Governments should not have to provide care or financial support for elderly people because it is the responsibility of each person to prepare for retirement and support him or herself. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

People have differing views with regard to the question whether or not governments are responsible for giving support to senior citizens. Although I accept that we are all responsible to save money for our retirement, I disagree with the idea that elderly people should not receive any support from the state.

To begin with, there are many older people who need special care. The absence of their offspring, due to busy work, has led to many elders being left alone to look after themselves. Many of them find it difficult to do many things on their own such as shopping, cooking, and a range of other housework. Thus, government should send qualified people who are able to do housework for those in need. Considering the contribution made by older people to the development of society when they were younger, this support is justified.

In addition, not all of older people saved adequate financial resources for themselves. The rising cost of living has put more pressure on them, meaning that they have to pay higher prices for their living expenses than in the past. Also, the job market is increasingly competitive and they are less likely to win the job competition over younger people who are well-prepared for the post. At the same time, the amount of saving may not be enough to afford the basic necessities such as housing, bills, healthcare and food. The quality of their lives will deteriorate if governments continue to disregard this social matter.

For the reasons mentioned above, I believe our taxes should be allocated to supporting older people because they are fragile and disadvantaged in getting jobs.