Ignorance is bliss until it smacks you in the face....

Todays headlines in Detroit, "woman found floating in a pond behind luxury condominum complex". Ok, so bad things happen in good neighborhoods. The part of the story that disturbed me the most; several people report seeing "something" floating in the pond, but didn't bother to report it. Perhaps it wasn't in their realm of thinking that it could possibly be a body. Not it this neighborhood. Or perhaps they were to "busy" to really think about what it could possibly be. They were "ignorant" to the reality of what they were seeing.

Hmmm.. Remaining ignorant is bliss isn't it? Not knowing the truth, or even a bit of information about something can be heavenly. I liken it to my first taste of calamari and really liking it until I was told what calamari really is...

Another ignorance subject....the aging crisis we will be facing shortly in America. I am speaking to the soon to age baby boomers who will overtake our health care systems starting in the next 10 to 15 years. Perhaps it is because I work in the health care profession that I feel angst about the future of America's health care system. Perhaps it is because I see really poor public policy being implemented currently in my state. Perhaps it is because I watch American's place value on youth, and avoid aging at all costs. Perhaps it is because I see where we as a society are not saving money to be cared for when we are old and in need. Perhaps we are simply ignorant to the facts of aging and the cost, choices and decisions that have to be made to get care for ourselves when we are in need. What ever the reason; the ignorance of American's in totality; those who live here; those whom we elect, and those whom we allow in our borders; frightens the heck out of me.

The lack of focus on this crisis in the making should be the number one topic on everyone's agenda. Yet, we rarely hear anything about it.

So what are we waiting for? Apparently, like most public crises the government is going to wait unit it "smacks" them dead center between the eyes before they start to "deal" with it.

Maybe I am just really cynical about government and their inability to get the "organizational processes" moving. But the example I have been given as a taxpayer to observe, "Michigan" has not given me much hope for the future...

In fact, in our state; the current flavor for elder care is to create an environment where we push "aging in place" as the answer to our health care woes. Nice answer for the 50% of Michigan elders who actually have family support systems and financial ability to choose this. What about the other 50%? So we set them up to be cared for in their own "home" by themselves, dependent upon government appointed/selected care giving services. That sounds like a successful venture to me. Further, what an idealistic approach to care. How many families; especially Michigan families; can handle the emotional, physical and financial burden of caring for a frail elder 24/7? How many elders would chose this option to burden their already burdened children?

Ahh yes...the ignorance factor. We as taxpayers "ignorantly are buying this vision" and the government is ignorantly believing that they have the "solution".