Summary

Ageing is a process. Ageing affects our ability to function. Society has obligations to its elderly persons. Elderly people need health care services and other types of services. We can take action to help our elderly persons.

Ageing Affects Wellbeing

An ageing body and an ageing mind can affect our wellbeing. We can take action to help people age safely and to limit the impact of ageing on wellbeing. Let’s discuss the opportunities we have to positively impact how ageing affects wellbeing.

What Is Ageing?

Ageing is a process involving physiological changes which affect cognitive, emotional, and physical functioning. The physiological changes also affect health. Changes in our health affect our wellbeing. Ageing affects our wellbeing.

Ageing in the USA

The population of the USA is ageing. By 2040, it is estimated that 80 million people in the USA will be over the age of 65 years. Proportion-wise the population over the age of 65 years will increase from about 1 in 8 persons in 2000 to 1 in 5 persons in 2040.

In addition, the fertility rate in the USA is declining, as it is in many countries. This will affect the services needed to serve the ageing population. And, this is one reason supporting immigration to the USA. Already, many caregivers and health care workers in the USA were not born in the USA: they serve our communities and they are now members of our community.

Social Responsibility for Ageing Population

I believe we have an obligation as a society to serve our elderly population. Our obligation includes ensuring that elderly persons have access to health care services.

Yes, I realize that our health care system is ‘broken’. I realize that access to health care is already difficult for elderly persons. I realize that the recent passed Budget, the OBBBA which I will call the Morally Bereft Bill, will make access to health care services even more difficult for elderly persons in the USA. Tackling the cruelty of the OBBBA will be part of your tasks in the ‘Call to Action’ section.

Let’s look at the numbers related to those actually disproportionately providing care to all of us. These are some of the people who are directly serving our elderly neighbours. These are the people who are implementing our social responsibility to our elderly neighbours.

Approximately one in six US hospital workers, in both clinical and non-clinical roles, are immigrants. One in five hospital workers in 9 states (Florida, New York, Texas, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Hawaii, and Nevada) are immigrants. More than 27% of physicians at US hospitals are immigrants. 29% of building cleaning and maintenance staff at US hospitals are immigrants.

And, households led by undocumented immigrants paid 89.8 billion dollars in 2023 in state, local, and federal taxes. These taxes will never be accessed by the contributing immigrants unless they acquire a legal immigration status in the USA. Undocumented immigrants not only work in our society in the USA. Undocumented immigrants also contribute to local, state, and federal programmes benefiting all of US, including elderly people in the USA.

Another Perspective: Ageing and Wellbeing

Here is some homework for you.

Read the AARP article about the international symposium held on May 9, 2025, and May 10, 2025, in Vatican City about global ageing. I ask you to focus on the culmination of the symposium enunciated in the Vatican City Declaration of the Pontifical Academy of Life—AARP—Muslim Council of Elders.

Then contrast the goals of the symposium declaration with the goals and anticipated outcomes of the morally bereft Budget bill of June 2025 from the current Congress and USA President.

Call to Action: Ageing Affects Wellbeing

Each of us has a responsibility to our neighbours, to our neighbourhood, to our community, to our states, to our nation, and to the world.

I am aware that some people do not share my belief that each of us is only responsible for one person, I recommend that you buy an island and move there to live all by yourself. Good luck. I wish you well. You are welcome to join the real world and come back to our communities whenever you please. We welcome anyone who is willing to invest is “US”.

Call your federally elected officials and demand they support federal agencies and federally funded programmes which assist our ageing population. The alphabet soup of agencies contributes to the standard of living of our ageing population: HUD, USDA, FDA, DEA, HHS, SSA, IRS, CDC, AHRQ, NIH, NIMH, ATF, Census Bureau, OCR (Office of Civil Rights), Administration for Community Living, and the list goes on. Demand that the current administration stops gutting our government because the ageing persons in our country, among others, are being placed at risk by the actions of this administration.

US Capital Switchboard 202.224.3121

Call your federally elected officials and demand that they support immigrants, including undocumented immigrants. Remind your elected officials how much immigrants contribute to our economy and to our society. Remind your elected officials that every last one of us is descended from an immigrant who arrived here illegally, unless a person is 100% First Nations or 100% descended from slaves.

US Capital Switchboard 202.224.3121

Call your state elected officials. Ask them what they are doing to help seniors in the state.

Call your local elected officials. Ask them what they are doing to help seniors in your community.

Reach out to elderly neighbours and ask if they need help with household chores or transportation.

Contact the local Department of Ageing/Area Agency on Ageing: the name may differ based on your state. Talk to them about the services they offer to seniors and spread the word in your community.

Be inclusive when you plan gatherings and events in the community. Consider the time of day of the event. Select a location which is accessible to persons reliant on public transportation; on assisted rides; and on accessible sidewalks and curbs. Include discounted rates for seniors to welcome people living on limited incomes.

Say something if you suspect a senior is the victim of physical, emotional, financial abuse or neglect. Contact the Department of Health if you are not familiar with the adult protective services hotline in your state.

Call 9-1-1 if you believe a senior is in immediate danger.

Remember, ageing is a process. Ageing is inevitable. We don’t have a youth serum and there is no fountain of youth, despite the myth of King Arthur and the pursuit of Juan Ponce de León in Florida. We are born. We age (if we are lucky); and we die. Period.

Let’s help each other age gracefully and with dignity. Such a simple request for the benefit of all of humanity.

Back with music for inspiration:

‘When I’m Sixty-Four’ (Remastered 2009): The Beatles

Boo Boo Davis performing ‘I’m Getting Old’

Be safe. Be kind. Be generous. Be brave.

Disclaimer: This post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your mental health professional team.

If you are thinking of hurting yourself or of hurting someone else, please CALL 9-1-1; CALL 9-8-8; or GO TO the nearest Emergency Room.

Selected References:

American Immigration Council. (2025). Tax Contributions: Do undocumented immigrants pay taxes? American Immigration Council : Economics of Immigration. Accessed online on August 16, 2025, at https://www.americanimmigrationcouncil.org/topic/tax-contributions/#:~:text=In%202023%2C%20households%20led%20by,%2455.8B%20in%20federal%20taxes.

Hulver, S., Levinson, Z., Pillai, D. (June 17, 2025). What Role Do Immigrants Play in the Hospital Workforce? KFF Racial Equity and Health Policy. Accessed online on August 16, 2025, at https://www.kff.org/racial-equity-and-health-policy/issue-brief/what-role-do-immigrants-play-in-the-hospital-workforce/

Urban Institute. (undated). The US Population is Aging. Urban Institute Project Data Warehouse. Accessed online on August 16, 2025, at https://www.urban.org/policy-centers/cross-center-initiatives/program-retirement-policy/projects/data-warehouse/what-future-holds/us-population-aging

Van Dyk, D. (May 8, 2025). AARP, Vatican Launch Pioneering Summit on Global Aging and Brain Health. AARP. Accessed online on August 14, 2025, at https://www.aarp.org/advocacy/vatican-brain-health-aging-summit-2025/

World Health Organization (WHO). (October 1, 2024). Ageing and Health. WHO Newsroom. Accessed online on August 16, 2025, at https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ageing-and-health