Totally sick of this ageing twaddle. Baby boomers are dropping like flies - bad habits, poor diet. With few exceptions, the ones in their 80's and 90's are from a tougher generation, and they are only alive (if it could be called a life) because of drugs.

While I am happy to agree with the exhortation to do-gooders to stop exaggerating the social impact of our increasing life span, the rest of the case embraces a weird inconsistency. Governments should get out of the way but then should do more to facilitate tackling ‘life transitions’. As usual, wanting to have it both ways will produce a bad result. And in this field I can almost guarantee that government efforts to remove ageist policies and age discrimination will have exactly the opposite effect to that intended. For example, if I were an employer faced with legal imperatives to ensure equal opportunity for older job applicants to protect myself against some kind of age discrimination complaint, you can be sure I would be ultra-careful not to get into that situation in the first place. If there was some decent research that contradicted my intuitive response (backed incidentally by the wisdom of age) then I might happily change my mind. Till then let’s keep the matter of age equality well away from governments, especially the anti-discrimination mafia, and leave it to a well-informed market to sort out.

ttbn - you're wrong to think that oldies are only alive because of drugs. Medication has its use across all ages if that kind of treatment is needed.

You're right in your belief about the resilience of 'over 80s', but I suggest that it has less to do with their coming from a tougher generation and more to do with the fact that age brings more experience, hence competence in life management skills.

Maturity means much.

A pretty good article overall

The author writes much sense, eg. "Unless we prepare better, inevitable later life experiences like ‘retirement’, moving home and becoming a carer will continue to take us by surprise and become traumatic events not productive transitions"

and

"And if not, what can you do now at this young age [of 50] to prevent pensioner penury and all the attendant health miseries that go with that. What skills do you need for the next phase of productive life?"

Well, there's the destiny of demography! And several choices? A use by date and compulsory euthanasia? No?

What about real tax reform! That does a couple of things? Ends endemic massive tax avoidance and evasion, by the simplicity of an expenditure tax or a flat rate tax? And in every case everyone pays! With the social wage adjusted to remove any and all obvious inequities?

Making compliance unnecessary and thereby returning an averaged 7% to the average bottom line! Given there would be nothing to benefit from negative gearing! End it And treat all capital gains as income!

Then introduce a (then affordable) noncontributory 15% super, with the money made available after 65-70 as proscribed pensions only and for the balance of your days.

Moreover, we need better more affordable health insurance, which has to be not for profit members only schemes! Ditto nursing home care!

There's something extremely unpalatable about folks, (vultures) who make veritable millions from seriously rationed aged care, most of which can nonetheless be conducted in the home for far less imposts on the public purse. But particularly if our health care becomes the sole responsibility of just one arm of streamlined rationalized government, minus the previously available buck passing!

Then replace big pharma's preferred medical care paradigm, with the preventative model! Which will include evidence based H.R.T, (out of patent) routine Chelation therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and hydrotherapy.

We need to grow the economy, then make it and it alone pay all our tax, so it won't be left to fewer and fewer tax payers to pay all our tax even as multinationals avoid billions! And halve the average cost of living or just doing business, by outlawing middlemen profit takers, which must include buying and selling, (falling from the skies) water!

Too stop the world from over population all people over 70 should be put to sleep without any pain. Unless they are very important to the younger population, like doctors and scientists, pilots, politicians, builders, policemen, soldiers and many other people who contribute many good things to the society. Though soldiers should be kept in check in case they go rogue with their guns and other wepons which makes a lot of sense.

Old people over 70 don't do much but take a lot of extra money from the young people cause of their bad health which is not very fair is it.

Well, plenty! First and foremost, remove the political cadre, whose only role is to FOREVER PREVENT essential reform and modernity.

We need rationalists not roadblocks and the inevitable talk fest!

We could double the average income tomorrow just by embracing evidence based, SAFE CLEAN AFFORDABLE NUCLEAR ENERGY!

[All that prevents that is political opposition with special interests!?]

Molten salt thorium reactors could halve, halve and halve again the cost of energy in this country! And consequently double, double and double again, the economy! [THE RESOUNDING POLITICAL SILENCE IS DEAFENING!]

And indeed the progressively foregone (bled white) manufacturing sector that needs energy as its lifeblood!

We need the manufacturing sector up off its knees and leading the charge to a prosperous inclusive future, where the population at large, shares in the economic growth, rather than as present, tethered to a failing economy as routinely bled cash cows!

We are shipping jobs and foregone opportunity overseas, as our main export!? Why? Good question and the finger pointing show ponies in our parliaments need to answer it!

And we need old folk who've retained their marbles and ability to think independently, preferably, without clouds of smoke emanating from seized cerebral circuits!

Rather than rusted on recalcitrant moribund Neanderthals, with neither, who serve fatuous fulsome fools, by keeping them in power!

Perhaps that'll change, when all the old folk have tottered off the mortal coil?
Alan B.

Ponder,

I don't accept that I am wrong regarding old people and drugs. The drugs now keeping old people alive were not unavailable not so long ago. You could, perhaps, ponder what I actually said.

Misanthrope,

You certainly are misanthropic. I'm over 70, and I don't cost you anything. Their are no commercial pilots, soldiers or policemen over 70, and few doctors, scientists or builders work over 70. What are you smoking, boy? As for suggesting that those of us over 70 should be put to sleep, you might find that they think people like you, haters, should be put to sleep first.

Some scientists are working on immortality.

It seems we've traded immortality for procreation? We don't need so much procreation? So how about a little immortality?

Or joints and vital organs that just don't wear out? And how many problems would that solve? Retirement? What retirement?

Housing affordability would be returned? You could spend the first five hundred years saving a substantial deposit all while making negatively geared housing barons into trillionaires; then spend the next five hundred paying the mortgage, making fabulously wealthy banks wealthy beyond imagination!

Or until all the unobtainable wealth of the entire universe was possessed by them?

Immortal cells would mean there'd be no sick days or sick related loss of productivity? And working until you drop would be eliminated by the work until all the work is done mantra!

You wouldn't get tired or need sleep, so there be no need to go home or commute. Just work harder and harder; and consume stuff other folk produce, during your time off!

Taking your allotted meal and comfort stop breaks? Until the employer was the richest employer in the universe, owning a planet sized stack of gold! And you had ten cars, seven TV's and a dozen cell phones, so you never lose touch ever again or get bored with reality

Wouldn't immortality be wonderful? sports injuries? What sports injuries?

We wouldn't be worried about aging or who paid for it then would we? Just where to dump the obsolete trash?

The asteroid belt perhaps?
Alan B.

Immortal cells already exist Alan B.

They're called cancers.

Misanthrope
I think ttbn rounded you up convincingly, on your ambit claim for the young to be given less competition as they themselves age. But unknowingly, you have entered the area of debate around the pro's and con's of euthenasia.

But I agree to some degree, the younger generation should have a priority to jobs and resources over the older generation. The scene looks like a set piece, where the aged have amassed surpluses of worldly wealth, in excess to needs.

The "foot print" as we age should actually be reducing in size, not increasing. The aged should aim their life accordingly, with no more an aspirational view, than finishing their last breath, slumped against the butt of a gum tree!
There was a time in past history of Australia, where that view was acceptable. Many of our aged lived out their final days, camped in a tent in the bush.

So, Misanthropy, your views of the burden of the aged, in an historical sense, are not so shocking.

Let those who can afford the luxury of a supported retirement, do so. But likewise, give those who find the burden of age intolerable, for whatever reason, be given a free ticket out with dignity: Be that at the butt of a gum tree, or euthenasied in a doctors surgery...five minutes up, next please!

Not quite Bugsy, they're called stem cells. That aside, lot of tongue in cheek satire in my post, given some individuals and corporations act as if my post were their factual reality!

Went right over the top without parting the hair on the way through!
Cheers, Alan B.

Misanthrope

You will change your mind about that when you reach 69years.
And you will reach that age unless the unforseen happens.
The clock goes around for us all.

The people over 70years today had to pay for the support of the elder genereation when they were young, so now its their turn to be supported.

I am inclined to agree with you when it comes to euthaniseing those with advanced
alziehmers disease.

Me my age is 81 years I use many medicines but otherwise I'm in good shape and very strong with a wife and many kids who are now older people all with work. My suggestion will became law one day soon, you watch otherwise this small world where we all live will explode. All because of to many people living here and using all the food and medicines need for younger people who happen to fall sick or ill.

More things will happen to, with those young men and woman who wont work after 1 year, they must work or be put to sleep same as old people, for spongeing on the society for so long, and being lazy as well. Mr Joseph Hockey a treasure for the government said the time for entitlment is over now. So everybody must finally work now don't you think, or are all Ozzies lazy like many people in Europe say so. In my town of Elbasan, in my former country of Albania, all people work or else the Army come for you quick smart! You work there be very sure of that, or you go away and nobody will get to see you or your family or anybody, if the Army come for you.

//Old people over 70 don't do much but take a lot of extra money from the young people cause of their bad health which is not very fair is it.//

Seems reasonable. If we think it is reasonable to ban young, productive lifters from the country because they came on a boat, then we need to cut back on the leaners as well - and nobody leans more than those who have lived out their threescore and ten, and exhausted their useful productive lives. I say give them five years to enjoy a few shyts and giggles, then round them up for Carousel at threescore and fifteen.

No doubt some of the oldies will be triggered and whine about 'age discrmination'. But given that most of the oldies around here are only a sheet, a pillowcase and a sewing machine away from being full Klansmen, I'd be more than happy to volunteer for Sandman duty.

Well-named :) I nearly cacked myself over your comical contribution:

"To stop the world from over population all people over 70 should be put to sleep without any pain. Unless they are very important to the younger population, like doctors and scientists, pilots, politicians, builders, policemen, soldiers and many other people who contribute many good things to the society......"

If you're lucky, Misanthrope, sooner or later you will reach that age. If I'm still alive, get in touch and I'll be happy to fulfil your suggestion.

Then you suggest,

"Old people over 70 don't do much but take a lot of extra money from the young people cause of their bad health which is not very fair is it."

Sorry, I'm still laughing. Yes, old people should be worked to death, preferably in hard-labour jobs that young people won't touch. Bastards. So if disease kills them off, stiff.

The baby boomer generation turns 70 this year. I was born in 1942. People much older went through the Depression, then the War, then rationing. When the good times came, they worked through the next few decades, raised their kids relatively early, bought their own homes and put something by for their old age, so as not to be burdens on their kids.

So kiss my hairy arse.

Joe

Loudmouth is a very rude person are you not. I say nothing rude to you but you say to me rude things. My age is 81 nearly 82 I still work hard but I need medicines a lot of medicines so I think my time is now come. And it is time to help young people have the medicines I have so to make them better otherwise we have nobody to make this beautiful country work better.

I was in Albania militia for many years more then 11 years(made by the government to be in militia) and all the cruelty and dead I saw made me very ill, and it was against God's law. You must think yourself to be very lucky Loudmouth to live here in Australia where you can talk and be rude to any person without the policeman coming to your house and take you far away from everybody you love and not be seen anymore. But you do not know because you are just a rude little man Loudmouth one day you will learn?

Hi Misanthrope,

Well, I'm from Bankstown :) Seriously, you sound as if you are fully entitled to many more years of life, and if it happens to ever be younger people who are paying taxes for your health care, so be it. The second part is a bit hypothetical, though, unless you mean back-packers.

As for Cherful's suggestion to rub out people with 'advanced Alzheimer's', i.e. when they presumably would have no say in it, wouldn't that be straight-out murder ? At least a Nazi-type solution, if not murder ?

I wonder if anybody has done research into the possible links between supporters of euthanasia and those of eugenics ......

Joe