If we are to develop better methods of integrating elderly people into society then above all we need a better sociology of the ageing and the aged. In this paper I wish to put forward the thesis that the dependency of the elderly in the twentieth century is being manufactured socially and that its severity is unnecessary. The process can therefore be revised or at least modified. Certain major influences, which will be discussed below, are steadily deepening, or widening that dependency. There is the imposition, and acceptance, of earlier retirement; the legitimation of low income; the denial of rights to self-determination in institutions; and the construction of community services for recipients assumed to be predominantly passive.

The paper argues for a theoretical renewal of basic perspectives for ageing research. A longitudinal, ‘historical’ view of the personality is advocated as it is expected to permit a deeper understanding of needs as well as chances for renewal, re-training, prophylactic and rehabilitative measures of and for persons in later life. A psychosocial theory of cumulation of general life conditions and special events, interpreted and reacted to by the subjects, will supposedly enlarge the more static conceptions of ‘social factors of ageing’.

The first part of this article summarises some results of a recent retirement study of newly retired people conducted in the Paris area in 1975. It examines the conditions under which a sample of salaried workers stopped working and compares their original anticipation with their reactions after two years.

The second part analyses the rapid changes in French retirement patterns over the past decade. Throughout, the author exemplifies and argues for an approach which views retirement within a wider politico-economic framework.

Although widespread poverty in old age has been recognized in Britain for at least 100 years, research on age and ageing has tended to concentrate on individual adjustment to old age and in turn, on narrow functionalist explanations of depressed social status. The elderly have been treated as a homogeneous group facing common problems. In contrast, an approach to ageing based on political economy will examine the relative social and economic status of different groups of elderly people as well as the relationship between the elderly and younger generations. Thus it is argued that poverty in old age is primarily a function of low economic and social status prior to retirement and the depressed social status of the retired, and secondarily, of the relatively low level of state benefits. Social policies which have failed to recognize inequality in old age and the causes of low economic and social status have therefore failed to tackle the problem of poverty and low incomes. The starting point for policy-makers should be the labour market and the social relationship between age and the labour market.

This study has systematically examined the use of health and social services among non-institutionalized elderly people according to the Andersen model which groups factors influencing use into predisposing, enabling and need variables. Need for service as evidenced by physical and psychological functioning was the most important predictor of use of physician services and hospitalization. Predisposing factors had the most effect on use of dental services. On the other hand, knowledge of services, an enabling factor, was most relevant to use of social services. Since this factor is manipulable to planned change, several program strategies were suggested for increasing awareness of social services particularly among the impaired elderly.