QUALITY-OF-LIFE OF THE ELDERLY IN GERMANY

The quality of life of the elderly in Germany is described in respect to selected aspects of objective living conditions and subjectively perceived quality of life. On the background of a general trend to an "aging society" a new situation has arisen for the elderly in unified Germany. The analyses depend on representative data from official statistics and the social sciences and they are concerned with demographic characteristics, distribution of wealth, and indicators of well-being. The conclusion is that, on the whole, the elderly cannot be regarded as a social problem; moreover, the challenge is to correct social inequality among the elderly people.