Prolonging humanlife has increased the size of the human population.Many people alive todaywould have died of childhood diseases if they had been born 100 years

ago.Because morepeople live longer,there are more people around at any given time.In fact,it isa decrease in death rates, not an increase in birth rates,that has led to the

populationexplosion.

Prolonging humanlife has also increased the dependency load.In all societies,people who aredisabled or too young or too old to work are dependent on the rest of societyto

provide for them.Inhunting and gathering cultures,old people who could not keep up might be leftbehind to die.In times of famine,infants might be allowed to die because

they could notsurvive if their parents starved,whereas if the parents survived they couldhave another child.In most contemporary societies,people feel a moralobligation to

keep people alivewhether they can work or not. We have a great many people today who live pastthe age at which they want to work or are able to work;we also have rules

which require peopleto retire at a certain age.Unless these people were able to save money fortheir retirement,somebody else must support them. In the United States many

retired people liveon social security checks which are so little that they must live in nearpoverty. Older people have more illness than young or middle-aged people;unless

they have wealth orprivate or government insurance,they must often"go on welfare"if theyhave a serious illness.

When older peoplebecome senile or too weak and ill to care for themselves,they create graveproblems for their families.In the past and in some traditional cultures,they

would be cared forat home until they died.Today,with most members of a household working or inschool,there is often no one at home who can care for a sick or weak

person.To meet thisneed,a great many nursing homes and convalescent hospitals have been built.These are often profit-making organizations, although some are sponsored

by religious andother nonprofit groups.While a few of these institutions are good,most of themare simply "dumping grounds"for the dying in which" care"is given by poorly

paid,overworked,andunderskilled personnel.According to thepassage,which of the following statements about retired people in the United Statesis true?

A.Many of them havea very hard life.

B.They cannot live adecent life without enough bank savings.

C.They rely mainlyon their children for financial support.

D.Most of them livewith their children and therefore are well looked after.