While there is a basic consensus among the women on our Editorial Board, the observations are also rich and varied in the insights and recommendations provided. They challenge us to avoid complacency, given the progress of this century. Instead, we need to recognize that big challenges lie ahead if we are to recognize and deal with the problems of tomorrow. The current problems of women growing older will not go away in the 21st century. The biggest challenges for midlife and older women will continue to be income inadequacy, a lack of health care access, and the financial challenges of long-term care.
Many women can expect to have low retirement incomes in the future.
Pension policies are increasingly based on employee, not employer, financing. Also, many employers are shifting the risks of pensions to employees, creating financial hardship for low wage workers and even more insecurity for all workers. And the current five year vesting requirement for many pensions bars some women from ever getting money from a pension plan. That is why Social Security will continue to be a woman's bedrock income source in the 21st century. Advances in health research and care provide hope for an improved quality of life for American women in the years to come.