Some people believe that all children should have a pet or an animal to look after. Other people disagree, however, saying that this depends on a child’s circumstances. Consider these opposing views, and give your own opinion.

In many countries, the population is ageing consistently, and

this

presents the older people themselves with challenges as well as opportunities. It seems to me that

retirement

is not in fact the most contented period of life, and I will explain why in

this

essay.

Firstly

, retired people have to contend with the major issue of

health

. No matter how optimistic a person is, and how conscientiously they try to keep fit, their

health

will inevitably decline as they grow older.

This

affects their mobility, their ability to interact with people, and their physical comfort when compared to the earlier stages of their life. A

second

negative factor is the whole question of finance. By

this

we mean that even people who have saved or invested carefully during their working lives will find their income in

retirement

reduced considerably,

for example

by relying on savings.

This

results in their leisure options being more restricted than in their younger years, even though they have more time to fill.

This

leads us on to the final, and perhaps most significant drawback to

retirement

, which is isolation.

This

happens when declining

health

and limited resources make people increasingly

cutoff

Suggestion

cut off

, even if they have surviving family members who seek to care for them.

However

, much the family (or neighbours and social services) may offer support,

this

lack of contact will lead progressively to a less contented frame of mind. It is true that there are some positives to

retirement

, most notably the time to pursue personal interests and the presence of grandchildren in many cases. Despite

this

, it seems that for many older people, these pleasures are outweighed by issues which can cause stress and depression. In conclusion, the problems of

health

, financial concerns and isolation combine together to make

retirement

a challenging and potentially difficult time for many, especially when compared to the prime period of life.

This

is not to say that all retired people suffer in

this

way, but it appears to be the case frequently.