Introduction
While American economic prosperity depends on the productivity of all workers, demographics suggest that, increasingly, midlife and older workers will make up a larger portion of the workforce.  And, given two trends that have dramatically changed the composition of the labor force over the past 30 years – more women working outside the home while raising children and more women working by preference rather than economic necessity – the proportion of midlife and older women in the labor force will increase.  Further, “retirement” for women is not always a one-way exit from the labor market.  It can consist of many alternative transitions between working and not working.

In this issue brief we examine the answers to a number of work-related questions that were asked of 1,001 women age 50 and older who were part of the 2002 National Poll of Women 50+ conducted by the National Center on Women and Aging (NCWA).  NCWA surveyed women across the country to gain a better understanding of their experiences, opinions and attitudes and to provide benchmark data that will enable future research and analysis of changes and trends among this important population.

Contents:
Attitude Toward Aging, Demographics, Health and Healthcare
Financial Matters, Work and Retirement
Leisure Activities, Worry

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Other titles in the series...
Women 80+
Women of Color
Savers & Non-Savers:  Different Expectations, Different Destinies
Marital Status:  Does Marriage Make Women’s Later Years Brighter?
How Do Physical Limitations Affect Expectations About Aging?