Excessive Healthcare Should Be Limited to the Elderly

            The population of every country involves the aging group. It is important to know the age of the population in order to grasp the needs of a country, moreover to know the things tat should be done. The bracket of the population which are consider as dependents are the young and the old. Population analysts would say that it is bad for a country if the population is too young or too old. This means, that the shape of the population is pyramidal or inverted pyramid. When it is pyramidal, it means that the population is young, on the other hand if its inverted pyramid, it is old.

            Indeed, the aging group or those who are considered as elderly do not add much to the labor force. But this does not mean that they do not have functions to perform. They may be old and not functional when it comes to economic sustenance; they still in one way or another had contributed a lot in the society during their time. It is the cycle of life, out come to this world as dependent and you will leave this world still dependent. Logically, that is the reason why it s called cycle in the first place. But this does not apply to all. There will always an exception for everything. Some people are forever dependents while other elders did not become dependent because they have enough money to support their living.

            There are many issues arising in the topic of the elderly. It is important to know the cultural differences in ever country because this would guide the people on how to deal with the aging group – the elderly. There are countries which respect their elderly too much to the point that they will move heaven and hell just to keep their loved ones alive. While there are countries which respect their elderly but not given much importance. Their attachment t the elderly is not that with the rational thinking that it is the will of God. Everyone would experience that period.

            In the United States, there are many issues regarding the elderly and the too much healthcare funding for them. There are three sides of the story – the people who supports too much healthcare funding, the people who do not support too much healthcare funding, and the people who are in between, they can not decide of what they think and they can not make up their mind of who or what will they support.

            The issues on the too much funding for the elderly have even reached the 2004 Presidential Election. According to Cathy Tokarski, healthcare issues have a small significance in the much awaited election but it has the possibility that it may affect the result of the votes in some states. The Harvard School of Public Health (NSPH) in collaboration with the Kaiser Family Foundation administered a survey. They found out that among the important issues for Presidential Elections, the healthcare issues bested in the fourth place wherein healthcare issues and Medicare of the elderly has garnered 24% of the total survey. (Tokarski, 2004)

            According to Robert J. Blendon, “Healthcare is a known problem; voters know the problem like a chronic illness.” He also said that if the economy is in its soft stage, there is accentuating of the health care issues. Lastly, he mentioned that above all, the elderly are those who are interested in the healthcare benefits that the government would give. (Tokarski, 2004)

            Aside from the healthcare funding of the elderly, the organs transplants made to them are also questioned. There are debates whether it is fiscally responsible or not. David White commented that he find it amazing how the people are very insistent on how they will survive regardless of its cost. He also said that every people have the ‘survival instinct’ that is why many people are resorting to organ transplants. (Heaf, 2005)

            It is undeniably true that having any transplant is expensive. In the studies, it show that most of those who undergo transplants are those who are considered young and those who have a bright future ahead of them. Some would really go against the thought of spending too much money for the elderly for them to undergo transplant. Yes it is given that we all have the survival instinct. But that does not mean that we would indulge to everything that is available. There are ethical concerns that should be considered. It is fiscally responsible? Majority said no. they argue that the elderly is in the point of time wherein they are near their end. It will be useless to perform transplants to them because for one, transplants would not guarantee that the person will leave. Aside from that, the elderly has already weak body system and there is the possibility that they will not stand the intensive surgeries. Although other groups like human rights activists would say that it is the right of everyone to get what they want and to obtain medical services. Elderly just like everybody else are still human; they have the privilege to survive. But other people would counter this by saying that it is not just about the rights. We are not denying their right to access medical facilities; we are just being practical by considering that the elderly should live a quality life.

               Quality life is what the elderly needs after they retire from the hassles of life. They have lived their life before and it is just right for them if they will spend the remaining days of their life without anything altered. Just like what had mentioned earlier, many people believe that transplants do not guarantee that a person would live. And it is not just the matter of how good the doctors who will perform the act. Other factors like the body situation of the patient and the chances of his or her living should be noted for.

            A quality life does not mean that a person have survived an illness or a disease. It is the over all situation of the person. What would an elderly do if he or she is confined in the four corners of his or her hospital room? With all the machines attached to him or her just to survive. Where is the quality of life there? The issue is not just about the money. It is about life. Being against to too much healthcare funding and organ transplant of the elderly do not mean that people do not give any value to the elderly. It is in the culture, it is the American people way of life. The youths and people who have economic functions are the ones who are given much attention and they really should be.

            In the studies that were conducted, it shows that many people are against the too much healthcare funding given to the elderly. They argue that the federal government should prioritize the healthcare of the youths and the people who are in the middle ages. They even mentioned that other non-governmental organizations and other private sectors are willing to help the elderly. Aside from the housing support the elderly is getting they can also be given with healthcare programs. It is not just the government who can do this. On the other hand, there are still people who are in favor of this. They argue that the elderly deserves the healthcare funding that they get to compensate the contributions that they have made in the society specifically in the economy.

            Different views regarding these two issues were given. But they all boil down into one thing; people just leave everything to their fate. If it is the time of the person to go, then let the person go. There are other things and other people that are left behind. An end does not always mean sorrow, it could also mean that there is something new that would come or arrive. Majority of the people in America share the same view of the excessive healthcare should be limited to the elderly and organ transplant is fiscally irresponsible. This is not just the view of the chosen few; it is the view of the people who participated in the studies that were conducted before.

            There is a Buddhist saying, “The cause of death is not disease, but birth.” (Heaf, 2005) The elderly then and again are part of the historical past and thy contributed a lot in the bright future. No one is denying that it is just that are times that practically should come in to the picture. Everyone wants to live but manipulating what is ought to happen is another thing. Everyone has a life span; we can not do anything with that. It is natural and hard as we try there are things that are better left untouched.

            Personally I think that excessive healthcare should be limited to the elderly because it is enough that their basic medical needs are supported. Like medicines, hospitalization, and other medical benefits. But giving them too much healthcare funding for prolonging their life is different story. It is not about depriving the elderly of the right to live, it is not about them. There is totally no problem with them, it s just that I do not think that it is justifiable to sped a lot of money on something or someone that would not be beneficial. I just think that is suicide because you are investing and yet you are not gaining.

            In all aspects of life, ‘too much’ is bad. There should always moderation. In the case of the elderly, they are classified as such. We should think of the operational meaning of it. For me, elderly are those who are in their late sixties approaching their seventies. I think that they have enough in this life; freewill should take its toll.

            I also feel that the issues confronting them should be based on the culture. We all have rights but we should always think of the common good. Another point is that there is no guarantee that the funding are really getting into the respective recipients. Corruption is a factor that should be considered. Because despite the controversies of too much funding for the elderly, there are some who claims that they did not get any from the government. Not all elderly are in bad state, there are those who just need support for their subsistence and not just health care support. After all, healthcare is not only support that the elderly should get. They should be funded with vacation trips so that their well-being is improved. I also believe that more than anything, elderly should be given a well-maintained life with basic necessities that would make them comfortable. With that they will achieve a quality life.

Reference:

Heaf, David. (2005). Organ Transplant. Retrieved April 07, 2007, 2007, from http://www.transintelligence.org/articles/organtransplants.htm

Tokarski, Cathy. (2004). Healthcare Ranks Fourth in Importance for Presidential Election.   Retrieved April 07, 2007, 2007, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/490295

Bibliography 

Heaf, David. (2005). Organ Transplant. Retrieved April 07, 2007, 2007, from http://www.transintelligence.org/articles/organtransplants.htm

Tokarski, Cathy. (2004). Healthcare Ranks Fourth in Importance for Presidential Election.   Retrieved April 07, 2007, 2007, from http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/490295

Wood, David G. (2005). Federal Housing Programs and Supportive Services. Retrieved April 07, 2007, 2007, from http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05795t.pdf