This article was provided by the National Care Planning Council. Each monthly article is written to help families recognize the need for long term care planning and to help implement that planning. All aging people, regardless of current health, should have a long term care plan.

Facing the Realities and Adversities of Aging

November 12, 2019

Getting older is definitely not a cakewalk. If there is one thing that is true for every living person on this planet it is that everyone of us will get older and eventually die. No one yet has ever figured out a way around this fact of life. And it is also a given that as our bodies age every one of us will be more susceptible to developing one or more of the 3 D's - disease, disability or dementia. Chances are many individuals who are not even at retirement age have already developed one or more of these conditions. In this message I'm going to address the myth that the so-called "Golden Years" are available to all seniors. For many it really is a myth. A large number of seniors are affected by what I will call here the realities and adversities of aging. The dictionary defines adversity as: "an unfortunate event or circumstance."

The concept of retirement is a fairly recent invention dating back to a novel German government policy in 1883 that forced older workers to become unemployed and in return paid them a government pension until they died. The idea was to free up jobs for younger workers. Eventually this concept was adopted by all modern industrialized economies. Throughout history, prior to the idea of retirement, people just simply worked until they died or became too disabled to work. And in many areas of the world this is still true. Nowadays, retirement is viewed as a reward for working hard at a job that is less than desirable. Retirement represents an extended period of rest and reward for the perceived undesirable activity of working throughout one's lifetime.

Continue Reading: Facing the Realities and Adversities of Aging

Article Archive, view previous Eldercare Articles

2019 October 29 - Does Long Term Care Insurance Really Work?
2019 October 15 - Dealing with the Challenges of Aging
2019 October 1 - What is the Greatest Risk for Retired Seniors?
2019 September 10 - 3 Reasons to Take Social Security at Age 62
2019 August 20 - What Is Survivors Pension with Aid and Attendance?
2019 August 6 - Relocation and Downsizing Specialists Who Serve the Senior Market
2019 August 6 - What Is the Difference between Conservatorship and Guardianship?
2019 July 23 - How Can You Get Money Out of Life Insurance Without Dying?
2019 April 2 - Government Pays for Only about 16% of Long Term Care
2019 February 26 - What Are the Medical Care Decisions Prior to Death?
2018 November 5 - Why Do You Need to Review and Update Your Beneficiary Arrangements?
2018 August 14 - Some Ideas on How to Avoid Probate
2018 July 20 - Elder Mediation Services
2018 June 20 - Financial Abuse of Senior Citizens
2018 May 14 - Common Strategies to Protect the Home from Medicaid Recovery
2018 May 9 - Will Medicaid Take Away Your Home?
2018 April 17 - The Value of Life Insurance for the Final Years
2018 March 13 - Understanding Powers of Attorney
2018 February 18 - Elder Law and Estate Planning Advice
2018 January 5 - Why should I use an Elder Law Attorney?