The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1950-09-07

throughout the country-millions
of the 111a million over 65 years
old--were undoubtedly saying this
to themselves if they heard of the
convention and its aim of creating
a better life for the aged.
Of those 111a over 65 years old.
81 millions are unemployed. OF
those liz, there are 32 million
who have no money incomes. More
than half of the 11H million have
incomes of less than $1,000. Almost
one-third have incomes of less
than $500.
'1t's not too late to seek a newer
world" A tough statement in the
face of facts. Those 808 experts on
problems of the aged had quite a
job at their conference. What they
had to produce was blueprint for
newer world for the eight per-
cent of the American population
that is aged. The conference took
place because the present world
facing the aged is not good enough.
For many Of them, it's a world of
poverty, unemployment, loneliness,
bitterness and humiliation. The
world Of today is the world of the
city, the apartment, the small fam
lily. The home circle is shrinking
and its protection and warmth is
waning. Fifty years ago, one in 25
people in this country was over 65.
Today it's one in 13. The farms and
the small communities have dwind-
led. Taking their place are the eff
ficiency apartments and small
urban homes. The character of the
family has changed with the step
ped-up tempo of mechanization.
And the old people have lost their
place at the hearth. In it's pursuit
of eternal youth, society has de-
veloped fear of growing old and
a resentment towards those who
have grown old. Old people are
squeezed out of community activ-
tiles, home activities, job activities.
Aging has come to mean dreary
liquidation.
For three days the delegates said
all this and reached conclusions.
The loudest cry was this: the ma
tion's attitude toward old age and
the aged must be changed. Our
idolatry Of youth must be altered.
The dread of old age must be
eased.
Change the attitude of the Am
erican people. Set up National
Council on Aging to serve as a
clearing house. for information
helpful in bettering conditions. Set
up an institute dealing with the
science of the aging. Abolish the
age standard as the criteria for
Provide all workers
with old age insurance benefits, not
doles or assistance programs.
Establish housing programs which
on the needs of the
aged.
Form an educational system de-
signed to help old people adjust,
develop new interests, new skills.
Change the attitude of the employ
er toward older workers. Integrate
the aged into community activities.
Fix it so they can realize their po-
tentialties and their creative
urges. Design religious programs
to fit their special needs. Get the
family back to the point it was
when its stood as the basic frame
of reference and the vital center for
young and old alike. Get thousands
of professional personnel into the
field to develop new pursuits for
the aged. Give the aged more in
surance-financial, emotional, So
cial, mental, and spiritual.
The conference was adjourned on
the note that all this was imper
ative. The delegates had one thing
firmly rooted in their minds. A
thing that was said over and over.
The large section Of the popula-
ton that is over SO years is neg
lected, wracked with distress, fear
insecurity, and laden with feel
ing that the last years of ones
life are certainly the most horrible.
And everyone agreed that such al
must be changed.