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There are old people living alone in apartments with only the television to talk to -- that’s a miserable life.

7 Comments

Yukio Takano, mayor of Tokyo's Toshima Ward. The ward's elderly population has doubled and there are no more nursing homes to take them. (Bloomberg)

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So the mayor's solution is? I love how the pols here are great at pointing out the problems but coming up with solutions is just too far beyond them.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

There are a couple of kindergartens in the world outside of Japan wherein the other inmates are elderly. The kids get to play with an older person (grandfather-ish and grandmother-ish) and the older folk get to play with the faux grandchildren and stay young. Everyone seems to enjoy it.

Will it work in Japan? Let's ask Mayor Takano to 'research' it until the end of time.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Old age homes are very expensive. Perhaps many of these elders are greatful they are full.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Once again I ask do YOU want to grow old in Japan, what a mess, the population info has been available for decades & the govt has done next to nothing.

What a debacle & its going to get much much worse as the elderly population sky rockets!

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When I went through Certified Nursing Aide training, they told us only about 5% of the elderly population will ever need to be in a care facility. So what's wrong with living alone in an apartment?

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You know, a lot of things about life on planet Earth suck. But idiot politicians think that by pointing out these things, they're somehow "insightful" or something. If old people talking to their TV are bored and lonely enough, they'll find a way to fix it. I don't think it's the purpose of dogooder governments to force people out of their homes "just because" they can feel like they are helping people. Sure, stick a flyer in their door about any opportunities, but if they want to slip into senility while watching TV, what's the problem?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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