This groundbreaking text is the first to take a life course perspective, examining the relationship between the quality of one's life in old age and ones experiences, earlier choices, opportunities, and constraints. The text gives students a broad background for understanding current policy debates through a distinctive chapter entitled Old Age and the Welfare State (Chapter 11) and through boxed essays in every chapter called An Issue for Public Policy. In addition, coverage of race, class, gender, and culture is integrated throughout..