1. Because of increased life expectancy in the 21st century, elderly people can expect to spend approximately a quarter of their lives in retirement. Discuss the pros and cons of this and provide examples. How would someone prepare for this?

 

Humans learns through their experience as they age. As so is the accommodation in the retirement homes for an elderly clients.They have to prepare for this in three aspects like psychologically ,ready to accept the new changes, physically healthy or comfortable to an extent with manageable illness so that they can be independent in the retirement homes without any necessary assistance. Finally having a good financial security to meet and afford the expenses. Some of the pros and cons of this are as following

Pros

• The elderly people will be able to meet and interact with the people of their own age group. This can give them a sense of confidence to again establish active social relationship (eg., Having increase in number of new friends and colleagues)
• They will be provided with the medical care and assistance during the time of need. This can be used to maintain health through preventative measures by early detection of any major illness. (eg., Monthly health checkup in the retirement homes to screen the elders for any medical illness)
• They has the liberty to act in independence. No one will force them to do the things or rule them. (Eg., They can perform their daily activities, likes and dislikes as per their own wish)

Cons

• The eldery people may have the feelings of leaving their long lived family with children, grandchildren and other relationship and adjust to new non family members (Eg., Expressing fear and emotional changes through conversation)
• The risk of mental health issues like feeling depressed, isolated, loneliness due to lack of family members around them. (Eg., The elderly client usually tries to be alone because they have lived their lives and feeling it's time to leave can make them mentally sick)
• The cost of it can be higher as it is not covered in the national insurance scheme or coverage (Eg., Of the elderly client or their family members has no adequate financial savings)