Employment Behavior After Age 50

Abstract

Work behavior just before retirement, changes in occupation, and changes in employment status in later life are associated with a variety of factors. Consideration of these elements in a longitudinal study provides insights into the patterns of work and retirement among rural American men. An exclusive look at rural workers seems especially appropriate in view of the recent growth rate in the rural (as opposed to urban) elderly population. According to the Wall Street Journal, the rural elderly population grew by 2.5% each year during the 1970s — twice its growth in metropolitan areas (Maxwell 1983). By highlighting how men from rural communities are similar to and different from their urban counterparts, one can structure age-related programs and policies to serve the needs of metropolitan and nonmetropolitan Americans alike.