Foodways of Disadvantaged Men Growing Old in the Inner City

Abstract

Statistical data dominate discussions of aging and social policy. While these approaches are necessary, they tend to produce a single story about the needs and interests of older citizens: “we build policy on the basis of gross demographic data, essentially legislating for the majority and hoping that the minority can find ways to meet its own needs” (Lincoln 1992, 388–389). Qualitative research is better suited to filling the gap between population-level patterns and the specific and particular ways in which these translate into the everyday experiences of different groups of older people.