{"id":1598347,"date":"2022-08-10T07:34:09","date_gmt":"2022-08-10T11:34:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1598347"},"modified":"2022-08-10T07:34:27","modified_gmt":"2022-08-10T11:34:27","slug":"study-the-worst-place-to-grow-old-in-the-united-states-is-high-tax-california","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/study-the-worst-place-to-grow-old-in-the-united-states-is-high-tax-california\/","title":{"rendered":"Study: The Worst Place To Grow Old In The United States Is High-Tax California"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fstudy-the-worst-place-to-grow-old-in-the-united-states-is-high-tax-california%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=1598347&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The United States is home to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/acl.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/Aging%20and%20Disability%20in%20America\/2020ProfileOlderAmericans.Final_.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">54 million people<\/a>\u00a0aged 65 and over. By 2040, that number will\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.urban.org\/policy-centers\/cross-center-initiatives\/program-retirement-policy\/projects\/data-warehouse\/what-future-holds\/us-population-aging#:~:text=The%20US%20Population%20Is%20Aging%20%7C%20Urban%20Institute&#038;text=The%20number%20of%20Americans%20ages,quadruple%20between%202000%20and%202040.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">hit 80 million<\/a>. Which begs the question: where in the United States is the best place to grow old? <\/p>\n<p>The results of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.audacy.com\/wwjnewsradio\/news\/national\/new-study-names-best-worst-places-to-grow-old-in-the-u-s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a new study<\/a>\u00a0designed to answer this question were recently published. The comprehensive study ranked all 50 states based on key criteria such as affordability, health care, senior living assistance, and housing, as well as transportation options available.<\/p>\n<p>Vermont took the top spot, closely followed by Minnesota, Maine, and Nebraska. At the other end of the scale sit the likes of Arizona, Mississippi, and Louisiana, three of the worst states to grow old in. Somewhat surprisingly, California, supposedly the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.visitcalifornia.com\/now\/california-named-most-fun-state\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">most fun state<\/a>\u00a0in the U.S., took last place. In truth, though, there\u2019s nothing fun about growing old in California.<\/p>\n<p>At cases of abuse, mistreatment, and exploitation, California is guilty of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sanfranciscoinjurylawyerblog.com\/california-one-worst-states-elder-protection\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">failing its elderly citizens<\/a>. Moreover, according to a\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.kiplinger.com\/slideshow\/retirement\/t006-s001-worst-states-for-retirement-2018\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent Kiplinger report<\/a>,\u00a0California is now one of the most expensive places to live in the United States. From gas prices to astronomical housing costs, the Golden State is in a horrid state. <\/p>\n<p>Because of this, at least 10 percent of senior citizens in California now live in poverty.\u00a0To compound matters, the state\u00a0fully taxes retirement income\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/losangeles\/news\/california-worst-place-retire-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">at high rates<\/a>\u00a0and sales taxes are particularly high.\u00a0In a state synonymous with wildfires, Californian regulators never tire of burning holes in people\u2019s pockets.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Further, as analysts at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.americashealthrankings.org\/explore\/senior\/measure\/poverty_sr\/state\/CA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">America\u2019s Health Rankings<\/a>\u00a0note,\u00a0a large number of \u201colder adults subsist on\u00a0limited incomes and modest savings,\u201d which\u00a0restricts \u201ctheir ability to afford basic medical care.\u201d The authors also note that \u201c63%\u00a0of adults ages 65 and older have at least two chronic conditions,\u00a0leading to\u00a0increased out-of-pocket expenses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In truth, the \u201cCalifornia problem\u201d is symptomatic of a much bigger problem. Across the country, elderly people are treated as second-class citizens. Worse still, aging is now viewed\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/technology\/2018\/may\/06\/no-death-and-an-enhanced-life-is-the-future-transhuman\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">as a disease<\/a>, something in desperate need of curing. The elderly of today are treated with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fpubh.2021.679711\/full#:~:text=Ageism%20in%20media%20and%20society,people%20perceive%20their%20own%20aging.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">far less respect<\/a>\u00a0than the elderly of yesteryears. In California, though, the elderly aren\u2019t just disrespected; they are at risk of being physically attacked.<\/p>\n<p>Besides being a state synonymous with high costs of living, California is also\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/calmatters.org\/explainers\/california-crime-numbers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">synonymous with violent crime,<\/a>\u00a0including aggravated assaults and homicides. Burglaries are also a real problem, with the elderly\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zLIsQgkG8SI\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">being singled<\/a>\u00a0out by ruthless criminals. Recently, in San Francisco, a 70-year-old woman\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/abc7news.com\/asian-woman-beaten-in-sf-attacked-by-four-people-elderly-kicked-head-san-francisco-senior-attacks\/12091867\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">was cruelly beaten<\/a>\u00a0and kicked in the head by four juveniles. From San Jose to San Francisco, senior citizens now live in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/abc30.com\/california-crime-ring-jewelry-theft-elderly-asians-targeted-in-thefts\/11555539\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a state of fear<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>California isn\u2019t just an inhospitable environment for the elderly; it\u2019s an inhospitable environment for everyone (except criminals, many of whom appear to get\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.hoover.org\/research\/why-shoplifting-now-de-facto-legal-california\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a free pass<\/a>).\u00a0A\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/topagency.com\/report\/best-worst-states-to-live\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent study by Top Agency<\/a>\u00a0ranked all 50 states on the following eight metrics: affordability, crime and safety, economy, education, health care, infrastructure, opportunity, and quality of life. California ranked near the bottom on more than half of them.<\/p>\n<p>It wasn\u2019t always this way, though. I reached out to Joel Kotkin,\u00a0a fellow in urban studies at Chapman University in Orange, California, for comment on the matter. A bestselling author who covers demographic, social, and economic trends, Kotkin is critical of California\u2019s \u201chigh housing prices and rents, congestion, crime and pattern of taxation.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>When did things start to turn sour? \u201cThe problems were in part inevitable,\u201d he told me. \u201cThe state grew very fast and this sparked a rebellion that fed the environmental lobby. As we began to deindustrialize in the 1980s, we saw a mass immigration from abroad from people who had limited skills. Our industrial and construction industries did not expand to accommodate, creating an enormous class divide.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Kotkin, the author of\u00a0\u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/joelkotkin.com\/the-new-class-conflict\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The New Class Conflict<\/a>,\u201d speaks a great deal of truth. Today, the gap between California\u2019s have and have-nots is huge. In fact, the divide\u00a0between the state\u2019s high- and low-income families is \u201camong the largest in the nation,\u201d according to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ppic.org\/publication\/income-inequality-in-california\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Public Policy Institute of California<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Again, though, the following must be stressed; senior citizens across the country are suffering, many in silence. According to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/nap.nationalacademies.org\/catalog\/25663\/social-isolation-and-loneliness-in-older-adults-opportunities-for-the\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a report<\/a>\u00a0published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, \u201cone-quarter of community-dwelling Americans aged 65 and older are considered to be socially isolated.\u201d Those over the age of 50 \u201care more likely to experience many of the risk factors that can cause or exacerbate social isolation or loneliness, such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>To compound matters, America\u2019s elderly\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/fact-tank\/2020\/03\/10\/older-people-are-more-likely-to-live-alone-in-the-u-s-than-elsewhere-in-the-world\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">are more likely<\/a>\u00a0to live alone than are those who live anywhere else in the world. Feelings of loneliness and social isolation are\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/bestcare.org\/news\/20200909\/stay-connected-social-isolation-risk-factor-suicide\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">major risk factors<\/a>\u00a0for suicide. <\/p>\n<p>A sobering report published by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/ncoa.org\/article\/suicide-and-older-adults-what-you-should-know\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">National Council on Aging<\/a>\u00a0paints a rather bleak picture for the United States:\u00a0older adults comprise just 12 percent of the population, yet make up about 18 percent of\u00a0overall\u00a0suicides. Moreover, among people who attempt to take their own lives,\u00a0\u201cone in four\u00a0seniors will succeed, compared to 1 in 200 youths.\u201d What can be done?<\/p>\n<p>It might sound obvious, but it starts with showing more respect for the elderly. The American people are getting older. Aging is a necessary part of living a full life; contrary to popular belief, it\u2019s not a disease. <\/p>\n<p>The next time you see an elderly man or woman, remind yourself that person may be someone\u2019s grandmother or grandfather, brother or sister, husband or wife. Have the decency to acknowledge this person, and to see the elderly for who they are \u2013 fellow human beings.<\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator\" \/>\n<p>\n  John Mac Ghlionn is a researcher and cultural commentator. Follow him on Twitter, @ghlionn<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-comments mt-30 mt-sm-60\">\n<div class=\"article-comments-container d-flex flex-column align-items-center py-30\">\n    <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"110\" height=\"106\" src=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/fdrlst-mark.svg\" class=\"img-fluid mb-20\" alt=\"The Federalist logo eagle mark\" \/>    <\/p>\n<p>Unlock commenting by joining the Federalist Community.<\/p>\n<p>    <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/plans\/pricing\/\" class=\"btn btn-on-white\">Subscribe<\/a>  <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The United States is home to\u00a054 million people\u00a0aged 65 and over. By 2040, that number will\u00a0hit 80 million. Which begs the question: where in the United States is the best<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1234,"featured_media":1897917,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1598347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_finder_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2022\/08\/10\/study-the-worst-place-to-grow-old-in-the-united-states-is-high-tax-california\/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=study-the-worst-place-to-grow-old-in-the-united-states-is-high-tax-california","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1598347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1234"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1598347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1598347\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1897917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1598347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1598347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1598347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}