November 12th, 2004
Attitudes Towards Later Life Must Change
The BBC singles out one area in which attitudes towards later life must change: "We live in an ageist society and it is a society that has not adjusted to the increased life expectancy that we have." If advocates and researchers are successful in ensuring even greater gains in life span over the next few decades, the need for change will become more pressing. This is not to say that the top-down legislative approach is the right one - far from it, since it is precisely these top-down policies (such as fixed retirement ages and Ponzi-scheme benefits) that cause many of the current problems. Advocacy, education and the increasing ability of fit, healthy, smart seniors to participate in society should do the job in the long term.