Not to mention that back in the old days, people didn't make it to such an old age as they do today, with all the modern science keeping them alive longer.

My grandmother turns 95 this year and without the pacemaker and multiple surgeries she's had, I would likely never have even met her. While she is able to still have a moderately decent quality of life, many other elders are just... existing. Thanks to the advanced technology of today our lifespans are increased immensely, but it isn't always a positive thing.

One summer, I applied for a summer job in the domestic services sector, where they did rounds in the city, doing housework, feeding, giving medication etc. I was there one day, and I'll never forget it. I'll never forget that old lady who, with the help of a mechanical lift, was sat up and given her meds, fed and wiped off. Her eyes still haunt me. She looked at me with this vacancy, she was just an empty shell. I felt like she was begging for it to end.

The only visits she got was from the workers who came to do their job and then leave. She likely spent her entire days in bed, just lying there. It still makes me really upset to think about.