ON THE LIVING SITUATION OF OLDER WOMEN AN D MEN IN WEST-GERMANY AND EAST-GERMANY

The current and future expected aging process of the population in Ger many affects women more than men. This is equally true for West and Ea st Germany. The demographic development in Germany will cause a confro ntation with the problems of aging persons in our society to be ever m ore essential. This also includes the analysis of the living situation of older women and men. In this contribution two significant aspects ot the living situation of older persons in West- and East Germany are being discussed: the income situation and household- and marital stat us structures. A German-German comparison shows that older women in th e new federal states already have higher pension qualifying periods th an women in the old federal states. Decisive causes for this are diffe rent personal labour force biographies.In total, the income situation of the elderly in East Germany is less favourable as a result of forme rly no or at best, minimal possibilities for investments. In addition, it is evident (and this applies to all of Germany) that women have po orer financial starting positions for arranging their life situation i n old age than do men. Additionally, there are more women than men who live alone in old age. One-person households of the aged are predomin antly female households. Differences according to sex which are analyz ed in the article result in different consequences for life in old age . Precisely what this might look like in the final analysis depends no t only on the old people themselves, but also on the opportunities tha t the society in which they live provides for them. An active policy f or the aged can set the course in this context.