|
|
| Re: Hillary's Candid View of the Electorate (202348) | |||
 |
|||
| Home > OTChat | |||
|
[ Read Responses | Post a New Response | Return to the Index ] |
|
||
|
Re: Hillary's Candid View of the Electorate |
|
|
Posted by salaamallah@hotmail.com on Sun Mar 18 09:10:54 2007, in response to Re: Hillary's Candid View of the Electorate, posted by Train Dude on Sun Mar 18 01:06:00 2007. or many older Americans, retirement is a time of fulfillmentand relaxation. But as waves of baby boomers reach their senior years, some experts are concerned over an expected increase in suicide. "There are two ways to retire," said Ben Green, executive director of the Pasadena Senior Center, "one where you plan and have purpose, and the other where you just sit around with no goals. You can tell a person is old when they don't have plans for a trip or an event, and that's a person more susceptible to suicide." In 2003, about 31,500 Americans committed suicide, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Roughly 17 percent of that number, or 5,300, were seniors, which means nearly 15 older Americans kill themselves each day. And despite the fact that the rate of senior suicides had decreased in 2003, compared with overall numbers since the 1930s, public health experts and policy makers agree that the sheer number of aging people born between 1946 and 1965 will increase that number. "I can absolutely guarantee you the number of suicides will go up because the number of older people is going up," said Dr. John McIntosh, a professor of psychology at Indiana University. "Older adulthood continues to be the highest time period for suicide due to life stresses they face that young people don't face." Often associated with the death of a loved one, physical illness or uncontrollable pain, elderly suicide is also brought about by fear of a prolonged illness that damages family members emotionally and economically, social isolation, and major changes in social roles, such as retirement, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. With that in mind, the 80 million or so baby boomers soon to enter retirement age will be forced to compete for social services including Medical and Medicare, creating a financial burden not seen before. But even as baby boomers' sheer numbers create a risk in terms of competition for resources, united, they create a powerful voting block able to affect changes beneficial to their needs, McIntosh notes. Indeed, Congress is already taking note, with new legislation planned that would give seniors better access to mental health care and other resources that would lower risks of possible suicides. Sen. Gordon H. Smith, R-Ore., chairman of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has said he would pursue legislation to change payment schedules. "It is very important that we understand that depression is neither a weakness nor a normal part of aging," said Smith, whose son committed suicide three years ago, in a published report. For more information, visit www.healthyplace.com or call the Pasadena Senior Center at (626) 795-4331. |
|
|
|