The description and present capacities of the elderly populations of Denmark, Great Britain, and the United States in relation to their social and economic circumstances are outlined in this study, using statistical data, interviews, and case studies. Aspects of the life of the elderly which receive extensive consideration include health; relationship with family; availability and use of medical and welfare services; emotional outlook, particularly as manifested in a sense of isolation, loneliness, or desolation; and financial resources and the role of the government in supporting low income receivers. The study concludes that, although the elderly are more strongly integrated into industrial society than is generally assumed, there is also an uneasy separateness of the aged that might best be characterized as a potential or embryonic "class." The cross-national nature of the study is intended to provide new insights into the adequacy of government provision for the elderly. (mf)