There is a major concern for the elderly in this day and age. The nursing homes are over populated, and the staff is at an all time low. The elderly just don't have the care available today that they did years ago. This problem affects the health of the elderly as well. If conditions are not up to standard in these facilities, then the elderly person's health will suffer.

Another problem the elderly face today is medicare benefits. Medicare doesn't pay what it used to, and many people are forced to suffer with their health problems without always being able to seek treatment. This is a world elderly health problem. If we don't do something now to improve this situation, then things will continue to spiral out of control, leaving us in rough shape for the future. Social Security is already a concern for many people. They wonder if they will receive any benefits at all when they retire. With the cost of health care rising every year, the future looks bleak indeed.

There are some cultures who don't put their elderly parents in nursing homes, they take them into their own homes and care for them, as long as they are able to. They drive their parents to their doctor appointments and other places, thus avoiding the need for care vans or meals on wheels. If everyone did this, the world elderly health problem would not be nearly as catastrophic as it is today.

By time the baby boomers are well into retirement, there will be even more elderly people in the world, thus the problem of poor care will escalate. The prices that todays nursing homes require is nearly unaffordable. It would be cheaper for the elderly to spend a few years on a cruise ship than it would be to pay the astronomical price of an elderly facililty. This is a widely known humorous look at elderly care, but sadly, it is true. Nursing homes charge more per week than it costs to take an all-inclusive cruise. Some even joke that if you pass away while you're on the ship, they could just toss you over the side, and that's about as cheap a funeral as you can get.

It's sad to think about the future for the elderly. And if the health care costs continue to skyrocket, then the world elderly health problem won't go away anytime soon. It has become necessary for people in their midlife to start saving money for their retirement facility, rather than starting to save their money so they can go on vacation after they retire. It might be a better idea to do all your traveling while you are in good health, and worry about the nursing home after you have spent all your money.


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