THE DANCE CONTINUES.
Diane Lily
Today’s Contra Costa Tmes carries a front page article, as though it was headline news, entitled “Retirement Put Out to Pasture.”
The article highlights certain senior citizens who, apparently dissatisfied and restless in retirement, have come back out into the community to work or volunteer their time and expertise.. Most often the new jobs are of entry level lower prestige and responsibility jobs than their “real life” jobs had been. The reason given by some is that their retirement pensions, etc, simply don’t meet their lifestyle needs or their desire to be involved in the community.
The problem with this article is that it is a planned, propaganda piece highlighting the several years long work of the community planners. At the end of the article Grace Caliendo, CEO of the John Muir/Mt. Diablo Community Health Fund, is quoted:
“One local health advocate sees big potential in the aging work force. ‘There’s this constant fear that the retirement of boomers is going to break the bank of Social Security and Medicare. Welll, that’s just not going to be true if we just keep on working....[we’re]... not tired, a lot of us haven’t had to do factory work or farm work or that kind of thing. I think society’s going to need us.’”
Not mentioned in this article is the fact that it is Grace Caliendo (and the Y.H. Soda’s funding stream) that created and promoted the Contra Costa For Every Generation program that created the agenda for moving seniors back into jobs and volunteer programs. The six goals to creating a “pathways to an aging--friendly Community” each highlight some aspect of reactivating senior citizens to make them productive and contributing members of society
Now, don’t misunderstand me, I’m all in favor of productive work and community involvement and I applaud the people who are so generous with their time and talents.
What I don’t appreciate is the covert planning by tax and think tank supported and sponsored entities who make it seem as though this is all just ducky and spontaneous.
These entry level jobs that the senior citizens are taking should be going to young people (legal cirizens) in need of training and income on which to live. There are many, many volunteer positions very worthy of the talents of senior citizens that don’t take away from our young people. I think what it is, in reality, is the awareness on the part of the global planners that there are not enough citizens left in the world, baby boomers notwithstanding, to fill all the positions needs for a productive economy. Also, community agencies are too busy lining their pockets with tax dollars doling out questionable services to youth who need less of the Nanny state and more of a chance to get on with their lives.
posted by Diane Lily @ 1:33 PM
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