Is old age really golden age? What are its pros and cons?
Old age in human beings is the final stage of the normal life span. In most contemporary countries 60 or 65 is the age of eligibility for retirement and old-age social programs. Thus retirement is the golden age when senior citizens can escape the daily grind of work and the routine chores, moreover they spend their time doing gardening, taking holidays and chatting with friends. Many developed countries have certainly the greatest respect for the elderly but our society seems to regard the old people as worthless. The way old people are treated in our society is terrible. Firstly, the elderly are the most vulnerable members of our community. The state pensions are very small and many people find it hard to buy food and other necessary things.
Furthermore, the government does not pay enough attention to the senior citizens, moreover, the elderly population has been decimated by high prices, the burden of taxation and low retirement benefits policy. Secondly, old people are more susceptible to physical and mental illnesses, stresses and even depressions. Namely the major part of the elderly depend on specific health services, they cannot function on their own without assistance and cannot complete their daily tasks independently, however the health centre policy is uninterested in such age group. Finally, the senior citizens must be respected because of their age and experience.
Despite that the elderly people have to go into nursing homes because they are alone or their children do not have the time to take care of them. In addition, such standard of living of senior citizens is not only in Lithuania but also in all Europe developing countries. In contrast to Lithuania, in the developed countries the elderly can enjoy their retirement. Indeed, the golden age gives senior citizens the time to pursue their hobbies, they have enough money and they can travel in order to relax, go out for dinner or for a cup tea with their friends. Moreover old people have not feelings of bitterness and despair.
On the whole, the life in the most contemporary Western countries is easier for senior citizens because of the policy of the welfare state that are highly successful at reducing poverty rates among the elderly. In conclusion, old age is the end of the human life cycle and obviously it is not golden age for the most Lithuanian people because it brings a lot of problems, such as health problems, neglect, scarcity of money, poverty, loneliness, despair. But actually a positive or a negative attitude towards ageing comes with age and it all depends on our point of view.
