People are now living longer than ever before and many old people are unable to look after themselves. Some people believe that it is responsibility of families to look after the elderly, while others say governments should provide retirement homes for th

There is a lot of discussion on how to look after elderly people. While some people suggest that the government is responsible for keeping an eye on them, others argue that it is their families that should support old people.

In many countries, it is believed that the families of the elderly are morally obliged to look after old people if they could financially afford it. For example, in Russia, if people who live above subsistence level accommodate their parents in retirement homes, they are considered to show disrespect for their progenitors. The fact of the matter is that in Russia, as well as in the number of other developing countries, the social institute is devoted of strong financial support. As a result, the retirement homes provided by governments are usually sustained in unsatisfying condition. Because It is clear that the elderly cannot receive proper treatment there, in developing countries, retirement homes are viewed as a last resort for those families who are not able to support the elderly for some reason. Besides, there is an argument that, in families, elderly people generate more positive emotions from interacting with their relatives. It is known that old people's children and grandchildren are the most significant source of joy for the elderly. Placing grandfathers and grandmothers far from their grandchildren may, therefore, put their well-being at risk.

On the other hand, the policy of providing retirement homes to look after the elderly may prove reasonable in developed countries, where such homes are subsidized properly. Provided that the retirement homes can offer satisfying medical support and living conditions, the idea of directing olds there seems to hold merit. In this case, it would lighten the workload of busy families without placing old people's well-being at hazard.

To sum up, it can be seen that the appropriate solution of the aforementioned problem depends on the state of a particular country's economy and on financial state of the family. If the decision is made to direct the elderly to a retirement home, their families better remember to visit them regularly, since the connections to their offspring are as important for the elderly as the living conditions.
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