Biomedical subjects
J Wilbers
Publications and source records attributed to J Wilbers.
[Voting behavior of elderly people at the time of the elections for the Lower House of the Federal Republic on December 2, 1990].
Elderly citizens in Germany are interested in politics, thus, a high percentage of this population group took part in the 1990 federal elections. The turnout of the elderly is higher than that of younger voters. For more than 30 years there has been a stable majority for the Christian Democratic and Christian Social parties among the elderly. The Social Democrats and the Liberals are supported more by the younger generations. Because of this stable voting pattern it seems likely that before reaching the age of 60 years German voters tend to develop a more conservative attitude towards politics. Therefore, the theory that voters retain the party preference they chose in their younger years seems not to be valid, at least for a certain part of this population.
[Treatment of topics concerning the aged in the German federal parliament 1976-1983].
An analysis of statements concerning old age by members of the German federal parliament from 1976 to 1983 was undertaken on the basis of parliamantary records. It was found that there was no difference between the average of all members and those speaking about old age with regard to political orientation, sex, and age. None of the oldest members spoke about the problems of the old population group. Results of gerontological research were discussed in parliament but mostly the debates were concerned with financial arguments and unemployment policy. In general there was no reinforcement of negative stereotypes towards the aged by politicians.
[The elderly in traffic--future aspects].
In 1976 and 1982 two surveys about traffic and public transportation in the Federal Republic of Germany were undertaken. Four aspects which are meaningful for gerontological research are presented, i.e. possession of a driving license, ownership of a car, availability of a car in the own household and preferred transportation. The data are given for different age groups. These four aspects can be regarded as indicators for motor mobility. Far more people in younger age groups are in possession of a driving license than in older age groups. The same can be shown for the ownership and availability of a car. Compared with the 1976 data only few elderly people in 1982 had stopped using a car. So we can expect that German elderly people of the future will possess a driving license and drive a car in far greater numbers than elderly people today. The better possibilities of motor mobility will have consequences about traffic planning and psychological research about accidents, services for the elderly, and intergenerational relations.