Changes and Upgrades to Roads and Public Places to Suit the Needs of the Older Population

We all will one day face the reality of growing older. There are many aspects of this change that will affect us in a large way. According to the Merck Manual of Health and Aging, 1.5% of Americans are 85 or older. This research states that the number of people 100 years or older could rise from 1 out of 5,578 in the year 2000, to 1 out of 472 in the year 2050. It brings out that women have a longer life expectancy than men, among people aged 65 and older in the year 2000, there were 70 men for every 100 women. For people aged 85 and older the figure was 41 men for every 100 women. The site goes on to say that approximately 11% of Americans aged 65 and older are below the poverty line. (The Merck Manual of Health and Aging:

The authors single most important idea of the passage is to persuade parents and the states to raise the legal driving age of sixteen. She uses statics and collective experience to show that raising the driving age will help lower death rates.

By 2020, approximately 20 percent of the U.S. population will be 65 years or older and employers have yet to come to grips with this fact. The aging population will affect the workforce through retirement and those continuing to work. Medicare and Social Security are very likely to undergo profound changes. Some who reach the age of 65 will not be able to retire due to the fact that they require outside income. Retired or not, the aging population will contribute heavily to the consumer market. Their demand for leisure-time pursuits and professional services will fuel local labor markets. This boom in the service sector may replace many low-skilled or unskilled jobs. The aging of the population will be far more dramatic that ethnic

Data from the Census Bureau tell us that in 2015, there are around 47.8 million Americans age 65 and older, up from about 25.5 million just 35 years ago; demographers predict that in another 35 years, there will be nearly 88 million Americans in this age group. The rate of growth of the “oldest old” population—those age 85 and older—is even more dramatic: Their numbers currently stand at approximately 6.3 million, but by 2050, that number will have almost tripled, to 18.7 million Americans. This population explosion is unprecedented in history, and the resulting demographic shift is causing profound social and economic changes.

Committee on Aging, United States Senate, 101st Cong. (1990). (Serial No. 101-J). Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Ancient Egypt had a strong and well-organized government for many reasons. Pharaohs are exemplary when it comes to representing a well-organized government. They are the top dogs of Egypt. These rulers had dynasties which ruled over Egypt, sort of like the Caracalla dynasty of Rome. There were over 30 dynasties in Egypt. An instance of a dynasty was king Ramesses the second. Additionally, there were rules to being a pharaoh and how these rulers are proclaimed. This shows well-organized government because it is preventing people from randomly declaring themselves pharaoh and keeps the citizen of Egypt in line. One rule, for example, is that a Pharaoh could have many wives, but only one could be the great wife. The great wife’s son would be the

The mental and physical capabilities of older drivers are an increasing issue that can affect how someone drives. States are making the format for getting a driver’s

Drivers over 70 should be off the roads! People over the age of 70 who cannot operate a vehicle responsibly should not be licensed to drive. The state should require everyone who turns 70 they to repeat their road driving exam for reinstatement of their license. In addition, every year after to weed out unsafe drivers, which dramatically reduces the amount of accidents caused by the elderly drivers. Three factors often contribute to these statistics: poor judgement in making left-hand turns; drifting within the traffic lane; and decreased ability to change behavior in response to an unexpected or rapidly changing situation. It is inevitable, we are all going to get old and will face the pressures of society

In America, people are changing their views on aging and the elderly. Some of the reasons that the attitudes are changing could be due to more elderly people are remaining in the work place longer, as opposed to retiring early. Riffkin (2014). And there is the fact that we baby boomers are living longer. Even though the U.S. only ranks 53rd with a life expectancy of 79. That’s an increase of one year since 2010. (“The World: Life Expectancy” 2016)

The dangers most elderly drivers create can be prevented. Older people may consider driving the "last connection to freedom and independence"

Imagine having a loved one get in a fatal car accident caused by another driver. Elderly drivers are an extreme priority in America today. Not only are elders challenged with psychological damage, but they also struggle with the physical effects people face as they grow older. A debated topic going on is whether or not elderly drivers should be required to reapply for their drivers licenses. However, it is evident elderly people should be required with their struggle of vision, hearing, and reaction time.

While my Granny’s passengers knew about her ineptitude for driving, other drivers were unaware of the danger passing them by. Individuals over 85, who drive, have a four times higher fatality rate than teenagers (Landphair). There are many news stories regarding elderly people who have caused numerous deaths by simply confusing the gas and brake pedals (Landphair). Some contribute these accidents to a decline in vision and cognitive functioning, two factors essential to safe driving. Studies have also shown that if older individuals are under pressure, they tend to make more driving errors than teens (Charles).

I would like to focus and investigate the lack of age appropriate transportation services for the elderly and people with disabilities. The issue of transportation becomes a major concern when the elderly and people who are disabled develop uncontrollable age related illnesses and are no longer healthy to drive. Losing the privilege to drive brings independence to an end and forces the elderly to stay at home which may lead to despair and other emotions. Therefore, it is essential to provide our senior citizens and people with disabilities with reliable transportation to help them maintain their independence. It is important to create reliable services to support them in making choices about how they want to live the last years of their

“An eighty-six year old man killed ten people and injured more than seventy when he drove his Buick into a crowded farmers market in California. In Florida, an eighty-four year old woman drove her car through a window of a Sears and into a cash register and employee” (Murphy). Sadly enough, instances like these are becoming more and more prevalent and require immediate action. It is imperative that a more comprehensive approach be taken when deciding the competence of elderly drivers. Laws must be put into action to mandate and administer testing and re-examining of the skills and eligibility of this group. Equally important, we must consider those who will no longer be able to drive, and ensure their transportation and occupational needs

A personality profile identified me as having an INFJ personality type. This personality type indicates preferences in four key areas; Introversion over Extraversion, Intuition over Sensing, Feeling over Thinking, and Judging over Perceiving. This personality type paints a picture of an individual who primarily lives focused internally utilizing intuition for data gathering with a secondary mode that is external with decisions based on feelings and a strong personal value system. (personalitypage.com, 2015) An in depth examination of the four personality traits and the personality temperament explain how I, as an INFJ, interact within the world, perceive the world, and impact the world with my decisions. Needs work