مرکز منطقه ای اطلاع رساني علوم و فناوري - Widowhood: The Most Salient Problem for Elderly Women in Turkey

Abstract :

Research emphasizes that inequality in aging result from economic factors. In social policy making, economic factors are primarily evaluated as dependent variables, while gender and marital status are only analysed as secondary variables. However, in order to develop functional social policy, it is important to understand how gender and marital status shape inequalities in aging. For this purpose, data from the Household Budget Survey, conducted by Turkish Statistical Institute in 2005, will be analysed. Findings indicate that in Turkey as older adults become older the proportion of those married decreases and proportions of widows living out their later years alone are on the increase. The worst psychological consequence of widowhood is loneliness; on the other hand, the worst economical consequence is loss of significant household income. When compared with the whole of the elderly and married elderly population, elderly widow(er)s, especially females, constitute the poorest and the most fragile sector of the elder population in terms of income. In this regard, it is important to understand how the widowed among the elderly in general, and especially widows (females), are affected by sudden income loss. All these findings strongly suggest that marital status should not only be addressed as an independent variable, but also as a significant variable from which inequality is both born and shaped. Social policies developed from this perspective will not only make it easier to decide what basic care services are needed, but will also assist us in determining the beneficiaries, extent of demand for, and providers of such services.