In some cultures, fewer people are willing to take responsibility for older people in their family. Suggest possible reasons why.
These days it is becoming less common for families to provide care for their elderly relatives; there are a number of potential reasons for this as are outlined below.
Firstly, the pace of life has increased. In many families, both husband and wife are often employed full-time, leaving less time to care for elderly relatives. It is often not feasible to provide the level of care required, particularly if the older person is also sick or disabled. Many people now opt for an alternative way of ensuring their relative is taken care of, for example, placing them in a nursing home.
Secondly, it could be argued that society in general is becoming more self-centred. People are often more focused on themselves than the needs of others. To illustrate, family members may feel that it is too much of a burden to have an aging relative living in their home.
A final factor is the change in society’s attitudes. There is no expectation in some countries that a son or daughter should provide care for their parents. As a result, there is no sense of obligation or guilt if a person opts not to take responsibility. However, in other societies, such as the Indian culture, it is still the norm for families to tend to the needs of the older generation.
In brief, several factors have contributed to the fact that fewer elderly people are cared for by their families; however, since older people deserve respect and quality of life it would be beneficial if families did all that they could to ensure the welfare of ageing relatives.
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