Aging in America

' I hear you got your families  living in cages taut and cold, Some just sit there and dust away  past the age of old.' Jimi Hendrix. Up from the Skies.                                                                                      This is the last in a series of posts that I hope have upset you. They should. I am 67 years old, which means I am officially a senior citizen. I know folks who call that middle age but, as my Dad once said, not unless you expect to live to 130. I have no such expectation.
Physically, it's tough at times. I can be dog tired for no reason and, when arthritis kicks in, I can barely walk. My vision is poor and I don't hear too well. Some days, here and there, I feel pretty darn good. Mostly, I live in a middle zone. Not awful, but not good.  I certainly have lost energy. Mentally, I have days when I feel 100 and days when I feel 20, but even on good days, I cannot hold my concentration like I used to. But, it's all okay. It's just the way life is.
I try to stay connected to the World. That's one reason I write. And here comes the issue I want to touch on.
When I was young, and yes I know that phrase is annoying, old folks were part of our lives. We learned much from then and, for the most part, it was a delight to be around them. That does not seem to be the case anymore.
 I worked for a long time at a  S. Florida condo, a place where old folks went to live. In talking to them, I learned that most of them had little contact with their adult children and less with the grandkids. A card on the holidays, a call here and there, maybe a visit once every 2 or 3 years for a day or 2. The rest of their lives were spent watching TV and playing cards. They were bored and eventually grew listless. They existed. That's about all. A few lucky ones found little jobs. That gave them a reason to feel like they were still an active part of things.
Now, if you are on a fixed income, trust me, it is hard to get by Do not believe for a minute all those ads  and shows on TV where old folks are partying and golfing and going on exotic journeys. That is just BS. A few, do such things but for most of the elderly, surviving is an issue. Mix that with long periods of neglect and you have a deplorable situation.
There was a time when older folks could find little jobs. Now, those jobs are taken by younger people who will work 3 little jobs instead of getting some training to get a good job, They do this because they know that if they except low wages, they can get away with poor work. I see this every day. I would love to find a small job and I can proudly say that I was and would still be an excellent worker.
Even if jobs are unavailable, the elderly need to feel included. Just talk to us. I promise, we won't bite. Most of us are eager to stay in touch with the World and want to just talk and learn and exchange stories.
Money is an issue. If employers won't hire older folks, then others need to step forward, Not the Government, They botch almost everything they touch. Private groups, Churches and most importantly families and neighbors need to offer a helping hand.
We are not saints, nor are we necessarily fountains of wisdom. We are just human beings and once more I ask, Are you?