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March 1971
to only an outside lavatory. Nearly
300,000 have no lavatory at all.
"Well over one miIlion have only
piped cold water.
"Britain has nearly 81j
2
million
people over the age of retirement - but
there is no overall plan to ensure their
health, welfare and general comfort
should their family circumstances leave
them vulnerable."
The report went on to say: "With the
annual increase of sorne 100,000 in the
number of retired people, we can only
ignore this situation at our peril." For
many of these British senior citizens,
health, poverty and loneliness are prob–
lems
now!
The elderly in other lands have sim–
ilar problems to one degree or another.
Future Senior Citizens
In the United States, 18,000,000
Americans in the 55 to 64-age group
will soon face the problems of retire–
ment and health.
Behind this group is another army of
24,000,000 men aod women in the 45
RETIREMENT
Retirement is taking a great deal of the
older generation out of dle
U.
S. Labor
Force. In 1900, two thirds of all men 65
years and older were working. Currently,
according to Bureau of Labor statistics,
only one tenth are!
According to these facts, more are retir–
ing. But do they want to? Or are they being
forced into retirement? Executives of many
manufacturing firms complain of having
trouble getting their employees to retire at
65 when they could bave retired at 55.
Companies are discovering that the vast
majority of blue- and white-collar workers
who could retire early simply don't want
to!
One psychiatrist put it this way: "The
trend to earlier retirement can only lead to
an increase in mental illness. When people
have one of their main aims in life-work
- taken away, their incentive ís gone. They
feel useless."
Many realize that retirement and a life
of leisure is not the answer. A man who
has spent the past 30 to 50 years on the
job cannot be "put out to pasture." The
change is just too great.
Of course, for vast oumbers, the years
spent on a job bave not been fulfílling.
Perhaps it would be best for d1em to make
the break, switch to something they would
enjoy more, perhaps on a part-time basis.
In this society the wisest move any
elderly or middle-aged person can make is
ro
plan for bis plus-65 years well in
advance. The lack of planning has caused
untold heartache and misery for far too
many elderly already.
The
PLAIN TRUTH
to 54-age category. Within 10 to 20
years they too will be Senior Citizens.
Every day sorne 900 Americans -
330,000 persons per year - are added
to the rolls of the Senior Citizen group.
Many quickly find themselves wrestling
with the problems of making eods meet
on a fixed income, fioding new con–
structive goals in life, and caring for
their health.
What should be done to solve the
financia! problems, the problems of
shelter, transportation, housing, educa–
tion - especially a proper place in soci–
ety - which cause so much anguish
among the elderly?
Place in Society
These problems would be solved if
man understood the proper role which
the elderly should play in society. The
raw loneliness
of many in the older
generation - stemming from a feeling
they are no longer a part of the main–
stream of life -
is
so very often a
direct result of misunderstanding the
NUTRITION
One of the major cootributors to health
problems is the lack of proper nutrition
among the elderly. Medica! journals state
that 75% of our senior population suffers
from malnutrition. Sorne studies reveal that
most people over sixty .suffer from six to
eight nutritiooal deficiencies. But why do
we have such a tragic situation in the
Western World?
Many older people have retreated into
isolation. They are frightened, confused,
and don't feel useful. They develop malnu–
trition simply because they lack the interest
in eating meals alone. Serious health prob–
lems can result from malnutrition. Many
have not been properly educated as to what
constitutes a balanced and nutritious mea!.
United States Government programs such
as "Meals on Wheels," aod "Hot Meals for
the Elderly" have been created to combat
this problem. But, for lack of funds these
programs can reach only a Jimited number
for a limited time in a limited way.
Yet, health is imperative to success of
any kind. Even in the latter years one
should continue sorne form of exercise and
watch bis diet so he may have good health.
Man
is
what he eats!
Many physicians and surgeons have said
that 90 to 95 pen:ent of all sickness and
disease comes from a faulty diet! This area,
as so many others, badly needs action.
Poor health is merely an
effect
- an
effect of the lifetime habit of poor nutrí·
tion or of physical injury. The normal
condition of the human body, even during
advanccd age should be one of robust
health, not sickness.
23
proper role for the elderly. Theirs
becomes a give-up attitude.
Not all, of course. But for the broad
majority the feeling that there is no
future - that life
is
already finished or
just about over - is constantly in mind.
Many elderly feel they have not been
successful at life and that life is not
worth living any more. They often feel
unwanted or unneeded by either family
or society. They feel they are contrib–
uting nothing to this world.
A few busy themselves spending their
savings, shutting out the reality of life
- poor health, poverty and imminent
death become inescapable realities.
Only the few feel they have lived an
abundant, satisfying life - and live out
their remaining years in productivity
and peace of miod.
Where does loneliness lead the
elderly? Often it leads to
suicide!
The
highest rate of suicides for any age
group is found among the elderly, par–
ticularly men.
WHY? The answer is guite clear. The
elderly need success as any other person
HOUSING
Two thirds of al! eide.dy live in cltles.
One third are estimated to be living in the
deteriorating cores of our large cities. Many
are forced to reside in cbeap and dirty
housing accommodations. Often they share
bathroom, refrigerator and telephone. Only
five percent of the 20 million elderly live
in an institution or rest borne. As men–
tioned, another five percent in addition
ro
these are bedridden shut-ins.
One fourth are residing in rural areas.
Aside from the one in twenty-five living
in a rest home, seventeen of every twenty·
five Amerkan Senior Citizens live with
sorne member of their families (wife or
other relative). Nearly seven in twenty-five
live with someone not related, or alone!
Recent Census Bureau reports for April
1970 show a sharp gain in the nurnber of
older peopJe living alone, away from their
families. The number of persons 65 and
older who are living alone or with others
who are not related increased from 3.2
million in 1960 to 5.2 million in 1970 -
an increase of 61
o/o.
A good many of the people over 65 own
their own homes. Usually these bomes are
dear of mortgage debt, but often old, and
in bad need of repairs. Many times they
are too Jarge for the needs of the elderly.
And propeny raxes never end.
In Britain many of the aged are stilJ
residing in the old workhouses which were
supposed to be abolished in 1948. Others
are staying in post-war homes, voluntary
bornes, institutions, old people's hom.es, and
a few in their own prívate bornes.