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world.
Jt
is a way of life many have
grown up taking for granted over
the last few decades.
And so it follows, according to
this reasoning, that when people
wear out, when they become "old–
fashioned, " they also are to be put
aside. They are confined to a nar–
row niche labeled "the aged."
There, mere spectators of the
supercharged society passing them
by, they struggle against feeli ngs of
uselessness, loneliness, depression
and fear.
How did this happen?
lt
wasn't
always this way.
The " Revolutionized" Family
Rapid technological and industrial
changes have revolutionized socie–
ty, have played havoc with the
extended family structure.
Before the Industrial Revolution
significant inventions and discover–
ies were infrequent. Life followed a
fairly predictable pattern. Most
people were generally content to
maintain ties to the family circle,
which in turn was tied to the
la'nd.
The extended family unit was
anchored to a geographical area–
babies, children, parents, grandpar–
ents, relatives, all together . Wit–
nessed by al! was the full cycle of
life consisting of its various ages:
babyhood, childhood, adolescence,
adulthood, middle age and finally
old age.
The explosion of
technology brought
rapid
economic
changes, a shift from a
rural to an urban socie–
ty. Industry and mon–
eymaking opportuni–
ties attracted young
people to cities. lm–
provements in modes
of transportation made
it easier to move great
distances from other
family members.
Rampant divorce,
remarriage and alter–
natives to marriage
have split the belea–
guered family unit. To
a lot of children grand–
parents are now far –
away voices on the tele–
phone rather than a
present and real in–
fluenc.e in their lives.
"Diversify your interests while ...
young. Concentrate on a specialty,
but maintain added interests. "
In a culture that did
not change quickly, life
had a sense of continu–
ity. The wisdom of the
older generation had value to the
younger generations because it still
applied to the experíences in life.
But technology produced such rap–
id changes in life-style that the
experiences of one generation
appear old-fashioned to the next.
Further adding to the plight of
many elderly people is that they
have grown up in one mode of life,
"Keep helping
people and
sharing. Teach
your children
how to love. .. .
Don't think
about age. The
body is shackled
by arthritis, but
the mind is still
growing young."
Lizzy Hookfin, 86
Ted Baker, 72
on a farm, for example. When they
move to a strange city, they fail to
fit into the new environment.
Today's cities are not places
where a person can easily hold on
to personal and cultural history.
Instead, one feels compelled to con–
form, to blend into the crowd. Per–
sonal identity is threatened, whén
not totally lost.
After a while people begin to
wonder who they are and where
their roots are. This is especially
hard on older people who are sud–
denly called on to revise the habits
of a lifetime in order to adapt to
new ways of life.
Now, Add New Problems
The psychological and cultural
stresses of the elderly are made
worse by a number of other prob–
lems that are a very real part of
existence.
Many people are in poor health
by the time they reach their latter
years. They may run up astronomi–
cal medica] bilis and be unable to
care for themselves.
Many eJderly who are physically
able to Jive independently are
prime targets for muggers and
criminals. The aged must constant–
ly be wary of where they walk, or
The
PLAIN TRUTH