Chancellor Tseng gave a talk last week on “Higher Education’s Role in Addressing Women and Aging” to the Organizing Committee for the 4th World Women University Presidents Forum. The international forum will be held in Beijing in 2009. Chancellor Tseng is the United States representative on the committee, which met at Josai University in Japan, June 3-6, to discuss higher education issues and plan for the forum. Below are her remarks on higher ed’s role in addressing women & aging.

The 3rd World Women University Presidents Forum (at left) was held in Beijing in 2006. More than 100 women university presidents from 34 countries and regions attended. Chancellor Tseng currently represents the United States on the committee organizing the 4th World Women University Presidents Forum to be held in Beijing in 2009. Xinhua Photo. Link

University of Hawai‘i at Hilo Chancellor Rose Tseng’s Remarks

“Higher Education’s Role in Addressing Women and Aging”

Organizing Committee for the 4th World Women University Presidents 2009 Forum

June 4, 2008

Japan

Aloha! Thank you for inviting me to speak to you today.

I’ve been asked to talk to you about the role of higher education in addressing the problems of women and aging.

I’m not a sociologist, but I do have experience in starting gerontology programs– I understand the importance.

I also consulted with colleagues who are experts in gerontology, and they helped me to put together some data for you about women and aging in America and the state of Hawai‘i.

Today’s Talk on Women & Aging

Today I’d like to share with you:

• Trends and projections about women and aging in the United States and Hawai‘i.
• Some ideas about how universities can help older women improve their quality of life, with examples about programs and research at UH Hilo.
• And I will conclude with some ideas about how we, as women leaders, can help address the problem of women and aging.

Demographic Trends & Projections in the United States (data from U.S. Administration on Aging, Department of Health and Human Services).

First, let me share some data with you about demographic trends and projections in the United States.

The following facts about older women require attention as we prepare to address the needs of aging women in our society.

• Most older Americans — over 60 — are women.
• Women live longer than men, so women are more apt to face health, economic, and social challenges in their old age.
• Today, almost 35 million Americans, or one in eight, are age 65 or older, and three out of five are women.

Growing Aging Population Trend

Over the next 40 years, the population aged 65 and over will more than double, while the number of persons age 85 and over will more than triple.

In 2040, for every 100 men 65 years of age and older, there will be 127 women. For every 100 men 85 years of age and older, there will be 168 women.

Women Live Longer Than Men

American women tend to marry men older than themselves.

Women live longer than men; nearly 80% of all older persons living alone are women.

Seven out of 10 “baby boomer” women — those born between 1946 and 1964 — will outlive husbands.

Women spend more years disabled & are twice as likely as men to live in a nursing home. Widows may live alone, without resources, for 15 to 20 years.

Health Care

Older women are more likely to be unemployed, more likely to work part time without health insurance.

Older women are at higher risk of chronic diseases, more likely to require costly long term care. But two-thirds of all older women do not take advantage of many health care services.

Poverty

The risk of poverty increases with age. Older women twice as likely to live in poverty as older men.

Worse for minorities:

• 11% of older white women live in poverty.
• 30.2% of African American women live in poverty.
• 25.3% of Hispanic American women live in poverty.

Hawai‘i Trends & Projections (data from The Center of the Family, UH Manoa)

Now, I’d like to share some data on the trends and projections in Hawai‘i.

Along with every state in the union, Hawai‘i has its share of concerns about women and aging.

238,000 Hawai‘i residents are 60 and over; 18.7% of state population, slightly higher than 16.8% in nation.

There are more females than males as age increases.

People in Hawai‘i live longer than those across nation: 79.8 years vs. 76.9 years.

Women tend to live longer than men: 82.5 years vs. 77.1 years.

Education

More than one third (35.0%) of the state’s older adults have some college experience (17.2%) or a college degree or higher (17.8%).

The remainder graduated from high school (33.0%) or have less than a high school education (32.1%).

Employment

One in five (22.0%) older adults are employed or seeking a job.

Three fourths+ (78.0%) are not in the labor force. The rate of labor-force participation among older adults drops rapidly with age:

• Ages 60-64, half (49.0%) are in labor force.
• Ages 65-69, one fourth (25.9%).
• Ages 70-74, just over one seventh (15.4%).
• Age 74-84, 7.7%.
• Age 85+, 3.9%.

Poverty

More than one fifth (21.2%) of Hawai‘i’s adults aged 60 and over has an income below 200% of the poverty threshold.

Among older adults, the chance of living in poverty increases with age and for women vs. men.

Almost one in three (31.5%) women aged 85 or older has an income below 200% of the poverty threshold, compared to about one in four (24.6%) men.

Women of the Future

However, while current older women may well continue to suffer from higher rates of disability than men, be more likely to live alone, and lack sufficient income supports, some new trends should lessen these problems in the future.

Women are taking control of their health, education and economic status. Current trends include:

• Increased physical activity
• More positive self-images
• Greater economic and social independence.

If women actively engage in life course planning, especially about obtaining an advanced degree and securing economic independence, this may lead to more years of healthful independence.

What is Higher Education’s Role in this Crisis?

Now I’d like to share some ideas about how higher education can help improve the quality of life for older women.

Especially, I will talk about how women leaders can find solutions. Let’s talk about how this problem fits into our overall concerns:

• Increasing funding.
• Expanding access to higher education for diverse demographics.
• Expanding information technology to increase access.

Increase Access to Education for Women

First, we need to increase access to higher education for women.

Women with advanced degrees improve the quality of their older life; better jobs bring better pensions, long-term health care benefits, insurance and retirement income.

At UH Hilo, 60% of our full-time enrolled students are women; this is consistent with national trends.

Women also benefit from informal and lifelong learning courses.

We developed OSHER Lifelong Learning Institute, private money to build outreach centers for women over 45. We have $100,000, and can increase to $1 million with increased enrollment.

Women leaders need to think creatively about how to reach more elderly. Example: OSHER also has high tech component to increase outreach.

We should find more of this type of funding– these programs improve life for women, are cost effective for society in long run.

Increase Basic & Applied Research

We need to encourage and support basic and applied research to understand gerontology crisis. Improve social security, pensions, cost-effective health care, caregiving.

Women leaders can encourage research into cost effective ways to help elderly.

For example, studies for measurement of family, and studies for home health care vs. hospital care– show that it’s cost effective to have family care for elderly rather than hospital.

With data, we can convince public and government to support elder care that is cost effective.

Women leaders can inspire changes in policy, improve life for elderly women.

At UH Hilo, we are also researching women and specific health issues. For example, studies on older women’s muscular function, neuromuscular function, and falls and injuries due to aging.

Encourage Community Service in Gerontology Fields

Encourage and support faculty, staff and administrators to do community service in gerontology fields.

Higher education leaders can guide government policy about most cost effective ways to deal with gerontology crises.

Encourage and support faculty to serve on local boards and commissions addressing elderly crisis– hospitals, life care centers, and Hospice.

Create Internships

Create internships for students to get hands-on experience in the community.

Sociology and Psychology majors should develop skills in social research, so they can apply what they learn in real-life settings. Our sociology internship program has partnerships with important community organizations in East Hawai‘i that serve our elderly population:

• Alzheimer’s Association East Hawai‘i Chapter
• American Association of Retired Persons
• Services for the Elderly
• Extended Care Facility
• Hawai‘i Island Adult Day Care

Here’s More Universities Can Do

There is more universities can do.

Include Gerontology in the curriculum of diverse fields. Important in Psychology, Counseling Psychology, Sociology, Criminal Justice (elderly abuse), and Health Care.

Our Nursing Program teaches culturally sensitive nursing care in a rural environment. Recognize regional needs and train the next generation of gerontology professionals.

At UH Hilo, our new College of Pharmacy answers a regional need for pharmacists. Our Pharm.D. students work with populations from every socio-economic class and all ages from ethnically and culturally diverse backgrounds.

Older women can be an experienced volunteer pool for higher education:

• Mentorship programs.
• Lifelong learning programs.
• Intergenerational programs.

Conclusion

I hope my talk has inspired you to think about how society takes cares of aging women population.

As women leaders, we can work to change the way people think about elderly women.

We can be the change makers, help society deal with this crisis, find solutions to improve quality of life for everyone.

When we all work together, great things can happen!

Mahalo and Aloha!