Don't blame the elderly for rising costs

Of late, we have been bombarded with news that costs, especially that of healthcare, will go up because of an ageing population (Spending on healthcare expected to rise sharply; Dec 7).

It seems that the elderly are being blamed for the state of affairs. Have they not been contributing to the reserves all these years?

Instead of being free from taxes in their retirement years, they are still contributing, via the goods and services tax.

The Government has said that we need to leave the reserves for future generations.

If the elderly did not spend the reserves on themselves, but kept them for the future, this means they have already contributed to their healthcare and other social costs.

Let us not give the young generation the impression that the elderly are eating into their contributions.

Each generation has done its part.

Ang Chiew Leng (Ms)

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on December 11, 2017, with the headline Don't blame the elderly for rising costs. Subscribe