Preview

Problem of Old Age

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
984 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Problem of Old Age
The Problems of Old Age

The old age is an integral part of human life. It is the evening of life. It is unavoidable, undesirable, unwelcome and problem- ridden phase of life. But it is really interesting to note that everybody wants to live a long life, but not to be old. It is ironical that however undesirable the old age, it is bound to come in life. A man is compelled to go through the pains and pleasures of this age like the other phases of life before making an exit from this mortal world.
An old man is full of experiences and even though experiences are of immense help to the younger generation, he is taken as an unwanted burden. He himself is caught in a terrible feeling of redundancy. Thinking of old age visions of loneliness and neglect emerge in mind. The picture becomes all the more awesome with the failing health and illness. A sense of despair glooms over all his pleasant feelings.
Though it is true that no stage of life has its ever smooth sailing and every stage has its attendant problems, those of old age are more difficult and insurmountable because the physical strength and mental capability required to cope up with the adverse situations of life are immensely reduced. The situation becomes all the more difficult when one finds himself/herself left alone without anyone to attend him.
Indeed the loneliness and neglect associated with the old age is a rather recent phenomenon. It is the outcome of break up of the tradition of joint family system. Growing urbanisation and fast moving modern life have contributed to the problem. Furthermore, the erosion of moral values has also aggravated the situation. Earlier, when life was simpler and values counted for more, those who reached a ripe old age held an enviable place in society where they could really release and enjoy the twilight years of life.
They commanded great respect, regard, love and attention and were taken as source of inspiration, guidance and experience for the younger

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    In most societies, older people are generally viewed as a group of with common characteristics and needs. Older age is usually viewed as a state, a stage or an event. In reality, older people are not a homogenous group, but rather highly diverse individuals. The factor that is common to all older people is the accumulation of more numerous life experiences over a greater period of time than those of younger people (Bowling & Dieppe, 2005). Aging is defined as the process of becoming older, a process that is genetically…

    • 1672 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    which illustrates co-operation of the elderly individual in the process of disengagement between them and society…

    • 1486 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Late Adulthood

    • 1276 Words
    • 6 Pages

    In this paper I will be looking at ageism and stereotypes that associated with late adulthood, evaluating how people in late adulthood can promote health and wellness to help prevent the negative effects of aging. I will also be analyzing the importance of relationships and social interactions towards the end of a person’s life and identifying the cultural and personal attitudes about death and dignity in late adulthood.…

    • 1276 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Every society must deal with the problem of people growing old and of some becoming frail. Although few societies choose to bury elderly alive, all societies must figure out how to distribute limited resources among their citizens. With more people around the world constantly making it to old age, these decisions are producing problems between the generations on a global level. The perception of elderly is constantly changing and there are many theries that explain why. The first is the symbolic interactionist perspective theory. It explains ageism which is the prejudice and discrimination directed against people because of their age. Anoither is the disengagement theory which is the the view that society is stabilized by having the elderly…

    • 158 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Better Essays

    Analyzing late adulthood and the death of an individual as a culmination of the life span development process one must understand late adulthood consists of. This paper will give a brief overview of ageism and stereotypes associate with late adulthood. This will explain how health and wellness techniques in the late adulthood stages can mitigate the negative effects of aging. As people age the social views and experiences changes in relationships and interactions with individuals, as he or she nears end of life. When closely approaching the end of life, a person has cultural and personal attitudes about death and dignity in late adulthood.…

    • 1446 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    M1) Many individuals prepare for retirement by developing interests that can followed later and other may do voluntary work. These kinds of social interactions have been shown to be vital for a healthy older age. If families do not live nearby, when partners and friends die or health problems make it difficult to get out, it is easy to become isolated and depressed. But there are now many services designed to help avoid this…

    • 5226 Words
    • 21 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Better Essays

    Typically, when most people retire he or she expects to remain independent, and live life as he or she always has in the past. However, because of some unforeseen illness some individuals may lose some of his or her independence, and need assistance from family, friends or home care facilities. When this occurs many older people experience emotional stress, and physical problems whereas some does not. Here the study of gerontology comes into place. Gerontology can help many individuals “understand current social issues,” (Novak, 2009, p. 2) that occurs from aging.…

    • 1177 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    In the article, “Cultural Aspects of Time and Ageing”, Cecil G. Helman discusses how in each culture and each phenomenon time is not the same, similarly our outlooks of ageing vary as well. I agree with Helman that in diverse societies the meaning of old age and the rank provided to the ageing differs. For instance, the author stated that in small orthodox civilizations that contain illiterate people, individuals look up to the elderly for perception, capabilities and knowledge, whereas in the modern society, the youth comprises the broader abilities and understanding in parts of life than individuals older than them and the elderly receive a lower status. Since third world countries are not developed, they are not open to the sources of knowledge…

    • 277 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    After the age of sixty has been reached, the transition to from non-dependence to dependence is an easy stage-property gone, friends passed away or removed, relatives become few, ambitions collapsed, only a few short years left to live, with death a final and welcome end to it all-such as conclusions…

    • 3055 Words
    • 13 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Bucket List

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages

    As a person approaches late adulthood, health problems are not just the issue, but problems regarding one’s meaning of life. Both of these men felt unsatisfied or incomplete, with their overall feeling, they were both suffering from a terminal disease, and they both felt if they were going to die they wanted die knowing they got the best out of life, with no regrets, and lived life to the fullest.…

    • 460 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    The old man had never occupied a position of great leadership or authority. The old man had never controlled a large business. The old man had never possessed great wealth. The old man never realized he did not need to possess those things to be a great man. He had touched the lives of so many others. He had shown people, no matter the age, how to be a good man, and an even better person. He left behind a legacy he had never truly comprehended, now only stored in smudged and stained photographs. The old man’s thin white hair fluttered in the gentle breeze. His pale, parchment skin shone in the sun through the open window. Despite the thinness of his body, the old man still seemed to hold an aspect of strength. His eyes, once bright with an inner light, were now closed. The chest of the old man lay still. The old man never considered himself to be important. He had never occupied a position of great authority, controlled a large business, or possessed great wealth. He never realized his most important contribution was the differences he made in the lives of…

    • 1018 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Late Adulthood and Death

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In this paper I will discuss the physical, cognitive and social emotional changes during this stage in life. Also, the stereotypes that categorize elderly with ageism, the health, and wellness of this stage play an important role.…

    • 473 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    “Everyone wants to get older, but no one wants to be old” so the saying goes. Many people approaching retirement age look forward to having more time and fewer responsibilities. Yet, they are afraid of becoming aimless and useless. They also fear isolation, unhappiness and diminishing health. What then, is the secret of a happy life? Good friends and a loving family help to bring happiness to young and old alike. However, what others contribute to an elderly person’s life is not all that counts. A long-term study of 423 elderly couples indicated, “making a contribution to the lives of other people…

    • 1625 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Gerontology Paper

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The aging process is a complex stage of life, further than imaginable. There are several variables taking place in this stage of life, variables that range from the physical to the spiritual. As the course progressed, my initial assumptions were dissipating as my knowledge on the subject was becoming wider.…

    • 459 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The aged population holds the rights to the most life experience and trials. The aged population shows their stories on their faces and what it means to live. Many elders when facing the ends of their lives have to face certain issues and trends. The aged will endure changes concerning their physical, cognitive, and psychosocial abilities. He or she will come upon many milestones in late adulthood but there are many ways to help contribute to successful aging.…

    • 1829 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Good Essays