[ought-six]

"why can't we live like generations ago, where the very young and the very old lived in one house, all working and contributing together, everyone protected by everyone else..."

Want to know why? Because the seniors don't want to. My mother is almost 80, and a widow (my Father, who was married to my Mother for 57 years, died just this past Fall). Every one of her children (there are three of us) wanted her to come live with any one of us. She said, flat-out, "No!" She said she wanted to stay by herself. I know what some of you are thinking: The kids must have been hellions. Nope, it's just that seniors today are incredibly independent, having convinced themselves that they are fully capable of independent living.

[looscnnn]

"it's just that seniors today are incredibly independent, having convinced themselves that they are fully capable of independent living."

I think that is due to the majority of them have been without their kids for so long and not been dependent on anyone (I don't count being married as being dependent) that they feel it would not be a normal life for them to be dependent on the kids.

[looscnnn]

Besides not wanting to be a "burdon" on the kids.