Deck 16: Social Policies to Address Social Problems

Question 1

The greatest growth of social policies that benefit older people came in the:

A) 1930s.
B) 1960s.
C) 1980s.
D) 1990s.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Which of the following does not characterize the politics of the "New Aging"?

A) an intergenerational perspective
B)the diversity of the older population
C) an age-based perspective on services
D) a concern for future generations

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Most federal programs for children are:

A) discretionary and means-based.
B) categorical (age-based) and universal.
C) direct cash transfers.
D) indirect cash benefits.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Contrary to public perception, Social Security was designed to be:

A) an investment program.
B) a minimum floor of protection.
C) a sole source of retirement income.
D) none of the above.

Question 5

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits the population on a(n) ________ basis.

A) direct cash substitute
B) indirect cash substitute
C) universal
D) non-contributory

Question 6

Which of the following groups would benefit the most if Social Security is privatized?

A) high-income, unmarried workers
B) federal government
C) low-income workers
D) women workers

Question 7

Most federal policies that benefit the older population are:

A) categorical (age-based) and means-tested.
B) categorical and universal for all older people.
C) direct cash transfers on the basis of means-tests.
D) noncontributory and categorical.

Question 8

Which of the following viewpoints is not advanced by supporters of the intergenerational inequity perspective?

A) Younger people will not receive fair returns for their Social Security investments.
B) Older and younger people have both been hard hit by inflation.
C) Older adults are draining the federal budget.
D) Children are poorer than older people are.

Question 9

The public policy perspective that views older citizens as a national resource is known as:

A) the politics of productivity.
B) the politics of entitlement.
C) intergenerational inequity.
D) interdependence of generations.

Question 10

During the beginning of the 21ˢᵗ century, American public policies reflected an emphasis on:

A) costs.
B) population dynamics.
C) political ideology.
D) intergenerational inequity.

Question 11

A basic assumption underlying the intergenerational inequity framework is that:

A) older adults are financially better off than other age groups.
B) significant distribution choices must be made about how to pay the costs of an aging society.
C) the younger generation only benefits from Social Security when they live long enough to retire.
D) our society needs to achieve equity or fairness between generations.

Question 12

A negative consequence of "compassionate ageism" in American public policy was/were:

A) programs that benefit all elders, including healthy and wealthy.
B) inadequate funds remaining for children's programs.
C) emerging stereotypes of older populations as "greedy geezers" .
D) too much funding for low income and minority elders.

Question 13

Which of the following is not one of the Social Security Trust Funds?

A) Old Age and Survivors Insurance
B) Military Personnel Insurance
C) Disability Insurance
D) Hospital Insurance

Question 14

Pension plans have helped improve the economic status of many older Americans. They have also resulted in:

A) eliminating income disparities among groups of older persons.
B) perpetuating inequities between male and female workers.
C) reducing the need for Social Security income for many elders.
D) reducing the need for employee health benefits.

Question 15

The agency responsible for administering the programs and services of the Older Americans Act is the:

A) Social Security Division.
B) Leadership Council on Aging.
C) Federal Council on Aging.
D) Administration on Aging.

Question 16

Until the 1960s, public policy for older Americans lagged behind other countries because:

A) our current older population is so small.
B) families have traditionally cared for their older relatives.
C) our culture places a high value on independence and self-reliance.
D) our older population has not needed assistance until recently.

Question 17

Which of the following societal values has not influenced the development of public policy for aging Americans?

A) Individual welfare is the person's own responsibility.
B) The community should help with individual welfare.
C) Citizens are universally entitled to have their needs met.
D) The government should help only as needed.

Question 18

Since the 1960s, entitlement programs have taken up more and more of the federal budget, so that today they represent ________ percent of federal spending.

A) 15
B) 30
C) 40
D) 60

Question 19

New proposals to privatize Social Security are characterized by:

A) increased government regulation.
B) expectations that the government will wisely invest Social Security funds.
C) a greater shift toward the philosophy of social insurance.
D) expectations that individuals can invest more wisely than the government.

Question 20

Which of the following public policy models of aging is not related to the paradigm of "New Aging"?

A) interdependence of generations
B) intergenerational equity
C) politics of diversity
D) politics of entitlement

Question 21

Generations United, a coalition that works to reframe policy agendas based on cross-generational needs, was established by:

A) the Child Welfare League of America.
B) the National Council on Aging.
C) the Children's Defense Fund.
D) all of the above.

Question 22

Social policies for older people tend to be residual and incremental in nature.

Question 23

The 1960s represented the peak time for developing most of the policies and programs for older people in the United States.

Question 24

Privatizing Social Security would benefit all older adults.

Question 25

Policy-making in the 1990s can be characterized as a process oriented to advancing efficiency and cost containment.

Question 26

The first national public benefits act was:

A) The Social Security Act.
B) The Older Americans Act.
C) The Direct Loan Program of the Housing Act.
D) The Nursing Home Reform Act.

Question 27

The Older Americans Act produced many programs for older adults, including senior centers, nutrition sites, and adult day care.

Question 28

Which services are not provided under the Older Americans Act?

A) in-home services.
B) senior center programs.
C) nutrition programs.
D) Social Security benefits.

Question 29

Prior to the 1930s, several programs existed which focused on the needs of older adults.

Question 30

The politics of the "New Aging" includes new alliances across age groups on the basis of common needs.

Question 31

Social Security and Medicare are the primary causes for the U.S. federal deficit.

Question 32

"Old Age and Survivors Insurance" is more commonly known as:

A) Social Security.
B) Supplemental Security Income.
C) the Older Americans Act.
D) Medicare.

Question 33

Privatizing Social Security would negatively impact higher income, unmarried workers.

Question 34

The "compassionate" stereotype of older adults as more deserving than other age groups has influenced recent policy developments in aging.

Question 35

Development of the aging policy in the United States has been influenced by the contradicting values of individual and social responsibility.

Question 36

Proposals to privatize Social Security will benefit all segments of today's working population.

Question 37

Sixty-three percent of Social Security's benefits are distributed to:

A) retired workers.
B) children.
C) survivors of deceased workers.
D) disabled workers.

Question 38

SSI is an example of an age-entitlement program.

Question 39

According to proponents of the political economy theory, such as Estes, U.S. policies have benefited older people more than the young because politicians recognize that older people are more likely to vote.

Question 40

Eligibility for most policies and programs for older people is determined on the basis of financial need.

Question 41

Trace the history of public policies affecting older adults from the 1930s to today.

Question 42

________ , designated by State Units on Aging, develop and administer service plans within regional and local areas.

Question 43

The Older Americans Act was first funded in ________.

Question 44

Those programs for which spending is determined by ongoing eligibility requirements and benefit levels rather than by annual Congressional appropriations are called ________.

Question 45

The first national public benefits program was ________.

Question 46

Social Security and Medicare are ________ programs in that benefits are tied to a person's contribution to the system as a paid worker across the life span.

Question 47

Contrast the politics of productivity versus the politics of entitlement.

Question 48

Explain how Social Security is currently funded and the arguments in favor of and against privatizing Social Security.

Question 49

Discuss the link between social policy and social programs.

Question 50

Outline the programs and services provided by the Older Americans Act.