Attention to the lives of some of the nation's neediest older persons, grandmothers with daughters in prison, requires serious reconsideration of certain gerontological foci and assumptions. With data from such grandmothers, this article illustrates the need to transcend "either-or" arguments around age as a master status; to highlight the absence of the middle generation in a growing number of families; and to question the anti-family premises of the generational equity debate. It concludes with recommendations for how researchers and advocates could enhance their commitment to the neediest among the older population by revising the models that underlie policies and programs and reframing service orientations accordingly.
Key debates in social science and health research have centered on how to increase the inclusiveness of such research and hence its relevance for understanding the intersections of race, class, gender, and aging. This article uses gerontology as a case in point, examining the challenges of inclusivity and interlocking oppressions/intersectionality for better apprehending how broad structural factors shape and determine the experience of aging and growing old. The authors discuss alternative hypotheses being used to explore inequalities in the aging experience and the limitations of current concepts and methods. Promising new developments in sociology, epidemiology, and other fields are described in terms of their relevance for better understanding the dynamic interplay of race, class, gender, and aging.
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