In many countries people are now living longer than ever before. Some people say an ageing population creates problems for governments. Other people think there are benefits if society has more elderly people. To what extent do the advantages of having an ageing population outweigh the disadvantages? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

All over the world life expectancy has been increasing over the past few decades, resulting in an increase in the proportion of senior citizens in the population, more than ever before.

While

this

has created problems for the governments in terms of welfare costs,

according to

some people, others believe their presence is more advantageous than not.

This

essay will attempt to show that the advantages do not necessarily outweigh the disadvantages, but that the opposite is true.

Firstly

, from the perspective of ability and experience in a work setting, it is apparently very beneficial to continue to retain older employees because they know so much more than younger people.

However

, their seniority will mean increased pay packages,

for example

, making it disadvantageous to retain them in industries and governments. Employers,

therefore

, find it more productive to retire them and hire younger replacements at lesser costs.

However

, just retirement doesn't stop the cost, as it spills over into welfare costs for government and insurance agencies in the form of pensions/payouts. The concern,

therefore

, that an ageing population is burdensome is real. The second perception of advantage stems from their presence in families as wise and able persons who provide experienced advice and support to their working children,

in addition

to minding their homes and grandchildren.

However

, as time progresses, their physical and mental faculties deteriorate and they become more of a liability than an asset, in terms of medical expenses, hospital visits etc. At

this

stage, even the government steps in, in some countries, providing care homes, subsidies in the areas of travel, medical care, access to government facilities etc. Once again, the drawbacks seem to outweigh the benefits. In conclusion, with the current way of welfare thinking and increased cost of living, ageing seems to be an expensive proposition for both individuals and governments, despite the massive intellectual capital that older people bring to the equation of a nation's economy. Unless there is a change in approach towards their fruitful participation in society, combined with research to increase the quality of life,

in addition

to the length of life, unpalatable and anti-social decisions might be taken, which will be harmful to the mental fabric of humanity.