The younger generation and experts on issues of aging refer to the “challenges” which face us as we get older. It’s a nice word, better than “problem” and infers that there may be a solution.

Some of the recent challenges in my corner of the world include anticipated dental work costing in the range of $4,000 or $5000. Since Medicare doesn’t cover dental work, and I have not won the lottery, this challenge is on the top of my list – especially since it directly impacts my future health. So far, contacting the very few agencies which help in situations like this have proved futile. They have more applications than they can help, is what I’ve been told.

Another challenge, just discovered, is that my ancient car is not fixable. “You’ll have to get a new one” sure sounded easy as I stood around in the garage, waiting to pay for the new muffler I had to have. Of course, if I lived in a place that had public transportation, it wouldn’t matter.

These two challenges – and really important problems – aren’t going away anytime soon. Maintaining good health is not just getting more expensive, it’s getting impossible to obtain. And I imagine there are many more people just like me – working part time, not making enough to cover shelter costs plus insurance, nevertheless getting older every day.

Public transportation has been a need in my town for many years and has thus far been successfully ignored by those who make decisions about such things. It’s time to face the fact that the town’s older population is increasing every year and that we need rides just as much as school kids do.

These two issues – health care and public transportation – are not challenges, they are not some nebulous goal to be discussed and studied to death. They are problems that communities and so-called experts need to face up to.

Elected legislators, senators and the like all have health insurance coverage and it’s paid for by the taxes of folks just like you and I. Criminals and prisoners have health coverage. Why hasn’t Medicare been overhauled before this? If those who are administering this program and making the rules had to pay for their own insurance or go without care, Medicare would include the necessities of aging (dental, eye care, hearing, etc.) in short order.

Probably I won’t live long enough to see the city buses on the roads of my hometown once again, but the health care issue certainly cannot wait. Anyone who is concerned about how they’d all of a sudden have to “budget” for thousands of dollars on a Social Security income should be contacting those who make the rules. Changes – and new challenges – can happen to anyone, regardless of how well you have planned.