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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

In many societies, elderly people often live in retirement homes. This is not appropriate because families should always care for their ageing members.

Do you agree or disagree with the above statement?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer 1:
With the advent of advanced technologies, social liberation and fast paced lifestyles, family structures have changed considerably in order to adapt to environments they live in. One of the common patterns which have emerged lately is that of fewer children, working parents and elder members of the family living in retirement homes. Despite intuitive beliefs of this being inappropriate as families should always care for ageing members, there are practical reasons for such an arrangement being good for everyone. This essay outlines two such aspects to show why retirement homes are good for the elderly.

Firstly, the loneliness which is one of the biggest difficulties of old age is automatically solved by retirement homes as people get to live with others of their own generation. For example, my grandparents could never relate to the 21st-century topics discussed at our family gatherings. They were more comfortable in bygone nostalgia and could very well mingle among people of their own generation. Such a company of people being easily available in retirement homes helps their mental health to be in a very good shape.

Secondly, elderly people almost always need specialised care which they can feel confident about. Retirement homes are equipped with professionals to provide for the needs of their clientele. This is not always possible in a family of all working adults. Hence, retirement homes become a better case for the wellbeing of the elderly.

So, as seen from above two aspects of companionship and care, retirement homes are rather a better option for the elderly. Thus the taboo of retirement homes should be erased and they should be recognised as important institutions of our society.

[Written by  - Tejas ]

Sample Answer 2:
In many communities, it is common to see that some senior people are placed in retirement facilities. Some people think that this is not a good way to treat elder people, as they believe that elder people should be fully respected and properly treated. I personally agree with the statement, and the following essay will discuss in details about it.

For a number of reasons, many people choose to place their parents in a retirement house. Some people think they are very busy with their careers and they do not have any time in giving attention to their parents. Another group of people see that their house are too small, therefore letting their parents live with them would not be a suitable solution. And then there are others who think that their old parents would be an economic burden for them, therefore they place their parents in the retirement house. However, many people do not realise that a lot of old people who live in the facility feel lonely and desperate, as they think that their families do not love them anymore. And in some cases, their relatives rarely or never visit them.    

There are some thinks that people should notice before they place their parents in retirement facilities. Young people must respect and take care of their old parents as parents were the one who raised them. When young people were born, they were weak and helpless, and parents were the one who fed them, comforted them and stayed awake during the night to take care of them. And then when they grew up, parents were the one who gave financial supports for their studies, bought them proper clothing and provided them decent accommodation. It is undeniable that parents play an important role in the success life of many young people, therefore young people should never forget their parents and must take care of their parents properly.

In conclusion, it is a fact that placing old people in retirement houses has become a usual thing these days. However, I disagree with the condition, as I believe that senior people should be respected and loved by their families. There have been so many good and useful things that these senior people have done for their families, therefore their families should take care of them when they are old.

[Written by  - Darwin Lesmana ]

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