Old People

In many countries, the proportion of old people is steadily increasing. Does this have more positive or negative effects on the society?

With the development of technology and medical care, people now enjoy extended life expectancy. The percentage of elderly people who are over 65 has been increasing dramatically which is as a direct result of longevity. This trend is not only restricted to developed countries where have surging economy, advanced technology and relatively completed social welfare, but also in developing countries where infrastructure is still missing. However, what aging population brings to us still remains controversial.

Undoubtedly, a steady increase in the proportion of elderly in a particular country reflects the fact that the country has been enjoying a peaceful society, positive economic development and advancement in technology for at least few decades or in come cases, half a century. In some societies, these aged citizens are now taking responsibility of looking after young children, including sending and picking up kids from schools, preparing meals and doing other housework. Their contribution toward the family or the society as whole should never be neglected.

However, as many people argue, aging population poses a challenge, for it creates many problems for a country where pension and welfare system is much less than perfect. In China, for instance, Elderlies are now taking vast amount of public fund for health care and pensions which is actually provided by young working tax payer rather than themselves. The worrying situation may eventually explode when social fund become insufficient to pay off the debt. Moreover, retired elderly people even pose a threat to young job seekers since they have taken many vacancies in job market. Finally , the problem is associate with “sandwich generation ” people who have little kids and elderly members to look after at the same time, this situation actually add extra burden to the “in between” members of the family, which is always the young couples.

Having considered the arguments on both sides of the debate, I believe that elderly people are positive for the society in developed countries and they can improve the medical science, and I would suggest that we should keep the balance between young people and elderly people.