CARE OF THE AGED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27094, 31 May 1949, Page 6

CARE OF THE AGED

Sir,—While H. A. Glasson touches truly on some aspects of the above in his article, he is wrong and woefully wrong in others. He says that “ human nature being what it is, they retire now they have the chance at 60 years ’’: and goes on to enforce his idea of working on beyqnd that age, “as being better to wear out than rust out,’,’ “ as the latter is what the bulk of them are doing today, .and legislatively we are helping them." Mr Glasson also, suggests working longer to avoid mental illness, or as he so suggestively puts it, becoming “ funny —senile.” He also says this opinion is backed up ”by social workers, hospital staffs, specialists.” I am equally sure it is ' bfecause people have worked and struggled, handicapped bv fear of unemployment, poverty and illness, that many go “ funny and senile ’’ as he calls it. Is it any wonder they come to realise that the pension at 60 is a veritable godsend, even though pitifully insufficient? I well remember helping age benefit folk years ago when they were starving on 15s a week. Does Mr Glasson know just what it is to have a heart that is slowing uo and one just cannot do what one did even five years back? Thousands have gone what he terms “ funny ” because of lack of rest and leisure, but he sure beats the band for candour when he suggests killing them off with work, rather than letting them have a few years of rest. Certainly it would save people a lot of trouble,, and besides, look at the money we could save to spend. Your contributor knows not what it is to be worn out at 55 with five years more to go. I worked till late in life, and am not on the pension, but I know what it is to feel tired and done, and like the age pensioners I feel I want a few years’ leisure before I pass On. Also, strangely enough, I have heard pensioners express very favourable opinions of the pensioners’ homes at Burnjiam.—l am, etc.. Not On the Pension.