Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Writing Sample
Hannah Cornwell
This writing sample is a research paper project collectively conducted for my Introduction
to Gerontology, Honors Composition II, and Fundamental World Regional Geography
courses in November 2017.
Hannah Cornwell
Abstract
Within the United States, a common issue arising is age-friendliness in society. As the elderly
population begins to climb, accepting all the baby boomers who are beginning their later life,
more resources are needed to provide for the increasing elders. Neighborhoods are being
remodeled, forming new, age-friendly walkways and rest areas. Through the use of Honors
cohort classes at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, I have gained extensive knowledge on
understanding and reading Omaha neighborhoods, as well as countries (Japan), to judge cultural
aspects and age-friendliness. After touring four different neighborhoods within the Omaha area,
the data collected provides multitudinous perspectives and ensures adequate judgments for
research. Along these tours, the methods used were inspecting and taking notes on the physical
features that accompanied each area, scanning specifically for age-friendly seating and sidewalk
health. Throughout the research process, the data collected revealed that Omaha, while becoming
a more modernized city, is not as age-friendly as their elderly population would appreciate.
Then, with comparison to the urban areas of Japan, the data displayed the rising necessity of age-
friendliness, not just within the city of Omaha, but internationally. These recent struggles to
provide for the older population are quickly becoming a bigger obstacle for the world to face.
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Introduction
while attempting to conserve culture, and aiming for efficiency in an attempt to maintain healthy
planet. Despite all this change, one factor remains constant: aging. As age among the population
concern. While some countries encourage continuous activity and involvement within the
community throughout ones life, others disagree, endorsing a prejudice against age as older
people are seen as useless. This dynamic feature of the world has influenced a changing
perspective on the elderly as major cities struggle to adapt to the term age-friendliness. The
term is not directed specifically towards elders, but to the many generations within human life.
Modernization is coined as a term promoting the youth of the century or the people who will
decide the future of the world, when in reality, youthful geniuses may be artistic and creative,
but older people reveal wiser and more cautious ways of thinking. Although some agree that
risks should be taken in order to stimulate progress, too much riskwith little concern for the
consistent factors of societycan lead to failure. One such country struggling with the inclusion
of age-friendliness into urbanization is Japan. As Japan displays a high urban population but
negative growth, the bigger picture is to notice the effect of urbanization on all generations. Not
only is this prominent in the cities of Tokyo and Osaka, Japan, but also more locally, in the urban
significance of poverty and age-friendliness in Tokyo, Japan; and Omaha, Nebraska, it has
become clear that these areas display the effect of an aging population.
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Background
Due to the vast differences between the country of Japan and the city of Omaha,
perspective must be considered. When comparing a country to a city, there are various factors
that influence each area differently. Percentages and data will remain accurate if the overall
population is considered as well. The various cultures also impact their areas with vast
differences as American culture practices different religions than what is prominent in Japan. In
order to help equate the two regions, two major cities of Japan will be discussed in reference to
the city of Omaha. When comparing to Japan, the United States as a country will be used to
associate the differences. The research collected on the Omaha neighborhood is also a primary
source, whereas the data reported when discussing Japan is a secondary source. This does not
disrupt the quality of information, yet should be understood by the reader before continuing.
Although many peoples opinions vary when discussing what makes a neighborhood age-
friendly, the research taken was based on the AARP. This organization values the definition of
age-friendliness as they rate neighborhoods for future elderly stay. Through the use of The
Livability Index, the AARP helps to promote the benefits and disadvantages that occur
throughout each neighborhood. For the particular field of study, the neighborhoods presented are
within the region of Omaha, Nebraska. Any bias associated with this area and the data collector
is removed through the use of the AARP organization and their rating of the neighborhood.
According to the AARP and The Livability Index, in order to generate a score
accounting for most factors significant to the reader, there are seven categories of livability that
Transportation
As age increases, many elders also find other physical features commonly dwindling:
eyesight, maneuverability, reflexes, etc. The value of transportation at an older age increases as
fewer cars are used to travel and elders begin to depend on other resources near to them. This
segment accounts for the bus and train accuracy and times, as well as the location of stops
throughout a neighborhood. Another considered factor within this section is the safety of the
Housing
This factor continues to be significant as elders become more dependent and unable to
maintain their own homes. The housing segment of the Livability Index reveals the availability,
affordability, and accessibility of housing within each neighborhood. This gives the elders a
better reason to either relocate for dependency or to adventure into a neighborhood to settle
down in.
Neighborhood
Accessibility and proximity to certain resources are highly valued as a must-have of the
Livability Index. Because some elders struggle with transportation, most resources would be
considered inefficient if they were a twenty-minute walk or bus-ride away, taking time away
from other activities. This section also includes the sense of community found within the
neighborhood as it accounts for the vacancy and activity of the area. With a sense of community
also comes a sense of safety, another segment found significant by the AARP. They monitor
crime rate within the area to ensure the safest or most dangerous neighborhoods are regarded.
Environment
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As much as the social aspect applies to searching elders, the physical features also
influence a decision. The AARPs Livability Index measures just that, livability, by monitoring
the air and water quality within an area, confirming the true cleanliness of the region. This is
significant for elders as they are more susceptible to harsh conditions affecting their health and
Health
The pertinent truth of this factor remains one of the most important considerations of all.
As the AARP intends to provide an all-inclusive perspective on each community, their research
is heavily influenced by the accessibility of health care. They present the frequency of smoking
and obesity within an area to help readers understand the hazards that could affect their lifestyle.
Engagement
The significance of engagement occurs both civically and socially. This section includes
the social involvement within neighborhoods, encouraging elders to continue an active lifestyle.
It also incorporates the opportunity for civic involvement, determining if participation is easily
accepted within the area. By creating this division between social activity within the community
of the neighborhood and civic pursuits to help solve public concerns, the AARP informs the
Opportunity
Despite the age-centered perspective of the AARP organization, they also account for
equality of various subjects in each surveyed neighborhood. This segment addresses the equality
of income, age-diversity, education, and job opportunity. Because most elders looking into a
retirement home are commonly not thought to be active workers, the job opportunity and income
equality sections help to comfort those who continue to seek a revenue. It also provides the
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education level within the area, ensuring a broader community. Lastly, this category includes the
one. This knowledge of diversity helps to enforce a theme of acceptance within the community,
Through the use of the prior information collected, a new perspective was used to address
the issue on a much larger scale. The country of Japan, arranged from four main islands,
currently contains 126,451,398 people spread throughout the cities within the area (Central
Intelligence Agency, 2016). Their six main citiesas of 2015include Tokyo, the capital
Elderly Population
Throughout these cities, around 28% of their population is 65 and older, giving them a
large elderly population (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). Despite the numerous elders within
Japanese society, the total dependency ratio increases to about 40% of the population (Central
Intelligence Agency, 2016). Thus, the number of inactive workers (those aged 0-14 and 65+) is
close to half the population. With this detail, one can assume that Japan is age-friendly,
accommodating the youth, adult, and elder people of their society. As the urban areas are thought
to house the upcoming intellectual young adults, most elders do not seek a home within the big
cities of Japan. This affects the perspective of urban cities as their age-friendliness is less-likely
While city life is not enticing for elders, the recent suburbs surrounding or within urban
areas attract many different generations of people, including the elderly. This expansion of cities
occurred in the 1960s after a high economic growth period, internal migration as many people
flocked from rural areas to the thriving urbanization of major cities (Stapleton & Karan, 2015,
pg. 79). As of today, the suburbs are populated by second-generation migrants who were born
and grew up in the suburbs, thus leading to the conclusion that cities may be forced to adapt and
become more age-friendly (Stapleton & Karan, 2015, pg. 79). Due to the increasing number of
elderly people living in or around urban areas, the Japanese society may decide to alter their
cities by increasing the safety of neighborhoods while giving the same opportunities provided for
A rising concern now is that since many Japanese will spend their entire lives in the
suburban areas of large cities, modernization may not be the easiest transition on the majority of
the urban population (Stapleton & Karan, 2015, pg. 79). With the current urban population
consuming 94.3% of the total population, and the rate of urbanization remaining at a steady
0.15%, Japans urban areas might consider altering their rate of innovation to consider the
possible generational gentrification that could occur (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). This
term refers to the forced displacement of elderly people due to societal urban innovation. Instead
of forcing the poorest residents out, modernization will relocate the oldest residents, affecting
After researching the country of Japan, Omahas livability became more interesting and
explanatory for Americas value of all generations. The city of Omaha was researched through a
qualitative method that involved touring a specific neighborhood. The survey instrument used
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In order to maximize the researching efficiency, three more categories were added to account for
the specifically elder-related portions of the neighborhood: sidewalk health (scale of 1 to 5),
crosswalk timers (longevity and frequency), and nearby health services including a fire
department, hospital, or police station (location in relation to the neighborhood). The specific
This neighborhood contained two different sides to it, the newly created Aksarben plaza,
and the outskirts of South 50th Street. Although the University of Nebraska at Omaha remained
within this neighborhood, South 50th Street lacked the modernization that was rampant in the
Aksarben area. In the neighborhood, Elmwood Park was an easily accessible region containing a
golf course, a community pool, a playground, and sporting areas. These three sections were all
graded together but comments and notes were made distinguishing each area from one another.
The research continued as elders from this neighborhood were interviewed to discover
their perspective on accessibility and age-friendliness within the neighborhood. The elders
interviewed lived in a retirement complex that contained many elderly-accessible activities both
inside and outside the facility. They enjoyed their lifestyle, not complaining about the fast
modernization of the Aksarben area, or the low grunginess along South 50th Street (Miller,
2017).
Sidewalk health
Because the elders interviewed have not experienced extreme physical decline, they
continue to drive everywhere, not worrying about the health of the sidewalk. Around their
complex, the sidewalks seem refurbished and stable, although their location leads to a limited
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amount of sidewalk. They live along the busy street of Leavenworth and by car is the most
Crosswalk Timers
In front of the retirement complex runs the busy street of Leavenworth, causing foot
traffic to be monitored by stop lights and crosswalk timers. Through a brief discussion, the elders
interviewed recalled no difficulty with the length of the crosswalk timers. Due to their frequency
along the busy road, they give an exceptional amount of time for people to cross the street safely.
Health Services
With the Nebraska Medical Center only a few blocks away, the couple felt their access to
health services was beneficial and encouraged them to continue physical activity. They also have
a fire department with close proximity so their nerves are calmed by the reminder of close rescue
if ever need be. However, the nearest police station is located in the next county, limiting their
As a modernizing urban area, Japans largest cities contain railways that help transport
the population across the country or within the city itself. Because their suburban population
consists of many elders, fast and accessible transportation is a positive age-friendly aspect of
Japanese cities. In Japan, 94.3% of their entire population lives within their six main cities.
However, when considering the number of people who live in the city of Omaha or even in the
cities of the United States, only 82% of the population resides within these large cities, spread
out across the country (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). Tokyo alone is home to around 38
million people while New York City only houses 18.5 million. This difference reveals the
cramped lifestyle that Japanese city-dwellers struggle through. Because of the mass amount of
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people living within their major cities, Japanese urban life is fast-paced and crowded, posing new
obstacles for slower-moving elders to overcome. Tokyo is currently considered the most
populous city on the planet with a growing elderly population (Stapleton & Karan, 2015, pg.
80). As they continue to adapt to the upcoming generation, their cities remain age-friendly in
Due to the overcrowded lifestyle of Japanese cities, their population under the poverty
line remains at 16.1%, or 20,358,675 people (as of 2013) (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016),
coming in second behind the United States with 15.1% or 49,320,494 peoplethe country with
the highest ratio of relative poverty (Osamu, 2007, pg. 2). This relative poverty is defined as the
amount of people whose income is not high enough to maintain the average standard of living
within their society (Osamu, 2007, pg. 2). Despite Japans high population under the poverty
line, they continue to provide an equal society as Osaka Citys per capita income is essentially
the same as Osaka Prefectures (Stapleton & Karan, 2015, pg. 111). The city of Osaka and its
when they are two differently urbanized areas. This equality found among the Japanese society is
due to the place of residence of most citizens. Instead of choosing an area that suits economic
abilities, Japanese people choose where they live based on family connections, the relative
location to work, or even their stage in the life cycle (Stapleton & Karan, 2015, pg. 111). By
ignoring the class and status qualities of the surrounding neighborhood, this creates an equal
spread of different incomes and leaves behind stereotypical economic divisions. This also reveals
that people will move to certain areas based on their generation or age. By taking matters into
their own hands, the elderly population is not forced into an area because of modernization, they
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are free to choose where they want to live for their comfortability. In America, this freedom is
The poverty situation consuming Japan is also pertinent to their lack of growth as a
country. With a population growth rate of -0.21%, the Japanese society is slowly reducing as
their elderly population outnumbers their youth (see Figures 1 and 2 of Appendix A). While the
birth rate remains high at 7.7 births/1,000, the death rate continues to be higher at 9.8
deaths/1,000 (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). This factor labels Japan as a post-industrial
country in decline, reaching into the fifth stage of the Demographic Transition Model (see Figure
3 and 4 in Appendix B). This model is used to determine what stage of development countries
are going through, depicting five stages (four in the old version) beginning with pre-
industrialization and ending with the post-industrialization or declining stage. Because Japan
realizes its poverty situation, they have created the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction, which
consists of projects and grants created to support the lessening of poverty within Japan and
surrounding countries (Asian Development Bank, 2013, pg. 2-3). This effort displays the
struggle between the governments perspective of significance and the publics. As Japan
continues the fight to decrease their population under the poverty line, they influence the way
their society views the government, whether it lends a helping hand or an unsatisfied glare.
Comparison of Cities
The comparison between two cities requires multiple perspectives and impacting factors
that influence each city differently. When considering Japan and its prime city of Tokyo, the data
friendliness will increase or become more noticeable within the coming years. However, in
America, the city of Omaha is not as large and modern as the city of Tokyo, making it more
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likely to include age-friendliness and accounting for a good amount of its population. This
a small scale such as Omaha. In Tokyo, the population of elderly do not have significant enough
numbers to instigate a giant shift from modernization to age-friendliness. Although, they may
However, while different, the two cities are joined in their population below the poverty
line. Because the United States is the leading country in terms of the ratio of relative poverty, the
city of Omaha, Nebraska exhibits 16.7% of its population below the poverty line (QuickFacts,
n.d.). Out of the total population of 446,970 people, 74,643 are below the poverty line, drawing a
distinct similarity between Japan and the city of Omaha. This is due to the financial and
economic segregation that accompanies the various neighborhoods of Omaha. Like Japan,
Omaha is made up of different areas of population along with multitudinous cultures throughout.
The cities of Japan correlate to the neighborhoods of Omaha, differing as poverty is found in
stereotypically non-wealthy areas. When comparing the cities of Japan to the neighborhoods of
Omaha, one must consider the vast cultural differences associated with each area. Since America
is fueled by money, economically segmented areas are commonly found throughout the city,
dividing the neighborhoods by wealth and status. This variance from Japan reveals the different
values placed on wealth and class and how urbanization can contribute to this immensely. While
economic status distinguishes the wealthy from the poor in American cities, modernization
the ability to provide food and shelter, poverty is constructed based on the poverty line. This is
an imaginary line created to separate a low income from a high income. It represents the lowest
income someone could receive while continuously being able to maintain the average standard of
living. Once below this line, people are considered poor, impoverished, and strugglingin the
eyes of society. However, literally, poverty is distinguished by the income one makes, which,
even if below the poverty line, can still be enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle with the right
perspective. This misunderstanding of true poverty reveals how a negative connotation has been
GDP
When predicting poverty, one must take into account the state of the country itself. If the
economy is going through a depression, the poverty rate might increase drastically, yet it cannot
(gross domestic product). This reveals the total value of product produced by the companies
within the country, thus accounting for the profit of the country as a whole. With Japans GDP
around five trillion, their economy ranks in the top three as a successful economy (Central
Intelligence Agency, 2016). Because of this factor, their poverty is not due to economic failure.
Unemployment Rate
Another aspect to look into when determining poverty is the unemployment rate. As the
unemployment rate remains at around 5.1% of the population, this could have a negative effect
on the poverty occurring within Japan (Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). Although this
thrive in the workplace, securing the economic growth within the country.
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Urbanization
influence poverty within a nation. As urbanization occurs quickly and constantly, those not
financially prepared for the changes may be displaced from their homes and forced under the
poverty line. This modernization is seen in the large cities of Japan and most likely has an
Education Expenditure
Due to the value of education within Japan, this factor remains unlikely to affect their
poverty, yet should be considered when contemplating other countries. With a high education
expenditure of 4.9% of their GDP, Japan reveals the significance they place on education,
continuing to improve and successfully influence the youth of society (Central Intelligence
Agency, 2016). Not only do they spend almost 5% of their GDP on education, but they also
increase efficiency within the school system, lowering the school life expectancy to 15 years
(Central Intelligence Agency, 2016). This promotes success with the incoming young adults into
Despite these seemingly dissimilar concepts, the population under the poverty line
directly affects the age-friendliness due to the people who make up the impoverished. As elders
above the age of 65 and youth below the age of 14 are considered dependent beings, they rely on
others for help. Sixty-five is the common retirement age when people stop working and focus on
the rest of their life, mostly receiving government checks such as Social Security, Medicaid, or
Medicare to remain economically stable. More stable jobs also promote a 401K or a pension
after retirement, ensuring an income check continuously. While perfection is the goal, these
government and work-related benefits are starting to diminish in quality. The average retirement
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age continues to steadily rise as citizens worry that they will not make enough money to continue
the lifestyle they live currently once they retire. As poverty increases, the elderly are slowly
becoming victims, unable to rejoin the workforce and growing weaker as they get older.
Poverty also affects age-friendliness as the multitude of people who struggle to survive
economically can limit the amount of energy spent by the government towards age-friendly
changes. With greater poverty, the governments values reside with helping the poor instead of
helping the elderly. Since both populations are considered dependent groups, government choice
is split between these two issues, along with the multitudinous other concerns facing society.
urbanization determines the relative location of elderly people. With urbanization increasing
throughout the world, more elderly are struggling to keep up with the modern society. This can
even cause displacement of elders, leading to the fact that age-friendliness will not be reached
Elderly Dependency Ratio. The elderly dependency ratio reveals the amount of
population who are deemed dependent and are provided for by the rest of society, excluding the
youth (65+). As dependent members of society, elders sometimes rely on others to help them
remain active in their lives. A high elderly dependency ratio would mean age-friendly
elderly dependency ratio would affect the society as it achieves rapid growth, commonly seen in
undeveloped countries.
Health Expenditures. The money and effort put into the medical field affect the elderly
population as they tend to rely more on hospitals as age increases. The United States differs from
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Japan in this field with the use of government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare. The
Japanese culture varies from the government-involved system of America and instead places
more value on family. Instead of sending elders away to nursing homes, like the United States,
Japanese children will continue to care for their parents as they age. This lowers the amount of
healthcare available to the Japanese people because the care rests on the family members instead
of trained professionals. With low health expenditures, the quality of life for elders are more
likely to diminish and death and illness will become prominent. However, with high health
expenditures, the longevity and quality of life will increase as societys support of health care
Conclusion
With the significance of age-friendliness increasing, the international value of the elderly
population continues to grow. Through research and data collected on both a national and
international scale, the city of Omaha and the country of Japan are prime subjects to discuss the
rising importance of age-friendliness within the progressing world. To understand the social
aspects of society with a broad mind is an intricate task, masked by stereotypes and hateful
labels. However, to understand the plight of the aging population is even more difficult,
considering their weaknesses that distinguish them from the rest of society. Despite the idea to
treat every person the same, elderly people are dependent beings who sometimes rely on others
for financial, social, and even physical activities. Without drawing negative stereotypes, the
elders of society deserve to be acknowledged as members with wisdoma type of key into the
past. By combining the young and the old, various perspectives can be used to learn, discover,
and even create, no matter what generation. The rising significance of elders is not only seen in
the United States; it affects countries with extreme cultural boundaries and physical boundaries,
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vast histories, and different values. This portrays the effect that the elder population has on the
upcoming young innovators of todays society. By looking to the past, respecting the wise, and
References
AARP Livability Index - Web-based Tool to Measure Community Livability. (n.d.). Retrieved
Asian Development Bank, A. (2013). Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction: Annual Report 2012.
Central Intelligence Agency. (2016). Japan. CIA World Factbook. Retrieved from
https://www.cia.gov/
Contrasted Against an Image of Extreme Poverty, Journal of Poverty, 11:3, 5-14, DOI:
10.1300/J134v11n03_02
QuickFacts: Omaha City, Nebraska. (n.d.). Retrieved November 26, 2017, from
https://www.census.gov
Stapleton, K. E., & Karan, P. P. (2015). The Japanese City. Lexington: The University Press of
Kentucky.
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Appendix A
Figure 1. The population pyramid of Japan displaying its abundance of 65 and over citizens as
compared to their decreasing youth of 14 and under. This places them as a post-industrial
Figure 2. The population pyramid of America displaying its minimal number of 65 and over citizens
as compared to their large youth of 14 and under. This places them as an industrial post-industrial
Appendix B
Figure 3. The demographic transition model displaying five stages of development. The inclusion of the
fifth stage is yet to be determined. As of now, stage five is considered declining and will occur after
development has passed the post-industrial stage four. The purple circle is where Japans estimated
development is currently. The green circle is where Americas estimated development resides.
Figure 4. This original demographic transition model does not include stage five, yet it
does include the names of each phase. Since no developing country had reached past the