"Today marks the second week of the Life Scholars Program, and thus far it has been a great experience. The professors and everyone within the cohort are extremely friendly and caring, it’s a great group to be a part of. I am a bit disappointed that the program will be held online, as I feel it would be a great experience in person. However, it’s just a sacrifice we will have to make to keep our community safe.
Throughout these past two weeks, I have already learned so much about our elderly population. It was eye opening to learn about the aging demographics, and how the United States older population compared to that of other countries, specifically those with one or two-child policies. Now, with the “Baby-Boomers” getting older, we soon will be faced with a population pyramid that is more like a rectangle, meaning we have fewer young people to care for the older population. Our professor did mention however, that immigrants are saving the U.S., because our newest generations are having less children, meaning we can’t support our older population as well. Thankfully, immigrants coming to the U.S. are adding to our younger generations and solving our problem of population aging. We are also facing a movement of urbanization, with more than half of the world’s population living in the city. Urbanization has led to many issues affecting our older population: a need for subsidized housing, a need for safety within cities, a need for public transportation, etc. Looking to the future, we will have to tackle these issues to make cities more safe, affordable, and plausible for the elderly.
Today in class, we had to do an exercise where we describe what we want our lives to look like when we’re 80 years old. It was a great exercise to self-reflect and plan for the future, and of course, think from the perspective of an 80 year old. Here’s mine:
“I am living someplace warm, surrounded by family and friends. I am living in a nation where I believe equality has been achieved for all races, orientations, religions, cultures, everyone is appreciated. I hope that the nation I live in does not wage wars over silly affairs, that my community is safe and at peace. However, our community is still striving for a better democracy for our people.
I hope to spend my days baking, painting, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. I hope to stay living in the moment and not get caught up in television, social media, and whatever technology will exist in that day and age. I hope that I will still be connected with nature, and spend my time outside perhaps gardening and walking.
I hope I will be blessed with the capability to be walking at the age of 80, I hope my family and I will be healthy. I hope my significant other will be healthy. Healthy in every way: emotionally, mentally, and physically.
In regards to my economic situation, I hope that I will have savings to be comfortable, meaning I will be able to take care of myself and my family if needed. I hope I have enough money at the least to have my basic needs met, I think then I will be happy with just that. If I did have more, I would like to have a few condos in other countries where I could spend time with my family, and give them experience with different cultures, ideas, religions, ways of life. I feel blessed to have experienced other cultures at a young age, it made me appreciate what I had and what others had. It humbled me and made me who I am today, wanting to learn more about other cultures and religions. To help strive for equality for all people. Now, if for some reason I have a lot of money, I want to donate a lot of my money towards global warming, peace, health care in third world countries, and lastly for the starving and the homeless.
Throughout these past two weeks, I have already learned so much about our elderly population. It was eye opening to learn about the aging demographics, and how the United States older population compared to that of other countries, specifically those with one or two-child policies. Now, with the “Baby-Boomers” getting older, we soon will be faced with a population pyramid that is more like a rectangle, meaning we have fewer young people to care for the older population. Our professor did mention however, that immigrants are saving the U.S., because our newest generations are having less children, meaning we can’t support our older population as well. Thankfully, immigrants coming to the U.S. are adding to our younger generations and solving our problem of population aging. We are also facing a movement of urbanization, with more than half of the world’s population living in the city. Urbanization has led to many issues affecting our older population: a need for subsidized housing, a need for safety within cities, a need for public transportation, etc. Looking to the future, we will have to tackle these issues to make cities more safe, affordable, and plausible for the elderly.
Today in class, we had to do an exercise where we describe what we want our lives to look like when we’re 80 years old. It was a great exercise to self-reflect and plan for the future, and of course, think from the perspective of an 80 year old. Here’s mine:
“I am living someplace warm, surrounded by family and friends. I am living in a nation where I believe equality has been achieved for all races, orientations, religions, cultures, everyone is appreciated. I hope that the nation I live in does not wage wars over silly affairs, that my community is safe and at peace. However, our community is still striving for a better democracy for our people.
I hope to spend my days baking, painting, volunteering, and spending time with family and friends. I hope to stay living in the moment and not get caught up in television, social media, and whatever technology will exist in that day and age. I hope that I will still be connected with nature, and spend my time outside perhaps gardening and walking.
I hope I will be blessed with the capability to be walking at the age of 80, I hope my family and I will be healthy. I hope my significant other will be healthy. Healthy in every way: emotionally, mentally, and physically.
In regards to my economic situation, I hope that I will have savings to be comfortable, meaning I will be able to take care of myself and my family if needed. I hope I have enough money at the least to have my basic needs met, I think then I will be happy with just that. If I did have more, I would like to have a few condos in other countries where I could spend time with my family, and give them experience with different cultures, ideas, religions, ways of life. I feel blessed to have experienced other cultures at a young age, it made me appreciate what I had and what others had. It humbled me and made me who I am today, wanting to learn more about other cultures and religions. To help strive for equality for all people. Now, if for some reason I have a lot of money, I want to donate a lot of my money towards global warming, peace, health care in third world countries, and lastly for the starving and the homeless.