Influence of the Middle Class on Well-being of Older Adults

Abstract

"Well-being" and “welfare” terms were considered and specified. There were highlighted main factors that identify the level of subjective well-being of the seniors. There were enlisted parameters to evaluate the well-being of the seniors. There was shown the seniors’ population dynamics in Tomsk Oblast for the period from 2010 to 2012. There was made a conclusion stating that well-being of senior citizens impacts the middle formation process. Nowadays, senior citizens increasingly fall into difficult life situation: with the termination of employment the level of material well-being is reduced, health deteriorates and memory weakens with age, social circle narrows. However, the measures taken are not enough, as most of these measures are aimed at the development of human welfare, but it is also important to improve well-being as well. Relevance of the topic is that for centuries the proportion of people older than 60 years was less than 10% of all mankind. In the beginning of the XXI century in industrialized countries which entered the phase of information development, the share of the elderly population has reached 20%, and by mid-century could exceed 30%. According to demographic projections, the median age of the population in these countries can reach 55 years. In this regard, the problem of senior class well-being is actualized. It is also important to consider the fact that senior citizens are an integral part of society, and, in the majority of researchers’ opinion some of the seniors form a part of the middle class in Russia.