Attention is called to the great importance in a total rehabilitation program of promoting the maintenance of reading ability among the elderly. This is a powerful tool for opening channels of communication across space and time. It counteracts the tendency of the elderly toward isolation, withdrawal and mental deterioration. The primary goal is the achievement of life-long learning, a value that cannot be measured in dollars and cents.Manpower at present is quite inadequate for taking care of the total needs of our growing population, one-tenth of which (the aged) consumes half of our available medical resources. This is particularly true in the field of eye care. Our limited goals involve less than 1 million of the aged, after eliminating the poorly motivated and those with poor ophthalmological prognoses.A brief outline is given of the progress made in providing better visual aids for persons with partial sight, and in the development of promising research.There is also urgent need for research on dyslexia in the aged and the potentiality of bibliotherapy in an attack on the I problem.The purpose of this article is to call attention to the role that maintenance of reading ability should play in a total rehabilitation program for thc elderly, and to outline the progress being made. Reading-easy , rapid and purposefulis an open channel of communication across space and time for the elderly person. Eyes are too precious to be wasted on merely killing time. The ability to read is a means of counteracting the old person's tendency toward isolation and mental deterioration, thus avoi,ding the possible necessity for high-cost institutional care.The primary goal of visual health is the enrichment of the life of the aged by encouraging lifc-long learning; vocational rehabilitation and remunerative employment are only secondary goals. Justice and compassion should rate higher than cost accounting. The old person has already served in the economy of his country and has earned the fruits of his labors. Therefore he is entitled to their enjoyment without any strings attached.The challenge of the increasing life-span in thc Unitcd States is dra-*Address: 5667 Montesuma Road, Apt. A, San Diego, California 92115.
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