this concern that poor health is not an evitable impact of aging through such public efforts that could avoid such illness as they grow older. Through such effective public health strategies, some older adults are assisted to improve the quality of their life (CDC, 2009). As an effect, the need for long – term care among them is delayed. That means economically advantageous for the government. On the other hand, different studies on the relationship of marital status and health were done in which they all claim the advantages of marriage on health (Wilson and Oswald, 2005; Witherspoon Institute, 2008). According to Staton (2008), researches, national health surveys and longitudinal studies over the years suggest a consistent finding that a stable marriage saves the adult partners from premature death as well as illnesses. Wilson and Oswald (2005) claimed that benefits of marriage affect health outcomes as well as income levels. Schoenborn (2004) found out that married couples living in poverty have better physical health relative to those who are unmarried, divorced or widowed poor individuals. According to Waite (2005), at age 48, individual’s marital status is a strong predictor of their chances of living to age 65 or dying too early in which divorced men have only 65 percent probability of survival to age 65 while married men have 95 percent chance. Same is true for women since the never – married women have an 80 percent probability of survival to age 65 while those who are married have 95 percent (Waite, 2005). Welfare Reform: Proposed Changes in the Current Policy It is indeed the case that there are existing policies that the government has implemented in order to address the needs of the individuals in the later years. The policies that are implemented are in fact, in need of huge amount of money to continuously provide assistance to the older population in terms of social, financial as well as health support. However, given that in the years to come, the number of older individuals will grow bigger and that this increase in number requires increase in financial expenditures on assistance, the benefits of marriage among individuals especially the older segment of population should also be taken into consideration in the implementation of such policies. The benefits of marriage in social, financial as well as health aspects among individual and the state should not be overlooked because it can be advantageous for the society as a whole in so many ways. It is not just the policies that the government sets in its manner of addressing the issues of aging but the government must also take part on strengthening the institution of marriage because of its advantages especially to health. The government must influence people’s behavior to encourage them to make strong foundation of marriage while discouraging them to get divorce. Marriage’s benefits on health especially among older population should not be overlooked. Aside from improving the quality of lives among people, marriage promotes a healthy aging. This means that marriage prolongs a quality life of people. Strong marriage makes strong families in which strong families make strong societies. In this manner, social order is much more at hand. The state must show strong support for marriage because it does not only prolong and improve the lives of people but the state could benefit from it through the lowering of financial expenditures because of the fact that the quality of lives among people would be improved. The state should not overlook the benefits of marriage but must strongly promote it to its citizens to persuasive communication efforts. This paper recommends that: Promote and strengthen marriage among couples through a number of benefits including its advantages on health in the later years Have a support group for marriages undergoing sets of difficulty in order to resolve marriage chaos where possible and appropriate strategies that could resolve conflict and give solutions to such marital challenges Discouraging couples from marital dissolution or divorce through its negative impacts Conclusion Indeed, the state recognizes and addresses the issues of aging. The older population is more prone to different diseases because of their diminishing quality of life. However, given that in the upcoming years, the number of older individuals will upsurge, the state must spend more than the usual expenditures on health. Nonetheless, a number of studies present evidence that marriage is advantageous for health, especially in the later years because it prolongs and improves the quality of life. The benefits of marriage should be seen as an opportunity for the state to promote improved quality life. In this case, the state could benefit from it economically through not having to spend a large amount of money on health assistance on the elderly. This could also lessen the health problems of citizens that the government is dealing with. Aside from that, it could also promote social order. In terms of individual benefits, a healthy married life would not only prolong and improve the lives of individuals as they age but would also aid them economically through combined assets, as well as socially through preventing family breakdown. References Caro, F., Morris, R. & Norton, J. (2000). Advancing aging policy as the 21st century begins. Routledge. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2009). Healthy aging: improving the quality and extending the quality of life among older Americans. Department of Health and Human Services. Lichter, D. & Qian, Zhencao. (2007). Serial cohabitation: implications for marriage, divorce and public policy. Macionis, J. & Plummer, K. (2008). Sociology: A global introduction. Essex: Pearson. National Academy on an Aging Society. (2010). Public policy and aging society report. National Academy on an Aging Society (NAAS) 20.2: 1-40. Schoenborn, C. (2004). Marital status and health. CDC Advance Data from Vital and Health Statistics, 351. Washington, DC: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Staton, J. (2008). What is the relationship of marriage to physical health? National Healthy Marriage Resource Center. Waite, L. J. (Editor). (2005). Aging, health, and public policy: demographic and economic perspectives. Supplement to Population and Development Review, A Supplement to Volume 30, 2004. Wilson, C. & Oswald, A. (2005). How does marriage affect physical and psychological health? A survey of the longitudinal evidence. Discussion Paper No. 1619. Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA). Witherspoon Institute. (2008). Marriage and the public good: ten principles. Princeton, New Jersey. Read More