ABSTRACT
Retirement is the clearest case of emerging institutionalization in the social position of older people. Research on breakdown of action systems can do much not only to clarify the nature of the problem and hence lead to rehabilitative or preventive programs, but also to explain the basic processes of aging. Perhaps the most extreme forms of breakdown are associated with the mental disorders of the senium. Conceptual tools and measuring techniques need to be sharpened so that there can be much better measures of disease expectation, incidence, and prevalence. Social factors have been clearly shown to be important in suicide and hospitalization rates for mental disorders. Measurement of the capacity for self-care is a step in the right direction. There is particular need for detailed observational studies to check the validity of less expensive instruments. Managing cases of breakdown can be an enormous drain on human energy if it is not well-organized.
