Newspaper columnists, including Robert Samuelson of The Washington Post, have been blasting Social Security and Medicare, wanting to either reform, reduce or eliminate these programs. At first that bothered me, as I realized that people have worked their entire lives with these programs in place, money being taking from their pay and the promise that they will have an income and medical care when they get old and retire. For many, this was the retirement plan.
On second thought, trying to see the other point of view, I realized that these programs were the worst things we can do to our elderly. Let me explain.
People are physically and mentally active until they reach a magic age and retire. Then they have nothing forcing them to get up in the morning, nothing pressing on their minds from morning to night. As a result, these folks get soft and lazy, knowing there will be a check each month. They play bingo, lawn bowl, watch TV, take up quilting, feed pigeons in the park, activities that do nothing to keep them sharp and healthy.
Knowing that they are paying for and will receive Medicare, they are not motivated to stay healthy, figuring the government will pay to get them well when they fall ill. As a result, they abandon healthy living, stop exercising, start eating junk food and probably drink too much.
If we eliminate, not gradually, but suddenly, all support programs for the elderly, they will be forced to continue working, thus keeping them mentally sharp. Without health coverage, they will rededicate themselves to staving off the infirmaries of age, pushing themselves to eat flavorless healthy food and putting hours in on the treadmill.
Think of an 85 year old, faced with competition from 25 year old college graduates. Survival will depend on not only staying current, but keeping ahead of developments. Between working long hours, studying new technology, putting in hours of exercise and cooking all that natural food, these folks won't have time to get bored, lazy, sick or senile.
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