Top-Rated Free Essay
Preview

Old Age: Boon or Bane?

Better Essays
1158 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Old Age: Boon or Bane?
THE LIFE span of human beings is marked by successive change of events beginning from gestation and ending in death through successive periods of infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and senescence. The process of growth starts with the uterine life and ends around twenty years post natal life when all linear increments of the body stop and the internal organs fully develop. Almost a decade later, the body starts losing all vital capacities gradually and it is believed to be the onset of ageing.
Growing old is a characteristic feature of all living creatures but man stands out distinctly from others in thinking about it. Old age is inevitable. Every person on the earth has a dream of living a long life. It is no more a dream as it has become possible because of the advancement in the field of medical sciences. But old age is the most critical stage a person goes through. It is the stage where man faces problems socially, physically, mentally and even economically.

In India, old age was never a problem. Elder abuse was considered as a western problem and old age home was an alien concept. Earlier the elderly persons of a family were respected a lot and they continued to live with respect till their death. But now the times have changed. The elderly are treated as burden.

Old age is quite similar to childhood in many respects. The way a child or a baby is unable to do any work on his/her own and is dependent on their parents every now and then, an old person is also dependent on another person for getting their work accomplished as they are no longer physically fit. But here one should notice the irony. These old people are the same who took care of their children when were small. They did so willingly, without any complaint. They never considered their children as a burden.

But the same children when they grow up find it difficult to take care of their old parents. In their childhood, their parents had spent sleepless nights catering to their needs but when parents become old the children start finding out ways to get rid of them so that they can enjoy their life in peace.

Earlier joint family system was prevalent in India and the elderly enjoyed a respectable position in the family. But now with the deterioration of the joint families into nuclear units, the respectable position which the elderly enjoyed earlier has also eroded. If a couple has got more than one son and they are staying in nuclear families then the parents have to stay with each son for equal period of time. This system should not be mistaken with the thought that the sons love their parents so much that they want their parents to spend equal time with each one of them. Instead it is the burden which they want to divide among themselves.

The old parents are burden to them both physically and economically. How do such children forget that these old people are the same parents who never thought of sharing them with others, no matter how many problems they faced in bringing them up?

A couple with four sons is asked to spend three months with each son when they grow old. But when they were small their parents never thought of sharing their four children with other people to reduce their problems. And if the elderly are equipped with a healthy bank balance then there is a fight among the children to keep their parents with them.

Though it sounds unbelievable but it’s true that there are children who leave their old parents as destitute to die. This has added to the mushrooming of old age homes in India. What I think is that old age homes should be homes only to those types of people who don’t have anybody to look after them in their old age. But it’s very sad that this is no more a reason for the old to live in such homes. Rather it has become a blessing for those children who consider their old parents as burden and have no time for them. These homes are a bane for the old.

They find it convenient to leave their parents in such homes once they get old and thus the children get rid of their parental responsibilities. Now earning more and more money has become the sole motive of the people. To fulfill this desire, both the husband and wife are opting to go out to earn money.

As a result these old parents are left behind neglected with no one to take care of them. This does not mean that women should not go out to work but it also does not mean that they should neglect their in-laws. They should try to balance their official and family responsibilities.

Instead of putting their parents in old age homes, they can hire a person to take care of their parents at home when they are out in their offices. They shouldn’t forget that their old parents are a treasure for them and their children. Their parents are the ones who transfer the age old traditions and culture to the grandchildren.

When the old have to live in the old age homes in spite of having children to take care of them, they have to go through severe mental trauma. They get the feeling of being unwanted and unproductive in the society. Nowadays awareness campaigns on various social issues are being conducted but it seems everyone has forgotten this valuable section - the elderly of the society. The younger generation should be made aware of the fact that the elderly are an asset to the society and not a burden.

Putting old parents in old age homes should be considered as a secondary option by the children and not as the only option for taking better care of their parents. The people who do not have enough economic resources to fulfill all the necessities of their old parents and if they find that they can be given better care in old age homes then they can go for such options.

When till date, parents don’t find it a better option to put their children in crèches when they go out for work then why at all shall the children think of putting their parents in old age homes? The government and the non- governmental organisations should think seriously about this problem. This problem can also be solved to some extent if the elderly also give it a serious thought. They should prepare for their old age gracefully and should secure their old age economically. They should save enough money for themselves so that they don’t have to depend for each and everything on their children. Economic security will also enhance their decision making power in the family.

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    The Importance Of Aging

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Human bodies are technically set up for failure. Aging comes naturally. Aging is experienced by most humanity in their lifetime. Everyone ages at their own time and rate but not everyone has same experience. In my paper one will be informed that aging is a major risk factor. Aging often results in changes and lower functioning in the brain, higher rates of diseases, and decrease mobility.…

    • 643 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The average life expectancy has increased over the last century; the average life expectancy for women is 80 years while men are expected to live to about 75 years old. The population of older adults over the age of 65 years is expected to increase from 35 million in 2000 to 70 million by the year 2030. Aging is a slow decline in the ability of an organism to resist stress, damage, and disease. As the human body ages there are physical and biological changes that occur as well. The lifestyles that we chose to live have a large impact positively and negatively in the way we age. Every aspect of the body changes, from the skeletal system to the muscular to the cardiopulmonary system, even down the integumentary system.…

    • 262 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Aging In Older Adults

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Older adults often work with their spouses who need to be cared for due to long term illnesses up until their death, as well as grandchildren and foster children. Many older people take care of their grandchildren because their own children have to go to work or because they have been granted custody due to abuse or incarceration of their children. Many older people who have been given the responsibility of raising another child so late in their life are faced with additional health issues, psychological stress, and social isolation. It is often very stressful for someone who is older to have to be a caregiver because they are already dealing with other stresses of old age such as losing their spouses, not having a lot of energy, and worrying about their own health.…

    • 449 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    It is instructive to consider the impact of such views. If elderly people are seen by society as expected to die any time soon then they can be seen as less worthy and their quality of life less important. Resources tend to be directed towards younger people and society can view saving or prolonging the life of a younger person as more desirable than that of an…

    • 1578 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Getting older can bring new challenges to life. Challenges that most will never fully understand until personally experienced. What we once were able to do gracefully now nrequires assistanvce. Independence is gradually being removed and sometime taken. Acceptance can be extremely difficult to a person who feels there is more left in their tank. Although retirement is enevitable, and exciting and productive life can still be lived if properly planned and resources are used effectively.…

    • 838 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Culture Geriatrics

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Due to the heavy influence of my culture on respecting and treating the older adults with uttermost compassion, it motivated me to work in field of geriatrics as a geriatrician in the future. Growing up, I was always taught that life runs in a complete circle. Parents take care of the children when they are little, so the children will repay the parents and take care of them when they get older. In the United States, I do not see the same mentality in some people and it leads to problems like abuse, neglect and loneliness for older adults. Furthermore, older adults are also considered to be one of the most vulnerable group of people living in the United States since they may be left in isolation, without proper care and treatments. This is…

    • 567 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Midlife Transition

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages

    As a culture we put a premium on youthfulness to ridiculous degree, people in other countries fight aging, but most recognize that older people may have grown wiser from their vast experience and should be valued and sought out for this…

    • 1597 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Late Adulthood

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Late adulthood typically describes the period from the sixties or seventies until death. During this period there are many physical and psychosocial changes and adjustments that take place in the individual life and that of their families or caregivers (Dr. Preisser, 1997). With the improvements in medicine and the advances in science and technology people are living longer. People have also been encouraged to exercise and eat more healthy foods. These life style changes along with the advances in medicine have made the need for caring for the elderly more important. Families have to consider how to prepare for caring for the elderly financially and physically since they are living longer. In this paper the challenges and opportunities that face families as they care for the elderly and prepare for their death will be discussed.…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    The Aging Process

    • 1241 Words
    • 5 Pages

    As we grow in to adulthood, many things start to change in our life. Aging is an unavoidable process, beginning at conception and ending with death. The process does not proceed at a uniform rate all over the body. As we age, the organ systems of individuals age at different rates. Our body gradually slows down in early adult life. These changes are not apparent until perhaps 50 years of age as they are not perceptible.…

    • 1241 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Aging is incorporated in all stages of life: from birth to your 20’s, where cells multiply, different parts of your body are growing, and you develop physical strength and intellectuality through learning and experience; from your 30’s to your 50’s, you experience a wide range of life experiences – related to work, family, and everyday living – that develop and change your perspective on the world and the people living in it; from your 60’s to your 90’s, life starts to slow down, many parts of the body become fragile, and therefore lead to inactivity and lack of independence. However, it is important to note that everyone is different; all individuals have different experiences that shape their biological, psychological, and social aspects of their well-being. This results in inter and intra individual differences of the aging process and experience. Inter-individual differences are showcased in the biological and psychological differences between individuals, while intra-individual differences are showcased in the functional capability differences between individuals.…

    • 471 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Aging was initially considered a normal process that every human being born on the earth undergoes. Today, it is no longer considered normal. Several scientific evidences suggest that aging or senescence is decided by a combination of environmental and genetic factors. People do not want senescence as it is associated with debility, frailty and disease. Age is a single largest risk factor for several diseases that we see in the population. Through genetic studies in identical twins and families, scientists could determine that the contribution of genes to longevity accounted to ~25%. Genes we inherit from our parents, can decide our longevity. Studies among centenarians, suggests that their offspring have relatively lower prevalence of chronic age associated…

    • 954 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    A Career In Gerontology

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages

    There is much more to aging than one would ever think of. Apart from growing old one must know that there is a process and problems older adults face as they age. Although Gerontology is based on those three reasons, it is critical that the problems they face are much more important. Everyone is going to age at some point in their lives, and a huge part of those adults will face a problems or diseases, whether it is an organ malfunction, sight problems, brittle bones, weakness and the sixth leading cause of death, Dementia and Alzheimer's.…

    • 1289 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Aging Parenting

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Generation after generation aging parents become the responsibility of the following generation. It's the way life is set up to work. However, just taking care of ourselves is a full time job, let alone a parent or other family member that needs assistance in their later years. For most, taking care of an aging parent is an act of love, but for many it's a job they would rather hand over to someone else. Because of the fast, busy and full pace of life, many younger people simply don't have the time to give. It's an understandable position to be in, but fortunately or unfortunately, taking care of one another as we get older is part of being a family and a community.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Middle Adulthood

    • 1038 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The autonomy and independence of middle-aged person increased as they felt it is their obligations to take care of their olds as they believe their olds did took care of them when they were young. The middle aged people accepted this fact and stood with confidence which will be a bit lacking from majority of young people: one can see this from the granddaughter: Yolanda aged 43 that took care of her grandmother even though she has no job yet, but she did it in loving way. At this age…

    • 1038 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Old Age Homes

    • 4163 Words
    • 17 Pages

    Children move to various corners of the globe to pursue their chosen careers. Often their parents are left back. Of course, their monetary needs are taken care of by the children who send them enough money. But what about their emotional needs? For such people, old age homes are a boon — dependable shelters that provide love and affection.…

    • 4163 Words
    • 17 Pages
    Good Essays