Re:The Global Fertility Crash
by triceratops on Thursday October 31, 2019 @06:43PM
(#21414537)
Why? Productivity continues to increase, regardless of population increasing. It's like saying we can do more with less everywhere, except when it comes to taking care of people and the elderly.
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Re:The Global Fertility Crash
by paulajohnson on Thursday October 31, 2019 @06:52PM
(#21414597)
Taking care of the elderly is a labour intensive business. Automation doesn't clean an old person's glasses (real life example), make their bed or cook their meals.
Re:The Global Fertility Crash
by triceratops on Thursday October 31, 2019 @06:58PM
(#21414638)
Automation doesn't need to do any of those things (even though it eventually could). It could simply make other industries so cheap and efficient that more labor flows into elder care.
The labor intensiveness is not binary.
Specifically, if there are socialized "assisted living" facilities, or even in-the-community caregiver visitation, then the amount of caregiving work-hours per day per elderly person is X. If the only possible arrangement is getting a live-in personal care-giver, then that figures is 2X or 3X (or some factor, I don't have the figures); and most people probably just don't get care.
increased demand will drive more automation in that sector
self driving cars may be limited but they will be a great solution for the elderly
Re:The Global Fertility Crash
by Paperweight on Thursday October 31, 2019 @09:25PM
(#21415504)
Ultrasonic cleaners, man!