It seems that politicians are insensitive to needs of the elderly and have an alien disinclination to think about them and their social lives. I find this to be the case here in Shorewood.
Monetary considerations seem more important features of community governments and if seniors are considered at all, they are thought of merely as tax-paying residents.
Seniors have a general tendency to hold low expectations of themselves. And they tend to develop disinclinations toward future and future community living.
Because of often and re-occurring social and self-deprecating experiences in their later years, elderly tend to develop self-doubt and hesitancy toward thinking about future, resulting in a dehumanizing aspect of living, a social quiescence.
Future and thought of future are ingrained fundamental elements of human existence. It is apparent that social attitudes contribute to a condition of social disconnection and feelings of not belonging.
Local governments do not willing engage in these social matters and tend to distance themselves.
However, it is just as much the responsibility of communities to deal with the needs of the elders as they do with the educational needs of children in their communities, but perhaps not by the local government itself.
The educational needs of children seem better served when separated from the financial and physical maintenance aspects of government. We have therefore developed school boards and school districts.
A similar-type agency for dealing with people and the lives of those at the other end of the age scale needs to be invented, perhaps a type of board and district to oversee activities for senior citizens, a “community academy for seniors” with the taxing powers of school districts?
Shorewood would be a good place to begin this experiment. I wonder as to what the citizens of Shorewood would think about this? Perhaps members of both elected boards in Shorewood would like to give their opinions? What do those who represent us in Madison think of the idea?
