ABSTRACT
I n the last chapter we described, i n general terms, the sources and levels of money income avai lable to the aged i n our three countries. W e must begin this chapter w i th an examinat ion of the extent to w h i c h that picture should be modified i f some of the main ly non-monetary resources available to the elderly are also taken into account. T o what extent, for instance, do the o ld d raw on their savings to main ta in l i v i n g standards? W h a t is the effect of income i n k i n d given by the family ? T o what extent should our comparisons of the position of the elderly between countries be modified i n the l ight o f these non-monetary factors ? After examining these matters, we shall consider whether it is possible to identify certain basic determinants of the level of l i v ing of the aged i n our countries irrespective of the differences i n their over-al l economic structure. H o w far, for example, does economic experience dur ing work ing life influence the position of the i nd iv idua l i n o ld age ? W h a t exactly is the role of government ? T h e n we shall examine the characteristics of the major p rob lem groups among the aged. F i n a l l y , we shall attempt to relate the difference and similarities i n the position of the aged i n the different countries to those differences i n the inst i tut ional framework wh ich we described i n the previous chapter.
