[Selected aspects of the life situation of elderly women and men in West and East Germany].

Abstract

The current and future expected aging process of the population in Germany affects women more than men. This is equally true for West and East Germany. The demographic development in Germany will cause a confrontation with the problems of aging persons in our society to be ever more essential. This also includes the analysis of the living situation of older women and men. In this contribution two significant aspects of the living situation of older persons in West- and East Germany are being discussed; the income situation and household- and marital status structures. A German-German comparison shows that older women in the new federal states already have higher pension qualifying periods than women in the old federal states. Decisive causes for this are different personal labour force biographies. In total, the income situation of the elderly in East Germany is less favourable as a result of formerly no or at best, minimal possibilities for investments. In addition, it is evident (and this applies to all of Germany) that women have poorer financial starting positions for arranging their life situation in old age than do men. Additionally, there are more women than men who live alone in old age. One-person households of the aged are predominantly female households. Differences according to sex which are analyzed in the article result in different consequences for life in old age. Precisely what this might look like in the final analysis depends not only on the old people themselves, but also on the opportunities that the society in which they live provides for them.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)