Many elderly people are no longer looked after by their families but are put in care homes or nursing homes.  

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

Sample answer

It is a fact that more and more senior people nowadays are not taken care of by their family members but are sent to care homes or nursing homes instead. The emergence of this trend introduces both pros and cons.

Sending senior people to nursing homes comes with several certain benefits. First and foremost, the elderly will gain great benefits relating to health care from institutional care. Those medical institutions for seniors are equipped with sufficient specialised facilities, devices and well-trained staff, thereby being capable of handling health problems of ageing people who get sick easily. Second, sending elderly people to care homes would reduce the withdrawal from work of family members who play the role of caregivers. To be more specific, the provision of healthcare at home for the elderly can put a strain on their adult children, particularly daughters. Institution-based care can improve work attendance of adult family members by lessening their burdens in providing in-home care. 

Turning to the downside, the institutionalisation of old people would create more pressure for the public medical system. In particular, there will be more demands for healthcare establishments being built, thereby requiring higher management levels from the medical authorities. In addition, sending the elders to nursing homes will obviously cause financial pressure to other adult family members. No matter it is privately- or publicly-owned care homes, long-term elderly care service fees are always high. Last but not least, elder care recipients may suffer from a negative feeling of loneliness or even being abandoned because of the physical and/or emotional distancing with their family, which may worsen their health condition. 

In conclusion, institutional care for people with seniority is on the rise at the present time. This trend definitely comes with both positive and negative aspects which are mentioned above.

Count: 289 words

Giáo viên BE READY IELTS