Independence is a socially constructed concept within a capitalist patriarchal society that serves to marginalize and oppress older members of society. Why do many older women in the United States live alone? What is it in our society that has encouraged older people to live alone and without the vital family support that is so often necessary for people reaching their golden years? In the United States, older adults are one of the most vulnerable and traditionally marginalized groups of people. They are considered weak individuals because they are no longer able to physically work to get paid. Many of them choose to live alone while suffering in isolation because of the lie they have been sold. According to symbolic interactionist theory, if independence is the ultimate reward for a successful life, surely it is better to remain independent and alone than to live with loved ones. The elderly person does not want their social networks to think they are weak. Isolation is preferable to dependence and being a burden to another individual or family. We have been socialized to believe that caring for a parent or elderly person is a burden. The term “burden,” used by many older members of society, reinforces the idea that caring for others, even family members, reduces caregiver stress. If a person is a burden to someone, he cannot achieve his goals successfully. The concept of success is represented by the pursuit of the American dream. Independence is an indirect reward for a life spent working to achieve the status that has been dictated to us as normal by our culture...... middle of paper ...... -identified/2136469).Mullen , Jethro and Kevin Conlon. 2014. “CNN.” CNN. Accessed March 25, 2014 (http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/07/us/michigan-mummified-body-found/). Headquarters of the National Council of La Raza. 1990. “Hispanic Elderly.” Hispanic older adults. Accessed May 27, 2014 (http://cas.umkc.edu/casww/hispanic.htm). Ritzer, George. 2011. Sociological theory. 8th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, Associated Press. 2013. “New York Daily News.” New York Daily News. Accessed April 27, 2014 (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/dead-year-author-body-found-article-1.1342898). Uhlenberg, Peter. 1992. “Population Aging and Social Policy.” Annual Review, Sociology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Vincent, Grayson W. and Victoria Velkoff. 2010. “United States Census.” Census.Gov. Accessed May 2014 (https://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/p25-1138.pdf).