ABSTRACT
This chapter considers some key questions addressing both societies and individuals as they age. It focuses on two broad themes which impact upon the life experiences of all adults and can be viewed from both societal and individual perspectives – kinship roles and relationships, and access and contribution to economic activity. The population of the world is ageing. The ageing of some family transitions, in particular birth of first child, leads to long intergenerational spacing, and a transition to both parenthood and grandparenthood at a later age than has been the historical norm. While pensions and social security systems provide incentives for the population at large to retire, different occupational groups have access to different types of provision and thus are affected in different ways. The chapter argues that state pension plans can have a very significant role to play in determining the modal age at retirement and in encouraging early retirement.
