The Gerontologist, Vol 29, Issue 1 17-23, Copyright © 1989 by The Gerontological Society of America

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Gold in gray: reflections on business' discovery of the elderly market

M Minkler

Changes in the business sector's stereotype of the elderly population from a negligible consumer group to a $500 billion market are examined, with attention to both the positive and the problematic aspects of the new targeting of older consumers. Privatization, consumerism, and the rise of a geriatric social industrial complex are among the concepts used to understand recent trends. Questions are raised concerning the extensive targeting of the new elderly population market and the ethical dilemmas it may pose in a heavily consumer-oriented society.

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