The relationship between gender, aging and the State in determining the material, social and psychological experiences of older people raises profoundly important questions of theory, practice and politics which this book seeks to address. Throughout, the voices of older people--some optimistic, some despairing and lonely, some independent, some experiencing exchange relationships with caregivers and some accepting and some fighting dependency can be heard clearly. Third in the series of monographs, School of Social Work, McGill University.