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1. Sociologists and gerontologists have noted one of the fastest growing segments of
   society today is the age group of the“old-old,”those who are 85 years of age or older.
   Whatchallengesdoesthisagegroupface,ascomparedtopeoplebetweentheagesof
   65 and 85?


2. Do you agree that the film industry,television,and advertising companies portray
   aging in a negative light? Explain your answer.Have you noticed any changes
   recently?


3. In 2005,married couples became a minority of allAmerican households for the
   first time.Do you think this trend will continue?Why or why not?


4. What do you think is the most important step a couple can take to ensure a lasting
   marriage?

Questions for Thought

Marriage and Family Life: The Middle and LateYears

and how they view the state of their
marriage.
The last stage of life is often
characterized by loss.Two primary
problems the elderly face are loneliness
and social isolation.This is especially
true of women,who,on average,outlive

their husband by slightly over 5 years

(Minino et al.,2007).By maintaining

close ties with family,friends,church,

and other social networks,the elderly

can fight loneliness and continue to

function as contributing members of

society.