Pensioners: Assets or burdens?
Perhaps this topic deserves a forum of its own!
Why? There are two very important reasons, which have not yet been fully realised by the authorities, or have been studiously ignored by them.The two are:
- The rising proportion of pensioners in the population
- The rising combined buying power of the pensioners as a group
This is particularly true in the Western world.
Why the authorities seem to have overlooked these facts could be that the rising life expectancy and the health and maintenance costs of pensioners.
The rising proportion of pensioners gives them a powerful political clout. This has been recognised in The Netherlands, where a political party has been launched to represent them in parliament. Because of the proportional representation system, which is standard in Europe other than in UK, members have actually been elected to the parliament from this party. DO they have a powerful voice in parliament? No, not yet. This has something to do with the general mistrust of political "parties", who, wherever they roam, seem to have this regular habit of letting down their electors.
The economic power is more neutral in that sense, but more visible and even really potent. I am talking here from my experiences in The Netherlands. There are now special trade fairs, exhibitions dedicated to cater for the "elder citizens". The current pensioner generation is the one who built Europe after the last war, and they were in a relatively better position to retire with decent pensions. They have paid off their mortgages, children seen to and with free health care, the pension is just pocket money to be spent. Imagine!
So, is the life of pensioners one of roaming the world throwing their money about? Should that be the target of policy makers?
The retirement age of 65 is considered young. Indeed, there are stories of pensioners starting a second crop of offspring in their "free" time!
What about the rest? When one considers the fact that pensioners leave the industry with so much investment in them through their "productive" life, isn't it an utter wastage to let them go and sink below the horizon?
One argument I have heard against reabsorbing them is that they cannot adjust to new technology. I have seen ample proof against this argument. As a volunteer IT educator, our "students" are always retired people, many touching their 80s.
Perhaps fulltime employment may not be an attractive proposition. A few days or hours a week might appear attractive. Keeping people busy at that age apparently minimises risks of illness too.
Thinks of the economic return: more taxes!
The hilarious irony is companies outsource their businesses to third world countries on economic grounds, while there is such a big pool of talent in their own countries waiting to be tapped. Think of the secondary economic advantages. Also the independence from shaky foreign dependencies!
Pensioners do contribute immensely to the society. I know this as a fact here in The Netherlands. Many many services are maintained by volunteers. To be a volunteer is socially highly respected.
Getting involved as a volunteer is highly rewarding. Organisations which receive services of volunteers show their appreciation in many ways. Parties are organised at least once a year, sometimes incorporating workshops, sometimes organising excursions, which may run a full day.
Perhaps it is the nature of the Dutch which makes these voluntary services so successful.
When I was in UK, I was a member of a voluntary group called "Age Link". We used to gather once a month and offer transport services to take elderly people on excursions. But, we were all working people.
Many pensioners do migrate carrying their economic muscle with them, specially to warmer countries. That is certainly a loss to their home countries, both in terms of potential skills loss and economic loss. Why would people want to do that? I wonder. Perhaps it is the health issue, or simply want to live a quiet life - a way of saying I have had enough!
In this day of Internet, where one lives is quite unimportant when it comes to keeping in touch with one's friends and relatives. One can still lead an active social life even when holed up in the middle of nowhere, provided one has the money to spend!
How would you like to spend your life as a pensioner?
This is my story as a pensioner… (To be added).