IELTS Essay: Taking Care of Elderly People

This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay from the general training exam on the topic of taking care of elderly people.

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IELTS Essay: Taking Care of Elderly People

Many people who care for the elderly do not have enough time to look after them.

What are the problems related to this?

What are some possible solutions?

The caretakers of elderly individuals are often overworked and feel they are neglecting their duties. In my opinion, this hurts quality of care and the best solution is comprehensive, societal reform.

The main issues resulting from lack of time to look after the elderly have to do with poor care. A nurse with several patients to visit, who might all require around the clock care, must prioritise. The neglected patients are then more likely to develop bed sores, poor nutrition, and depression. In more extreme situations, patients with dementia or life-threatening conditions for example, there may be serious injury. An Alzheimer’s patient may wander out of the house, get lost and not be able to find their way home. A critically ill patient may need urgent care and not be able to contact the hospital in an emergency.

These problems can be partly remedied if society felt responsible for the elderly. There are examples of nations, chiefly Asian countries like Japan, where old people are highly respected. This permeates all levels of society and translates to children and grandchildren being more willing to take on the burden of care, as well as more attentive doctors and better government-funded social welfare programs. All these measures combined not only have a tangible, daily impact but also shift the societal mindset from considering the elderly a nuisance to regarding them as a milestone in life that all must pass through, deserving of respect.

In conclusion, the problems related to limited opportunities for looking after the elderly concern their level of care and can be combatted with a number of measures permeating multiple layers of society. Though unlikely, these reforms would evidence a core of human compassion.

Analysis

1. The caretakers of elderly individuals are often overworked and feel they are neglecting their duties. 2. In my opinion, this hurts quality of care and the best solution is comprehensive, societal reform.

1. Paraphrase the essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions for IELTS here.

1. The main issues resulting from lack of time to look after the elderly have to do with poor care. 2. A nurse with several patients to visit, who might all require around the clock care, must prioritise. 3. The neglected patients are then more likely to develop bed sores, poor nutrition, and depression. 4. In more extreme situations, patients with dementia or life-threatening conditions for example, there may be serious injury. 5. An Alzheimer’s patient may wander out of the house, get lost and not be able to find their way home. 6. A critically ill patient may need urgent care and not be able to contact the hospital in an emergency.

1. Write a topic sentence with your main idea at the end.
2. Give a specific example.
3. Develop it fully through the results.
4. Continue the development.
5. Use a similar example for further development.
6. State the full results.

1. These problems can be partly remedied if society felt responsible for the elderly. 2. There are examples of nations, chiefly Asian countries like Japan, where old people are highly respected. 3. This permeates all levels of society and translates to children and grandchildren being more willing to take on the burden of care, as well as more attentive doctors and better government-funded social welfare programs. 4. All these measures combined not only have a tangible, daily impact but also shift the societal mindset from considering the elderly a nuisance to regarding them as a milestone in life that all must pass through, deserving of respect.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Begin a specific example.
3. Develop it.
4. Make sure that is as fully developed as possible.

1. In conclusion, the problems related to limited opportunities for looking after the elderly concern their level of care and can be combatted with a number of measures permeating multiple layers of society. 2. Though unlikely, these reforms would evidence a core of human compassion.

1. Summarise your main ideas and repeat your opinions.
2. Add a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean?

The caretakers of elderly individuals are often overworked and feel they are neglecting their duties. In my opinion, this hurts quality of care and the best solution is comprehensive, societal reform.

The main issues resulting from lack of time to look after the elderly have to do with poor care. A nurse with several patients to visit, who might all require around the clock care, must prioritise. The neglected patients are then more likely to develop bed sores, poor nutrition, and depression. In more extreme situations, patients with dementia or life-threatening conditions for example, there may be serious injury. An Alzheimer’s patient may wander out of the house, get lost and not be able to find their way home. A critically ill patient may need urgent care and not be able to contact the hospital in an emergency.

These problems can be partly remedied if society felt responsible for the elderly. There are examples of nations, chiefly Asian countries like Japan, where old people are highly respected. This permeates all levels of society and translates to children and grandchildren being more willing to take on the burden of care, as well as more attentive doctors and better government-funded social welfare programs. All these measures combined not only have a tangible, daily impact but also shift the societal mindset from considering the elderly a nuisance to regarding them as a milestone in life that all must pass through, deserving of respect.

In conclusion, the problems related to limited opportunities for looking after the elderly concern their level of care and can be combatted with a number of measures permeating multiple layers of society. Though unlikely, these reforms would evidence a core of human compassion.

Answers

caretakers people who take care

elderly individuals old people

overworked work too much

neglecting their duties not doing their jobs

quality of care how well someone is looked after

comprehensive complete

societal reform changes to society

main issues resulting from big problems coming from

poor care not well taken care of

several a bunch

around the clock care 24 hour care

prioritise make more important

neglected not paying attention to

bed sores lesions from not moving much

poor nutrition not eating well

depression feeling sad

in more extreme situations some bad cases

dementia forgetting things

life-threatening conditions cancer, paralysis, etc.

serious injury get hurt badly

Alzheimer’s patient condition where the mind deteriorates

wander out go outside

critically ill patient dying person

urgent care emergency situations

contact call

emergency urgent problem

partly remedied somewhat fixed

chiefly mainly

highly respected valued a lot

permeates all levels of society gets to all people

translates to means

take on the burden of care must take care of

attentive concientious

government-funded social welfare programs giving money to old people in retirement plans, checks, etc.

measures combined actions all together

tangible concrete

shift change

societal mindset way that society thinks

considering regarding

nuisance annoying

regarding as it relates to

milestone major moment in life

pass through go through

deserving of respect should be valued

limited opportunities not many chances

concern worry

level of care how well they are taken care of

combatted with fought

number of measures many steps

permeating going through

multiple layers of society many people

unlikely not going to happen probably

evidence support

core of human compassion people caring about others

Pronunciation

ˈkeəˌteɪkəz 
ˈɛldəli ˌɪndɪˈvɪdjʊəlz 
ˌəʊvəˈwɜːkt 
nɪˈglɛktɪŋ ðeə ˈdjuːtiz
ˈkwɒlɪti ɒv keə 
ˌkɒmprɪˈhɛnsɪv
səˈsaɪətl ˌriːˈfɔːm
meɪn ˈɪʃuːz rɪˈzʌltɪŋ frɒm 
pʊə keə
ˈsɛvrəl 
əˈraʊnd ðə klɒk keə
praɪˈɒrɪˌtaɪz.
nɪˈglɛktɪd 
bɛd sɔːz
pʊə nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃən
dɪˈprɛʃən
ɪn mɔːr ɪksˈtriːm ˌsɪtjʊˈeɪʃənz
dɪˈmɛnʃɪə 
laɪf-ˈθrɛtnɪŋ kənˈdɪʃənz 
ˈsɪərɪəs ˈɪnʤəri
ˈæltsˌhaɪməz ˈpeɪʃənt 
ˈwɒndər aʊt 
ˈkrɪtɪkəli ɪl ˈpeɪʃənt 
ˈɜːʤənt keə 
ˈkɒntækt 
ɪˈmɜːʤənsi
ˈpɑːtli ˈrɛmɪdid 
ˈʧiːfli 
ˈhaɪli rɪsˈpɛktɪd
ˈpɜːmɪeɪts ɔːl ˈlɛvlz ɒv səˈsaɪəti 
trænsˈleɪts tuː 
teɪk ɒn ðə ˈbɜːdn ɒv keə
əˈtɛntɪv 
ˈgʌvnmənt-ˈfʌndɪd ˈsəʊʃəl ˈwɛlfeə ˈprəʊgræmz
ˈmɛʒəz kəmˈbaɪnd 
ˈtænʤəbl
ʃɪft 
səˈsaɪətl ˈmaɪndsɛt 
kənˈsɪdərɪŋ 
ˈnjuːsns 
rɪˈgɑːdɪŋ 
ˈmaɪlstəʊn 
pɑːs θruː
dɪˈzɜːvɪŋ ɒv rɪsˈpɛkt
ˈlɪmɪtɪd ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz 
kənˈsɜːn 
ˈlɛvl ɒv keə
ˈkɒmbætɪd wɪð 
ˈnʌmbər ɒv ˈmɛʒəz 
ˈpɜːmɪeɪtɪŋ 
ˈmʌltɪpl ˈleɪəz ɒv səˈsaɪəti
ʌnˈlaɪkli
ˈɛvɪdəns 
kɔːr ɒv ˈhjuːmən kəmˈpæʃən

Vocabulary Practice

Remember and fill in the blanks:

The c____________s of e_____________________s are often o________________d and feel they are n_______________________s. In my opinion, this hurts q________________e and the best solution is c_______________e, s______________________m.

The m________________s r__________________m lack of time to look after the elderly have to do with p_____________e. A nurse with s_________l patients to visit, who might all require a______________________e, must p_____________e. The n____________d patients are then more likely to develop b__________s, p_________________n, and d_____________n. I________________________s, patients with d_______________a or l____________________________s for example, there may be s________________y. An A_________________t may w__________t of the house, get lost and not be able to find their way home. A c_____________________t may need u_______________e and not be able to c_________t the hospital in an e______________y.

These problems can be p_________________d if society felt responsible for the elderly. There are examples of nations, c_______y Asian countries like Japan, where old people are h__________________d. This p_________________________y and t________________o children and grandchildren being more willing to t_____________________________e, as well as more a_______________e doctors and better g______________________________________s. All these m___________________d not only have a t___________e, daily impact but also s_____t the s_________________t from c________________g the elderly a n__________e to r_____________g them as a m_________e in life that all must p_____________h, d_________________t.

In conclusion, the problems related to l__________________________s for looking after the elderly c_______________n their l_______________e and can be c________________h a n______________s p________________g m____________________________y. Though u___________y, these reforms would e___________e a c________________________________n.

Listening Practice

Listen more about this topic and use these activities to practice:

Reading Practice

Read about a good example of societal changes in Japan below and practice with these ideas:

Speaking Practice

Practice with these related questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Old People (Model answer available on my Patreon)

1. What are the advantages of having an elderly person at home? 
2. Is there anything that older people should learn from the younger generation?
3. What can the younger generation learn from the older generation? 
4. What qualities does a person need to take care of older people? 
5. Do you think elderly people should be allowed to work? 

Writing Practice

Write about the related topic below and check with my sample answer:

Many people think that it is better to get advice from old rather than young people.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

IELTS Writing Task 2 Sample Answer Essay General Training: Advice from Old People (Real IELTS Exam/Test)