Aging America

By now we have all read how within 30 years the number of Americans over 65 will double --ie. it is estimated there will be approximately 70M Americans over the age of 65--while the number of younger people able to take care of them is far less. This is the caregiving crisis the Frontline special two weeks ago described. Not enough caregivers to care for these aging Americans.

However, Ken Connor describes another problem we currently have and which will be more prominent with 70M Americans over the age of 65--- the fact that our culture does not respect the elderly. In fact, they are seen as "economically inconvenient." In his article Graying America: An Inconvenient Truth, Mr. Connor states:

Other than the unborn, no single age group in the United States suffers from a diminished view of the value of human life more than the elderly. We have adopted a sliding scale of dignity which depends upon one's functional capacity, quality of life, and level of sentience. Woe be unto the old person who does not score well using this quality of life calculus and who costs more to maintain than they produce.

This is truly horrible. Why is it that, in this culture, we do not respect our elders? Why do we see them as a burden to society? Were it not for them -- their work, their wisdom, their courage-- many of us would not be here. Other cultures revere the elderly and see them as wise advisors that should be listened to and respected.

We don't. We need to change this.