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The Best and Worst States to Grow Old
Thomas C. Frohlich and Michael B. Sauter 32 mins ago (Posted here 10:35 A.M., 01 27 2017
49. West Virginia
Pct. of pop. age 65 and up: 18.2% (3rd highest)
65 and over poverty rate: 8.5% (21st highest)
65 and over bachelor attainment: 15.6% (the lowest)
Life expectancy at birth: 75.4 years (3rd lowest)
"A college education can be valuable for seniors both because it increases the likelihood of holding a job that pays well, and also because it can have a number of personal benefits. In West Virginia, however, just 15.6% of seniors have a college degree, the smallest share of any state, and more than 10 percentage points below the U.S. rate.
Chronic conditions and disease are a risk at any age, but the likelihood of developing a debilitating mental or physical disability increases dramatically with age. Across the country, just over 35% of people 65 and over have a mental or physical disability. In West Virginia, around 44% of seniors have a disability of some kind, the worst of any state. Also, West Virginia has the second highest mortality rate for people over 65 in the U.S., another indication of poor health of the elderly population in the state". (my emphasis).
The above is a sad, very sad commentary on the well being of the Elderly in this State and even in the City of Vienna. "44% of Seniors have a disability of some kind, the worst of any State", (my emphasis). Can this be true? If one talks to the talking heads it would in most likelihood be denied. The Truth in West Virginia and most especially here in Vienna usually is.
But one comment at the dog and pony show that was held at the Thursday night Council Meeting was so revealing and BEFORE I found the above article. That was by the Representative (Mark), from the Wood County Senior Center and goes like this " (We) are totally under serving our Senior Citizens".
Now, he may NOT have meant it the way the above article listed it, but if he is NOT aware of it is in the wrong job.
It sadly said so much about so many things here:
1. The deterioration of the family unit because of the never ending loss of family wage jobs.
2.The Social upheaval from being the worst or close to it in Drug problems and over dose deaths.
3. The lack of respect for those who did what has allowed so many to be what they are today.
Starting with my generation, the terrible lack of good parenting has destroyed so much of what was a very strong family unit here and Nationwide. The belief in God, Family, hard work have or are falling by the wayside. I have observed families that are five generations deep and can see where somewhere in the third and fourth level all that was once is no longer.
But, we have too also acknowledge the loss of so many manufacturing/ production jobs has caused families here and in the whole Country to lose the idea of being able to get out of High School and go into the plants where Dad worked and get a job like his. Good wages, Benefits, a secure retirement.
And of course, the unbelievable scourge of drugs that flow into and across our Country with seemingly no way to stop it. The allowing by the Feds for individual States to legitimize Pot and turn its head to avoid the Truth on where it can and does take us. Have you noticed the number of 40ish and older that are being arrested for Drug Distribution/ Manufacturing? Of course there are younger ones coming up, there always are in any endeavor legal or not. Who is going to care for them if they do live much longer than their early 60s? Not their families for damn sure; the Taxpayers?
The above and probably other issues have and are leading to the self destruction of this Country as a whole and this State as a minimum. Once again, thank Heaven (sadly), for Mississippi.
All of the above have led to the failure to recognize and care for the elderly and disabled. Oh sure, we have Laws, Protocols, Ordinances and you name it that say we, you, I must do something. But the tools to get it done are not in sync with the needs. We continually expand our "protected groups" while at the same time ignoring the ones already suffering. Money, what money?
Mr. Kelly is all in (he says), for all these drug rehabilitation facilities (600 beds). Okay, and what is the grand plan to help the Seniors and Disabled already here too? More on this next week. 'nuff said'.