When do we see elderly as consumers?

When discussing ageing today we usually concentrate on issues about fragility and passivity. Old age is only about sickness and loss and of course this means a financial burden especially in societie's with a welfare-model. At this point of time we want to talk about older people as people that should be taken care of although we also use a rhetoric exclaiming activity as long as we live. This activity discourse is a good path towards empowering and choice but we still have a long way to go. If we see elderly as consumers this brings more action and another voice to elderly. I am sorry to say, but I think that we have to bring consumption into the context of services to elderly to finally give a real voice to them. Other discourses are so easily passivating and although you talk about activating you use a different voice when addressing elderly.