Population Growth, Aging, Urbanization, Migration, New Immigration

Essay 3
SOC 264

Population growth, Aging, Urbanization, Migration, New Immigration

The United States aging society is one of our greatest challenges with an estimate if 1 in 5 citizens being over the age of 65 by 2030.   From 1946 through 1960, the United States experienced the Baby Boom years.   With that large population entering their senior years now, our society will experience major changes.   There are already problems caring for our aging population so if we don’t address all of these issues now, we will see a frightening spike on all fronts.

Financially, the elderly are already at poverty level Social Security benefits with women suffering the most due to SS laws having to do with whether she made more than her husband, the fact that most made much less due to taking time off of work to raise children.   Medicare does not cover all health care costs so without the proper health care, there will be more health problems all swinging back around to an already overburdened worker who will end up paying more taxes.   Even though everyone would feel the impact of the huge spike in an over 65 population, the elderly would suffer the most.   Heath declines, poverty, abuse at the hands of under paid (due to underfunding) caregivers that are already overworked.   When I worked in group homes, I was shocked that the highest pay I could find in any of the companies in this area was $10 for direct care.   This includes heavy physical labor for elderly that cannot care for themselves and abuse from the clients due to Alzheimer’s and other aging related issues.

Most caregivers are over worked because a lot of the care givers would call in sick when they reached a certain amount of hours so they could collect differing kinds of government help to keep their own families fed.   Like a balancing act of working hard work but stopping to collect the little the government will give them.   When a single mother of 2 has to give up $600 in Food Stamps if she works full time...