We’re not getting any younger - Progressive ideas needed to help aging population | Regional Voices - The News Tribune

The link below is to my local newspaper's article on aging. When I was young some people on the outskirts of my circle had grandmothers living with them. It seemed odd to me at the time because the kid my age had to take orders from both the mom and the grandmom. Mothers hung clothes on the outdoor clotheslines and talked across the fence (if there was a fence, it was not the norm then). Now elderly people are many times quite spry so their families forget they have been on this Earth as long as they have. They might not visit as often or offer help because they don't see the person's age or deny it in their own mind.

There are assisted living centers, and centers where one can rent a small apartment (very small) and have one meal a day or more. Long term health insurance came into being, became popular and now is considered more essential. The authors here pose questions about having multigenerational neighborhoods where everyone helps and cares for each other.

I think it's a good idea to look upon the elders of the community as a resource of wisdom and knowledge, having broad experience from one generation to another. The elders have seen many changes in their lifetimes and can contribute in ways that the younger generations may not have yet imagined. Just as visits to nursing homes with a pet or a child can cheer up the nursing home resident, so can an elder share time, fun, or stories with younger people and out of these experiences could come new innovations just from a conversation.

We’re not getting any younger Progressive ideas needed to help aging population Regional Voices - The News Tribune