Population ageing is a pressing issue for many developed countries. One of the challenges is how to take care of the elderly. In some countries, a nursing home,
instead
of a family, takes on the role but who should pay the bill? Many
people
think it is the duty of family members to support their parents, if not personally
then
financially. Others think, like medicare and other welfare, it should be paid for by the
government
, which is by the taxpayers. I think the
government
should pay the bill because individuals cannot fund
such
a big business and even if they can it only widens the gap between the rich and the poor.
First
of all, nursing homes are expensive ,especially in China and insufficient funded nursing homes are a threat to the elderly rather than protection. In Beijing, the capital of China,
for example
, the monthly fee for one person in a decent nursing home is about as twice the monthly rent for one person, which is a huge burden to both the elderly and their children.
Nevertheless
, the high price still cannot cover the bill for infrastructure and the necessary training for workers. Even the salary for nurses is relatively low compared to other occupations. Without proper training and a satisfying salary, the mistreatment and even abuse of the elderly are sadly prevalent. Evidently,
this
industry needs more money, more than its customers can afford, to grow in a healthy way.
Second
, letting individuals pay for nursing homes will only widen the already existing
wealth
gap between the rich and the poor. For rich
people
, the elderly have plentiful resources to help themselves to enjoy the rest of their lives. So that their offspring not only are exonerated from the burden of caring for the elderly but
also
can inherit the
wealth
from them. For poor
people
,
however
, the story is drastically different.
For instance
, if a middle-aged white-collar worker has to pay the nursing home for her parents, she cannot use that money to invest in herself or buy a house. The younger generation of the poor inherits not
wealth
but the financial debt of providing for the elderly, which decreases their possibilities to move up in the social class. Only the
government
, through taxing the rich and spending on the poor, can redistribute the
wealth
and help as many poor
people
as possible.
In conclusion, I think the
government
should pay for the elderly care not only because individuals cannot fund
such
a big industry but
also
because it is the only way to take care of our elders in an equal way.