The Aging Population

Introduction There has been a general trend of increase in the life expectancy of the population of many countries. This has been brought about by the governments taking measures to improve the quality of healthcare. Diseases which used to kill people in large numbers are now much more reduced; thus, the reduced mortality may be a factor that contributes to the increase in the proportion of the aged group.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Aging Population specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More However, there has also been reduced fertility of the people who live in most developed countries. Though in most developing countries the fertility rate is still high, these countries are expected to experience reduced fertility rates gradually until they reach a point where most of the population will comprise of mainly the aged. Improvement in the healthcare systems of developing nations also leads to reduced mortality, the reby making the aged to comprise a sizeable population of the nations. However, increase in the aged population creates many economic and social conditions which government must be able to anticipate and devise mechanisms to help solve the issues. Challenges posed by an aging population The aging population poses many different challenges. Here we discuss the challenges posed by an aging population with four perspectives in mind. Impacts on labour Impacts on healthcare Impacts on government spending Impacts on labour The increase in the proportion of the people who are old leads to a decrease of the number of people who are within the working age. This greatly affects the labour market of the concerned countries. Generally, the working age is approximately 15-64 years; and as the ratio of the aged population increases, the number of people who are retiring increases. However, the number of people who join employment to fill the vacancy left by the retired people is less than the n umber of people who have left employment. This decline is due to the low fertility rates of the population (Groshen and Kliitgaard, 2002, p 2). This leads to a reduction of the workforce which is available to for economic development. Another important dimension to the problem is the fact that since most of the workforce is occupied by the aged leads to reduced output. This reduced output of the workers ultimately leads to reduced economic growth Impacts on government spending The aged population does not normally work for the government; they mainly depend on the social services provided by the government. These social services provided by the government are mainly the social security services and pension schemes as well as medical insurance cover targeting mainly the old population.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The pension given to the old is normally funded by the people w ho are in active employment; that is, the contribution that the working population makes to the scheme is used to pay the benefits of the retired people, a system known as the Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG). Therefore, reduction in the number of people who join employment leads to a reduction in the funds available to cater for pension fund payments. Given that the proportion of people who are leaving employment through retirement is expected to increase greatly especially when the population which was born during the baby boom (1946-1964) reaches the retirement age (Zaidi, 2008, p 7), the government would be forced to look for funds from alternative sources. Therefore, the increased ageing increases the number of people who depend on the government to cater for expenses. Medical insurance provided for the old is mainly categorized into two groups; Medicare and Medicaid. Medicare is specifically designed to help the provision of healthcare to people who are 65 years and above, and covers the cost of in-patient healthcare. Medicaid covers medical expenses of the poor regardless of whether they are aged or not. It mainly covers for long-term and severe ailments of them. However, the main burden of the government due to Medicaid is the fact that most of the citizens in the middle-class do not have a sizeable saving to protect them from any health eventuality when they are old. These people will use all their assets in case of any eventuality, making them to qualify for Medicaid and leading them to be admitted into nursing homes. However the increase in the cost of social insurance for the aged specifically medicare an medicaid has attracted so much political debate with the government being urged to curtail the increase so as to reduce the financial burden of the policies. Impact of an aging population on healthcare The aged people are usually faced with many ailments due to reduced ability of the body to fight against certain diseases. The diseases of old age are mainly d ue to the physiological and psychological changes which have occurred over time. These diseases include depression and certain types of cancer, among others; therefore, these people will occupy more bed space in hospitals. In addition, the aged population requires specialized care and hence more attention to be provided by the nurse or doctor. Increase in the population of this people will therefore demand the deployment of more doctors and nurses in the hospitals; however, some of the aged people can be taken care of in nursing homes for the elderly. But due to the shortage of nursing homes, these people end up being hospitalized; leading to overstretching of the available facilities (Willis, 2008, p 26) .This increases the government spending on healthcare issues if it does not take appropriate measures.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Aging Population specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Nevertheless, increas e in the government spending in order to meet financial obligation posed by the increased aged population will lead to increased government debt if the government does not take effective measures to avert the problem. Government measures In order to address the problem of reduced workforce due to an aging population, most governments enacted policies which encourage people to work longer. This measure will help in increasing the number of people who retire late and thereby help in reducing the government’s financial obligations towards the old (Groshen and Kliitgaard 2002 p 3). Moreover, increased dependency also makes the government to increase taxes so as to cater for its financial obligations towards the old. The government has set up measures to ensure that the aged continue to enjoy quality lifestyles even after retirement. These measures include setting up Medicaid, Medicare, Disability, Welfare and Supplemental Security Income. Due to the extra financial burden of meet ing the cost of social security of people, the government has proposed an increase in the age that the social security fund can be fully accessed. This reduces the term that a person will receive the benefits, thereby reducing the money that the government spends on social security (Aaron and Orszag, n.d). Most governments have devised methods to reduce the money paid to the old as social security. This may be in the form of changing the methods used to increase the social security of the old so as to protect them from the effects of inflation. Some governments have also increased the retirement age so that people work longer, hence reducing the dependency on the government’s social welfare services. The governments have also devised methods of improving the fertility rates so as to counter the challenge of reduced labour force posed by increase in old age population. The government does so in various ways; for instance, the government may give cash bonuses to encourage peopl e to have more children, as well as encouraging immigration. These immigrants should be young than the mean age of the current population, who will be able to enhance the existing workforce (Foot, 2008, p 3). Benefits of an aging population Despite the fact that the aging population poses real economic problems to the government, the impacts of an aging population are somehow exaggerated. The aging population may indeed be of benefit to the government if government is able to cope properly with the problems and put appropriate measures.Advertising Looking for essay on social sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The older generation who are richer than the rest of the community can get involved in community voluntary activities hence helping in improving the quality of life of the society. In addition, older generation people are also more law abiding than the young people; therefore, the increase in the population will lead to reduced crime as the older generation does not get involved in crime per se (Quadagno, 2010) Due to the fact that an older generation leads to general reduction in population, the presence of a large proportion helps to combat high population growth and hence reduce the effects of uncontrolled population growth. There will be a reduction in the problems of poor housing due to overcrowding as the aged population will be able to afford decent housing. This will have reduced impact of the problems that overcrowding causes on the environment. Moreover the aged population is also likely to get involved in voluntary activities some of which may be of benefit to the environ ment (Quadagno, 2010) Lack of enough manpower in the labour market is also likely to lead to a reduction in the levels of unemployment and hence reduces the problems associated with unemployment. These include the reduction of poverty levels and crime associated with unemployed population. The increase in the aged population may also lead to reduced government spending on education, a major expense of that the government always foots (Quadagno, 2010). Conclusion The economic recession made governments to think of ways to cut back on their spending pattern. Therefore, since increase in ageing population increases the financial burden of the government, the government must devise appropriate mechanisms to deal with the problem. Moreover, if the government properly understands the problems, it can be able to turn around the phenomenon so that it may be of more benefit to the whole nation. This is mainly through the enactment of proper legislation to help cope with the risks posed by th e problems. Moreover, the most effective way of combating the problem would be through the gradual increase in the retirement age of the workforce to cope with the problem. References Aaron, H. J. and Orszag, P. R. (N.d). The impact of an aging population. Web. Foot, D. K. (2008). Some economic and social consequences of population ageing. Web. Groshen, L. E. and Kliitgaard, T. (2002). Live long and prosper: challenges ahead for an aging population. Current issues in economics and finance, Vol. 8, No. 2. Web. Quadagno, J. (2011). Aging and the life course: An introduction to social gerontology. Boston: MA: McGraw-Hill. Willis, E. and Reynolds, L. (2008). Understanding the Australian Health Care System. NSW: Elsevier. Zaidi, A. (2008). Features and challenges of population ageing: the European perspective. Web. This essay on The Aging Population was written and submitted by user Giancarlo Z. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

The Biggest Interview Mistake You Might Not Realize Youre Making

The Biggest Interview Mistake You Might Not Realize Youre Making There are so many ways to make a mistake in a job interview. Everyone, even the most confident person,  ends up walking into them feeling fraught with tension. It’s hard not to think that any misstep might cost you an opportunity! But sometimes, perhaps, we’re so focused on keeping so many little things together that we fail to see the one big thing staring us straight in the face. We spend so much time trying not to overstep, offend, say the wrong thing, do the wrong thing, that we might be making ourselves†¦ forgettable.You might get lucky and, in spite of trying so hard to be appropriate and error-free, really impress your interviewer. But it is also possible that your careful demeanor and control will backfire and the interviewer won’t remember anything about your interview. Congrats! You were neither great nor terrible. But that cost you the job.Stop focusing so much on being â€Å"correct† and try to project how right you are for the company a nd the job. Even if you give an unexpected answer and your heart starts sinking as your interviewer notes your answer with a frown†¦ don’t despair! That answer might break through the tedium and stay with her while she makes her decisions. That one unexpected answer might just set you apart from the rest of the field.The most important piece of advice is to be yourself. Don’t obscure your personality. Apart from anything, this is a good way to make sure you never end up at a company whose culture is not compatible with your style. But it’s also a great indicator of the kind of employee you would be.If you’re the right fit, that will shine through. And you won’t number among the forgettable†¦ and forgotten applicants.

Latin Names and Terms for Family Members

Latin Names and Terms for Family Members English kinship terms, although not completely transparent even to those who grew up using them, lack the complexity found in many other language systems. English speakers might struggle to determine whether someone is a cousin once removed or a second cousin, but we dont have to think twice about what the title is for a parents sister. It doesnt matter if the parent is the father or the mother: the name is the same: aunt.  In Latin, we would have to know whether the aunt is on the fathers side, an amita, or on the mothers, a matertera. This is not restricted to kinship terms. In terms of the sounds a language makes, there is a compromise made between ease of articulation and ease of understanding. In the realm of vocabulary, the ease might be the ease of memorizing a small number of specialized terms vs the need of others to know to whom youre referring. Sibling is more general than sister or brother. In English, we have both, but only those. In other languages, there might be a term for an older sister or younger brother and maybe none for a sibling, which could be considered too general to be useful.   For those who grew up speaking, for instance, Farsi or Hindi, this list may seem as it should be, but for us English speakers, it may take some time. soror, sororis, f. sisterfrater, fratris, m. brothermater, matris, f. motherpater, patris, m. fatheravia, -ae, f. grandmotheravus, -i, m. grandfatherproavia, -ae, f. great-grandmotherproavus, -i, m. great-grandfatherabavia, f. great-great-grandmotherabavus, m. great-great-grandfatheratavia, f. great-great-great-grandmotheratavus, m. great-great-great-grandfathernoverca, -ae. f. stepmothervitricus, -, m. stepfatherpatruus, -i, m. paternal unclepatruus magnus, m. paternal great-unclepropatruus, m. paternal great-great uncleavunculus, -i, m. maternal uncleavunculus magnus, m. maternal great-uncleproavunculus, m. maternal great-great uncleamita, -ae, f. paternal auntamita magna, f. paternal great auntproamita, f. paternal great-great auntmatertera, -ae, f. maternal auntmatertera magna, f. maternal great-auntpromatertera, f. maternal great-great-auntpatruelis, -is, m./f. paternal cousinsobrinus, -i, m. maternal boy cousinsobrina, -ae, f. maternal girl cousinvitrici filius/filia, m./f. pat ernal step-sibling ï » ¿novercae filius/filia, m./f. maternal step-siblingfilius, -i, m. sonfilia, -ae. f. daughterprivignus, -i, m. stepsonprivigna, -ae, f. stepdaughternepos, nepotis, m. grandsonneptis, neptis, f. grand-daughterabnepos/abneptis, m./f. great-grandson/great-granddaughteradnepos/adneptis, m./f. great-great-grandso/great-great-granddaughter Source Sandys, John Edwin, 1910. A Companion to Latin Studies. Cambridge University Press: London.

Tissue Engineering (bone) Lab Report Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Tissue Engineering (bone) - Lab Report Example The principle behind tissue engineering is to replace, regenerate, or repair damaged tissue. The common approach falls under the heading â€Å"Tissue Engineering Triad†: insertion of specific cells, the provision of signals that induce the growth of tissue, and the placement of specific cells on or inside certain scaffolds [1]. The regeneration of tissue requires the use of specific cell types for a specific tissue engineering approach. Local environmental factors also have an effect on the success of any tissue engineering approach [2]. Research states that body cells combined with scaffold biomaterials function as templates for regeneration of tissues to direct new tissue growth [3]. Hence, there is the need to understand how they interact at the cellular level. The biomaterials used may be natural or artificial. With the use of artificial materials, it is noted that their engineering is a challenge because materials that totally match the biological and mechanical bone matrix setting are yet to be produced [4]. Thus, natural materials that are intrinsic to the bone have been produced through the use of hydroxyapatite [5]. Their use has been facilitated by nanotechnology. It has been found that nano-hydroxyapatite develop a greater amount of cells, which is important for cell regeneration [6]. There are disparities when it comes to selecting the material that will imitate natural ones in the use of biomaterials [7]. Collagen is one of the main structural proteins found in the extracellular matrix. On the other hand, gelatine is a product of denaturation of collagen through the application of heat and has been widely used as a scaffold material [8]. Research studies indicate that collagen exists in many forms, but gelatine can be produced specifically through the type of collagen used to produce it [9]. On the other hand, collagen has been found to resist various proteases [10]. Thus, particular enzymes for its hydrolysis are needed [11]. Gelatine

Homeland Security Act of 2002 Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Homeland Security Act of 2002 - Term Paper Example After discussing the security provisions, the impact of these provisions on airline revenue, profitability and reputation are also discussed. In the end the paper discusses the impact of the provision to cap airline liability in the case of a terrorist attack. It also explains the insurance provided by FAA in the face of high premium charges of private insurers after September 11 attacks Homeland Security Act of 2002 Introduction The Homeland Security Act of 2002 was passed by the US congress in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks in order to prevent further terrorist attacks on US soil. This act has created the Department of Homeland Security which has been given wide ranging powers in order to prevent terrorist strikes on US soil. The formation of this department has been termed as the largest re-organization of the federal government since the creation of Department of Defense. In the 9/11 attacks, airline security was found wanting. It was due to lax security at the airport s that terrorists were able hijack planes and ram them into the twin towers. Because of this, airline security is an integral part of the Homeland security act. After 9/11, the Aviation and Transport Security Act (ATSA) was enacted which established the Transport Security administration. Initially, the TSA worked under the Department of Transportation but with the passage of Homeland Security Act, TSA was moved to the Department of Homeland Security from 2003 (Blalock & Kadiyali, 2007). Changes in security due to Homeland Security Act TSA introduced various changes in security measures under the Homeland security act 2002. Some of the major changes introduced have been listed below. No Fly List and Identification Requirement All adult passengers are now required to show a proof if identification before they are allowed to board a plane. Apart from this, TSA also compares the passengers against a No-fly list. Those whose names appear on the no-fly list are not allowed to board. This includes the names of around 21000 people. In addition to this TSA also has a list of Selectees, passengers who are to be screened thoroughly before being allowed to board a flight (Mueller, 2004). Passenger Screening Screening of passengers before boarding flight was initially done by private security screeners. In order to improve efficiency, TSA took over the screening of passenger’s at all commercial airports from November 2002. They increased the compensation of screeners in order to reduce turnover and also increased the amount of training provided to the screeners in order to make them more efficient. Baggage Screening Prior to 9/11 attacks, only 5% of the checked in baggage was screened. TSA mandated compulsory screening of all check in baggage from 2002. They were also asked to positively match the bag checked to a passenger on board the flight. Airlines were free to adopt any of the four methods in order to screen the baggage – Explosion Detection system, Exp losion trace detection machines, bomb-sniffing dogs or manual search of the bags.

Wemmick - Character Analysis Essay Example for Free

Wemmick Character Analysis Essay In an abstract manner Doyle uses Watson to represent the reader in terms of resemblance of attributes; for instance both the reader and Watson are both ignorant of many important intricacies of the case so that they both rely on Holmes to decipher the details for them. Also it could be suggested that both Watson and the audience are trying to escape a much more tedious life and indulge in the exhilarating escapades of Sherlock Holmes. Furthermore the questions that Holmes asks Watson also probe the reader to answer the question for themselves; this is major attraction to this genre, the sense that they are solving a crime. This teamed with the fact that a Victorian audience would be able to relate even more specifically, on different levels, with Watson due to the relevance of him being a Victorian gentleman of which the readers would have been familiar with. Watson is particularly descriptive which gives the reader a real sense of the location and atmosphere. The vocabulary is also characteristic of Watson with the many words being adjectives repeated from story to story. An illustration of this point is the word ejaculated to describe the abrupt vocalizations of someone; this all gives a sense of familiarity with the stories and also a rapport with Watsons character. This sense of security that familiarity brought was badly needed by a Victorian audience who were unsure of their safety due to the lacklustre crime prevention of the police force. Unlike the Victorian police Sherlock Holmes always captured the criminal which was exceptionally reassuring at the time. Holmes and Watson are two very different characters with one common goal, to apprehend the guilty party in whatever mystery they are both entangled in. This contrast in character serves again to glorify Holmes as a gifted detective, this works in the way that Watson is a rather passive character or Holmes foil if you will, which leads most of the proceedings to be conducted by Holmes which shows in a positively intellectual light. The contrast in the logical awareness of Watson and Holmes leaves Holmes appearing almost omniscient compared to the usually clueless Watson. This technique is also used with the numerous police inspectors Holmes employs to do his bidding, each time they look the fool whilst Holmes seizes the acclaim. This is technique used by Doyle to idolise Holmes to the reader. The language used throughout the Sherlock Holmes stories is intensely descriptive as to quench the readers thirst for all the aspects that could have effected the mystery incurring. In historical context this ultra-descriptive style of writing was a more necessary feature in a pre-television era, however in the twenty-first century a readers desire for a detailed picture of other human life is fulfilled by other more advanced forms of media. This is perhaps why, in my experience, readers of the present time period are not exhilarated by the, at the time innovative, detailed style of writing. Watson is very much used as tool by Doyle, in all the ways suggested throughout this essay but also in a different, more political manner. In the Holmes stories Watson conveys the generalised views of an upper class society at the time. The ideals concerned included a negative look upon drugs and an opinion that they are used, or abused, by the subordinate social groups. Watsons, or Doyles, views are shared in this quote You should be ashamed of yourself! This is Watson taking a stern view upon one of his own noble friends indulging in a couple days in an opium den. Watson is also especially respectable of all women throughout the stories, chivalry being an exceptionally valued commodity in Victorian times. Watson, or better still Doyle, is a voice of the Victorian era, which is why the stories were so popular at the time. Further still Watson gives a social commentary of Victorian London which, as you can imagine, would be most interesting to not only Victorian Londoners but also Victorians that lived in other areas but were curious of the cosmopolitan lifestyle of London. Watson teamed with Holmes gives them this along with a descriptive and arguably a thrilling story. In conclusion my belief is that, yes, Watson is a better suited narrator for a Victorian audience rather than a modern audience, this being because of the chronologically social relevance that would supply greater interest for a Victorian reader. However disagreement is found with the statement that Watson is an inadequate narrator for twenty-first century reader as the stories still raise a lot of interesting issues and remain a thrilling read due to the exciting adventures Holmes embarks upon. An objection modern readers have is that the stories are formulaic and therefore tiresome however for the Victorian audience this was an essential feature to bring a sense of security into their generally uncertain lives. There is no doubt that the Sherlock Holmes stories are written for a Victorian audience however this does not exclude modern readers from finding the same overall enjoyment from the stories. The fact is that certain features may not be relevant to a modern readers interests or experiences in a modern life. A plus point is that because of the impression made, upon the stories, by Victorian life that Sherlock Holmes is a useful research tool for that time period. Additionally it is not a question of Watson being unsuitable for a modern audience but instead it is an issue of the crime stories themselves being relevant and therefore enjoyable for a modern audience. Show preview only The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Arthur Conan Doyle section.

The Yellow Wallpaper -- essays research papers

The Yellow Wallpaper   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the short story 'The Yellow Wallpaper'; by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, the narrator and her husband move to a colonial mansion for three months in order to help the narrator get better. She moves upstairs in this horrid room with yellow wallpaper. Throughout the story she studies the wallpaper because she isn't allowed out of the room that much because her husband, John, a physician, says that it is best that she stays inside. As she learns more about the wallpaper she realizes that she sees a woman inside it and she spends a lot of time plotting how to free the woman. She locks her room and tears off most of the wallpaper and frees the woman. At the end John comes into the room, sees what she has done and faints. Everyone deals with their personal obstacles differently and 'The Yellow Wallpaper'; is a perfect example because there are many different obstacles throughout the story. The narrator and John both handle them differently and a result of which, is an essential change by both of them.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  First of all, John handles everything to an extent but he doesn't solve the problem at hand. He tends to run away from it. For example, when the narrator asks, 'why the house had stood so long untenanted,'; he just laughs at her and doesn't even investigate about it, which proves that he just let it go and does nothing about it. And that is what he does throughout the whole story. Also he 'scoffs openly at any talk.'; This means that he doesn't talk about his problems and he would prefer to keep things bottled up then to express how he is really feeling. He is also always 'going into town for more serious cases.'; This is another way in which John deals with his problems, he runs away from them. He also avoids the actual subject by calling his wife a cute name like, 'bless her little heart,'; and, 'my blessed little goose.'; These quotes just make it so he doesn't have to answer the question and then he has relinquished himself from the situation. Another thing th at he does to handle obstacles is he lies. When the narrator says that she doesn't feel any better, and this happens often, then he just says, 'you are getting better, you are eating more and you have more color today.'; So john handles his obstacles in an inefficient and ineffective matter.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  The... ...hing normally, but she is restricted to a limited amount of socialization. This gives her time to analyze her obstacle and overcome it quicker than John does.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Both the narrator and John undergo an essential change. The narrator begins the story as a woman who is somewhat mentally distraught. Throughout the story you can see her become different through her thoughts and actions. By the end of the story she has become clinically insane and is in desperate need for help. John on the other hand does not come to the realization that at the beginning of the story, the narrator has some issues that have to be dealt with and he just ignores them for the most part. Finally at the end of the story he comes to the realization that in fact, his wife is nuts.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In conclusion, everyone experiences obstacles in their life, and all have a different approach in which they attack the obstacle. Some are more effective than others are. The narrator was much more effective than John was because she had time to analyze the problem and then do something about it. Where as John would pretty much just leave it be and hope it eventually went away.