Those decrying the state of retirement services and support in the United States often look to socialized systems such as those in Germany as a model of how things ought to be – but be careful what you wish for, sometimes.

The Guardian (UK) reports on a  trend currently underway in still-prosperous but rapidly aging Germany which has seen many elderly retirees "exported" to lower-cost care facilities in eastern Europe and even Asia, part of a measure to cut costs – and a reflection of the limited resources available even in a heavily industrialized western power.

As more and more Germans retire but are unable to afford the high costs of retirement homes at home, organizations are turning to lower-cost options in countries such as Slovakia, Thailand and the Philippines to provide care. And with the German population skewed increasingly heavily towards those near or in retirement age, experts believe the problem will only increase.