On the one hand we have a care home which has decided not to resuscitate the over-70s if they become seriously ill unless they specifically ask to be treated. On the other hand we have social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner‘s suggestion, made just before the summer break, that 70 could be the new retirement age. Work until you drop.

Not to forget that earlier in the year, the government decided it was quite okay to stop automatic breast cancer check-ups for women aged over 75 because it was a waste of money. The 70s are obviously in; or maybe we should say ‘out’.
There are, of course, several advantages to this approach. If all care homes adopt the same age limit, there will be a sharp fall in their running costs which will be a big plus to the already overstretched health service budget.
There are numerous other treasury benefits as well. The ageing of the population will no longer be a problem.
And, of course, corporate pension funds will have to pay out less, which will help offset the declining returns on their share investments.
Just before the summer the national statistics office CBS said that the Dutch used to have more centenarians than most other EU countries but now it has dropped sharply down the rankings. Sidelines wonders if there might just be a connection.