One school of thought holds that continuing to work in later years is a wise choice for individuals as long as they are still capable. While I understand the reasoning behind this perspective, I strongly disagree due to concerns related to health and family relationships.
Proponents of working in old age might cite financial rewards as a necessity in this day and age, when inflation has emerged as a prominent issue. Because the costs of daily necessities, such as rent and food, are increasing, elderly individuals who are physically able may decide to keep working to support themselves and their families. However, they fail to consider that as people age, their physical and mental capacities decline. Older workers may become overwhelmed by the stress and workload, leading to serious health problems and reduced performance. Consequently, much of their earnings may end up being spent on medical treatments, which defeats the purpose of continuing to work. For this reason, regardless of the financial incentive, senior people should not keep working.
Moreover, another justification for my belief is that working in old age can weaken personal relationships. The significant amount of time required to perform tasks can take away opportunities to build strong bonds with loved ones. This effect is evident in numerous extended families, where the intimacy gap between generations is reportedly large because grandparents prioritize work over family unity. When relationships become shallow, family members may grow apart and live separately, leading to a solitary and unfulfilling life. A life focused solely on work at the expense of personal connections is unlikely to bring happiness in old age.
In conclusion, while there may be some financial benefits for older people to continue working, the risks to their health and family connections are too significant to ignore. Therefore, I firmly believe that elderly individuals should focus on their well-being and personal relationships instead of continuing to work.