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[BBC News] Island's ageing population crisis


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I summon the arch-demon 'Tatlock' to deliver most foul and venomous criticism of Government's demographic management...

Whilst you are waiting for the spectre to appear out of the mists, this is yet another example of 'it ain't rocket science' - ageing populations, the 'baby boomer effect' and their demands on the 21st century health and pensions systems is (very) old news...what would be really frightening is if this was the first time the DHSS, their Minister and the MHKs have discussed it. Like 20 years too late...demographic projections are one of the more certain of the statistical black arts.

 

I wonder if anyone has told them of the effect on tax raising????

 

As Eddie (Tearaway) says

there are difficult decisions that we cannot run away from

- is this a first for the MHKs? (I am being cynical Triskelion)

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"What we need now is a national debate on the future of health and social care in the Isle of Man."

 

I wonder if this will be creative enough to include discussion of euthanasia - or will it just be about raising taxes?

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this is yet another example of 'it ain't rocket science' - ageing populations, the 'baby boomer effect' and their demands on the 21st century health and pensions systems is (very) old news...what would be really frightening is if this was the first time the DHSS, their Minister and the MHKs have discussed it. Like 20 years too late...demographic projections are one of the more certain of the statistical black arts.

 

That, to me, shows the SOP for this bunch. Like you say, it's an issue that's been on the rise for a long time yet they lack the ability to look ahead and anticipate.

To my mind, it's typical. There's no long term anticipation, assessment and planning. It's always short term, knee jerk reaction.

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Like you say, it's an issue that's been on the rise for a long time yet they lack the ability to look ahead and anticipate.

 

Its worse than that though in reality. Yes demographics and the baby boomer effect play their part but lets not forget that in the 70s and 80s when the IOM was really skint and didn't have any other irons in the fire it set itself up as retirement capital of the world for British grannies. What we are now seeing is the full impact of that policy (a growing very elderly population) on top of the normal trend.

 

We get more elderly chosing to come here because of low tax and the full transferability of UK benefits and supplements, and of course our comparitively good health service etc. So what we are now seeing is the full impact of the fact that we've actively encouraged (or maybe not actively discouraged) an older segment of the UK population to move here for decades.

 

The perception is that the IOM Government will just keep on picking up the tab because at the end of the day no matter what criticism is levied at the DHSS I would bet the range of services and support for the elderly are better here than provided by a lot of local authorities in the UK.

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New Fitness program for the Elderly

 

The government is about to announce a new fitness program designed for the elderly and especially those aged 75 or over. Named "Daily Exercise And Training Hour", it is designed to increase fitness levels and in essence compresses the different elements of an Iron Man event into easy to follow 60 minute sessions. A spokesperson commented: "We are delighted to be able to offer this great program to our valued residents and hope it will help to reduce the workload and financial strain put on the DHSS by the elderly." The first session will be held in Port Erin on Sunday, when the program kicks off with a run to the Sound and a swim to the Calf of Mann, followed by tea and biscuits at chicken rock lighthouse. Please bring your own swimwear.

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The government is about to announce a new fitness program designed for the elderly and especially those aged 75 or over. Named "Daily Exercise And Training Hour", it is designed to increase fitness levels and in essence compresses the different elements

 

Exercise programme? All they'd need to do is stop paying pensions and benefits by Direct Debt. If they had to lug themselves down town on a Wednesday or whatever they'd get all the incentive to exercise they need. Maybe it should be a bit like big Brother - fail the task and its bread and rice for a week.

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They could always make the elderly fight it out for the public's entertainment in gladiator style combat. The survivors would get plenty of exercise, and would tend to be made up of only the fittest, whilst losses would ease the strain of an ageing population.

 

The ampitheatre could be located in Ramsey, thus satisfying those who complain that Douglas always gets the pick of capital investment projects and redevelopment, and we could call it the Cavendish Barks Commemorative Pit of Death, which should please some. It could be even used as a velodrome whenever the old dears aren't hacking at one another with rusty hooks. We could even use it as an excuse to build monorails/cycle paths/rail lines/blimp terminals linking Ramsey with all the major towns on the Island, which would sort out a few other gripes.

 

Come to think about it, there's hardly a single recent issue or problem that can't somehow be solved by forcing old people to fight to the death whilst we clap and mercilessly jeer for blood.

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Well, at first I was. Then I started noticing the benefits.

 

Mount solar panels on it and and we can help generate energy and offset our carbon footprint, and surely there's a way of turning old people into a bio fuel or feed for livestock.

 

We can also use it as a way of dealing with troublesome teens and petty criminals by organizing them into labour gangs employed in the construction and maintenance of the site. It'd certainly get our name known in the wider world, and there's got to be some angle the department of tourism can use.

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