People nowadays generally live longer than ever before, giving them plenty of time to enjoy their retirement. However, this trend has aroused some concerns, and there are several approaches to addressing them.
For individuals, longevity may negatively influence themselves and their families. This is because the elderly are likely to feel lonely and bored after retirement, and such loneliness and boredom are projected to worsen as time passes by, which would further disrupt their mental well-being. In addition, longer life expectancies, accompanied by extended ageing-associated illness or disability, would prolong the care phase. As a result, family members who tend to be carers may face considerable mental, physical and financial burdens. For society, increased expenditure on health and long-term care would be witnessed. More medical resources need to be allocated to senior citizens as their health tends to decline. Moreover, as the elderly themselves can no longer work to earn income, state budgets devoted to pensions are doomed to place a greater burden on younger taxpayers.
There are some solutions to alleviate the negative impacts resulting from this trend. Firstly, older people can be encouraged to participate in community activities or charity projects after retirement, which may efficiently dispel loneliness and assist them in staying physically and mentally fit. Secondly, the government may raise the retirement age so that more elderly people can remain in the workforce. In this way, the financial pressure on the public and the administration regarding the age pension can be reduced. Finally, the government can take advantage of financial services to make an investment in current pensions, through which higher returns might be generated to make up for future financial shortfalls. Furthermore, the authorities may even have extra funds to develop and optimize elderly services so as to ease the pressure on young people who shoulder the responsibility for elderly care.
In conclusion, ageing is a problem that society must confront today, but there are still many measures that can be taken to eliminate its negative effects.
