Opinions are divided on whether it should be legally required for young family members to take care of their older relatives if the latter are unable to do so themselves. Although this proposition has its own merits to a certain extent, I mostly disagree with this perspective due to several potential problems.
Granted, proponents of this policy often justify their rationale with traditional and societal norms. This can be seen in many Asian countries, such as China or Japan, where younger family members often carry the responsibility of looking after their elderly members, especially when these individuals are not physically or mentally capable of taking care of themselves independently. This longstanding practice has been well-preserved for generations. The absence of such custom could lead to serious hardship for the elderly, with them being unwillingly sent to nursing homes or left neglected by their descendants in their homes. Viewed from this angle, a legal obligation should be adopted to reinforce such conventional practices.
Nevertheless, I am largely against the aforementioned proposal, which should not be rendered compulsory. This is because young family members voluntarily caring for their older ones could lead to some positive outcomes, particularly in terms of familial and emotional bonds in the family. In other words, forcing them to do so could foster resentment among the young members of the family, and this negative attitude could amplify the feeling of uselessness among their elder counterparts, thus harming their overall well-being. Furthermore, the government should take a proactive role via its social welfare system. For example, higher taxes should be implemented on high-income individuals to generate more funding for the national budget, facilitating the improvement of medical and accommodation for those in need, rather than directly involving each family member in doing so.
In conclusion, although the elderly should be cared for by their younger family members, I contend that such a decision should be made willingly for sound familial relationships. The government, through tax policy, can also sufficiently support any elder who is in need.