Life becomes difficult when a person is old. Old-age homes are a support for the unsupported old person. It is an ethical question as to who should pay for these arrangements. Families of course have a moral duty towards the elderly. Amidst various reasons for the same, the absence of a stable source of income is the chief. Under such circumstances, it becomes difficult to support an old person at home let alone pay for their old-age homes. Therefore, in my opinion, it is a collective responsibility of the families and the government to take care of the old population.
The current economic crisis in Britain does not hamper the establishment in taking care of the old people. The wages for the nurses, the cost of food, medicine and other inevitable facilities do not surpass the cost of constructing an old-age homes which are numerous and widespread in Britain. On the other hand, the current economic crisis has impacted individuals from lower-wage groups the most, causing insufficiency, homelessness, migration and loans. Most of the old people living in old-age homes are from this strata of society. That’s why the government must step in, make policies to inquire into the economic conditions of the families and arrange payment for the care of the old people appropriately. If a family is stable enough to pay for their elderly, they should be allowed, in fact, asked to do the same.
At the end of the day, the government must ensure that it is taking care of the old people even if the families have abandoned them, for they have been once the backbone of the country’s socio-economic stability. Countries like India, China and Japan are good examples where governments pay special attention to the needs of the elderly.