Hurdles for Nebraska's Elderly Women

Part I

Elderly people face serious health, financial, and social obstacles. Elder women are confronted by particular hardships. According to the 2011 Census, gender differences in poverty rates were more pronounced for the older age group. The poverty rate for women aged 65 and older was 10.7 percent, while the poverty rate for men aged 65 and older was 6.2 percent. The highest poverty rates were experienced among Hispanic and Black women who lived alone. Policy and advocacy work should be done on behalf of these indigent women whose plight has been mostly overlooked and voiceless.

Single, senior women residing in rural America are particularly susceptible to lives of poverty and isolation. There is no doubt that older women residing in the Nebraska countryside experience significant hurdles to daily life. However, there is a lack of programs or policies to improve the lives of these women. Moreover, very little academic attention is given to the impoverished single, elderly women in rural areas. 

This article should not be construed as legal advice. Situations are different and it’s impossible to provide legal advice for every situation without knowing the individual facts.