A wise
proverb says, 'Being old is natural, but being adult is choice'. This
adage warns pragmaticly and straightly to the point, if someone is being old
without an adult mind that means his life has no meaning, or will become a
burden for his children and grandchildren. Therefore before old age
arrives, we must prepare ourselves. Although we act and think as an adult,
it’l be simply nonsense without financial independence. Financial
independence means maintaining the dignity and credibility of old ages, so the
person can keeps ( as Bung Karno’s phrase) self-sufficient, living on its own
ability.
Financial is a significant matter in all ages, especially in old ages. Not just basic needs, the needs from other sectors will soon appear in retire period -an unproductive period, such as health and social demands. When we are still in a prouctive ages, there is no health problem. All of needs will not be stopped in unproductive time. All the demands will still run, but it is not as big as before. That's why a lot of people have financial problems. And they increase more and more by day.
Financial is a significant matter in all ages, especially in old ages. Not just basic needs, the needs from other sectors will soon appear in retire period -an unproductive period, such as health and social demands. When we are still in a prouctive ages, there is no health problem. All of needs will not be stopped in unproductive time. All the demands will still run, but it is not as big as before. That's why a lot of people have financial problems. And they increase more and more by day.
The describtion is very clear. In all of the public area we can see less
of old people there. If they’re still exist, the condition are financially
weak, such as the sellers for the food or stuffs that don’t have a good market.
That’s not include the old beggars who hanging around everywhere.
At what age a person is called old enough? Those people who retire (generally age 55 years or above) are usually called old. However five years after retired, people financially still feel the remnants of the past working glorious. They still have money in the bank and investment that seems will never run out. Their lifestyle does not affect although the actual financial condition has changed. And most of the retirees are too late to be realized and to be anticipated.
Then when they reach 65 years old (when the properties run out) they will understand that their lives are only supported by a little money of pension. When they finnaly realize that they almost broke, their habit in the past are already difficult to change. And the unconvenient question is, how long will they live in this world, while they already have a very bad financial problem? How sad it is!
Even worse, many of them are still working (due to minimum amount of or no pension at all). Of course, physically and spiritually they are fatigue and no longer able to compete with younger workers. They still have to toil for survival.
At what age a person is called old enough? Those people who retire (generally age 55 years or above) are usually called old. However five years after retired, people financially still feel the remnants of the past working glorious. They still have money in the bank and investment that seems will never run out. Their lifestyle does not affect although the actual financial condition has changed. And most of the retirees are too late to be realized and to be anticipated.
Then when they reach 65 years old (when the properties run out) they will understand that their lives are only supported by a little money of pension. When they finnaly realize that they almost broke, their habit in the past are already difficult to change. And the unconvenient question is, how long will they live in this world, while they already have a very bad financial problem? How sad it is!
Even worse, many of them are still working (due to minimum amount of or no pension at all). Of course, physically and spiritually they are fatigue and no longer able to compete with younger workers. They still have to toil for survival.
The Pathetic Of Percentage
Five years of research did by the author has result that shows a fairly pathetic where the percentage of poverty in old age nearly 97% among the advanced age group of 60 to 70 years old in various places. Poverty in old age is people who do not or less able to meet their personal needs, and require relatives to crutch their life. Plus, they do not have any health and life insurance.
The biggest position respondent occupied by people who old and poor, 53%. While those who recorded already died in poverty condition are 45%. The amount of 97% is the result percentage of the old groups who still live or die in poverty. There are only 2.5% older class who comfortable living, because of working hard (in the productive age) and frugality. It is only 0.5% of old people who are rich, because they have a lot of capital and/or work hard.
An old man and his bike (photo by google)
The gaps between poverty and prosperity in older groups are very large. That means no matter how much charity or donation from old people who be wealth and live comfortably, will not be able to reduce the number of the old and poverty people. Why is that? Because poverty in old age is a relatively habit and (almost) certainly can not be repaired again. They should require a continuously help from their family until the rest of their life. It is different with the poverty by children and young people who can still be attempted.
The gaps between poverty and prosperity in older groups are very large. That means no matter how much charity or donation from old people who be wealth and live comfortably, will not be able to reduce the number of the old and poverty people. Why is that? Because poverty in old age is a relatively habit and (almost) certainly can not be repaired again. They should require a continuously help from their family until the rest of their life. It is different with the poverty by children and young people who can still be attempted.
Bright And Smart Solution
This is not an unconvenient condition that will be happened by almost all of us. This is a learning result. At the time when we are no longer productive later, our financial are relatively dependent on the revenue that we are getting now, regardless of luck we will get in the future. It would be nice if we are cautious in managing money and setting aside for savings or safe investment. With that way, we will, at least, get into the 2.5% old group.
In the end, by comparison with wise proverb from the first paragraph, there is another proverb says (sorry I do not say this is an unwisw proverb wise, because many people may trust it), 'We are born naked, then will die without anything'. In other words, this proverb asserts that how much money we are collecting, won’t ultimately be brought to the grave. Is there something wrong with it? No. Absolutely not. It all depends on each perceptions. May all of us are not 97% of the respondents later.
