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Life for the elderly person, in any society, is dependent on each individual. How they lived their lives into old age will determine if they are strong or weak. Genetic factors may crop up and determine sanity or dementia in the later years. There is also the all important aspect of the society in which the elderly lives.

The Chinese at least - and perhaps other countries or groups - have long histories of showing reverence for and respect toward the elderly. Until about sixty years ago many families in the USA lived with extended family under one roof. After World War II, this changed significantly and now many of the elderly in the USA spend their later years alone at home dependent on in-home care services or crowded into a nursing home with others of their kind. There is a rising concern world wide of the impending rise in the number of elderly that will festoon the planet in the next twenty years or so.

As the baby-boomers age into the next generation it will not go easy as it has in generations past. There will be far too many of us to set easily aside and ignored by necessity. The spending habits of the current middle aged generation has landed them into a sticky mess of financial doom and gloom. Although many of the baby-boomers got caught in this mess with their savings, they have the ignominious truth of experience and longevity to get them through the current dwindling recession. Many of us may be ready to retire but when faced with living our "retirement" in abject poverty a new spring can be found in our step.

It seems clear that the government must recognize this reality about the baby boomers because they keep moving the age of retirement higher and higher. My grandparents had been retired for five years when they were my age and according to the Social Security Administration I'm not eligible for early retirement for another five years. My father was able to retire twenty years ago on a veteran pension and later a disability improved his income status. My mother just recently stopped working and hopes the job her husband just found will be sufficient to meet their cost of living expenses; my mom is in her late seventies.

For several years now, I have frequently found brochures in the mail touting insurance for assisted living. The concept of assisted living originated about twenty five years ago. Originally it was meant to keep the elderly at home and reduce the cost of moving people into nursing homes. Now many nursing homes have sections where

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