This was a tricky one so it is a little on the long side – about 320 words – aim for about 275 in your own writing.
It’s easier to write longer and harder to write shorter!
IELTS Essay: Retirement Homes/Communities
Nowadays some older people choose to live in retirement communities and centers with other people, rather than living with their adult children.
Is this a positive or negative development?
Detractors of such communities highlight notable instances of abuse. These are detailed in frequent, highly publicized, exposes from reputable news organizations on a regular basis. Many of these incidents become criminal or civil cases and the instances of mistreatment are memorably cruel. Elderly people have been known to be beaten, demeaned and neglected in terms of their basic sanitary needs. These vulnerable individuals often lack the ability to defend themselves or voice the abuse to visiting family. However, considering the total number of seniors in assisted care facilities, abuse is rare and likely to decrease in the future as technology allows for closer monitoring of employees.
Overall, I believe retirement communities to be a positive as they are liberating for families. This applies to the seniors themselves as, though they may be restricted from leaving the premises, they can interact with their peers and form meaningful, new bonds. The greatest benefits, however, are for the family unit as a whole. Families are rarely equipped with the medical training or financial resources to support aging individuals. For instance, it is a nearly impossible task for a family where both mother and father work to look after an ailing parent as well as their own young children. They are likely to lack some combination of energy, will, means, and time. By placing their parents in an elderly home, they will have more time to invest in raising their own children and advancing at work, which will itself increase the standard of living for all family members.
In conclusion, the risk of possible abuse at retirement homes does not overshadow the benefits generally for families. This is a sensitive topic but each individual must decide what is in their own best interests.
Analysis
- Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
- Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.
1. Detractors of such communities highlight notable instances of abuse. 2. These are detailed in frequent, highly publicized, exposés from reputable news organizations on a regular basis. 3. Many of these incidents become criminal or civil cases and the instances of mistreatment are memorably cruel. 4. Elderly people have been known to be beaten, demeaned and neglected in terms of their basic sanitary needs. 5. These vulnerable individuals often lack the ability to defend themselves or voice the abuse to visiting family. 6. However, considering the total number of seniors in assisted care facilities, abuse is rare and likely to decrease in the future as technology allows for closer monitoring of employees.
- Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
- Explain your main idea.
- Develop it with specific or hypothetical examples.
- Keep developing it fully.
- Add more deatil.
- I end here by switching to the other side – the side I agree with.
1. Overall, I believe retirement communities to be a positive as they are liberating for families. 2. This applies to the seniors themselves as, though they may be restricted from leaving the premises, they can interact with their peers and form meaningful, new bonds. 3. The greatest benefits, however, are for the family unit as a whole. 4. Families are rarely equipped with the medical training or financial resources to support aging individuals. 5. For instance, it is a nearly impossible task for a family where both mother and father work to look after an ailing parent as well as their own young children. 6. They are likely to lack some combination of energy, will, means, and time. 7. By placing their parents in an elderly home, they will have more time to invest in raising their own children and advancing at work, which will itself increase the standard of living for all family members.
- Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
- Explain your new main idea.
- Include specific details and examples.
- Add as much information as you can and make sure it links logically.
- Develop the example fully.
- Vary long and short sentences.
- Try not to write this many sentences…
1. In conclusion, the risk of possible abuse at retirement homes does not overshadow the benefits generally for families. 2. This is a sensitive topic but each individual must decide what is in their own best interests.
- Summarise your main ideas.
- Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.
Vocabulary
Detractors of such communities highlight notable instances of abuse. These are detailed in frequent, highly publicized, exposés from reputable news organizations on a regular basis. Many of these incidents become criminal or civil cases and the instances of mistreatment are memorably cruel. Elderly people have been known to be beaten, demeaned and neglected in terms of their basic sanitary needs. These vulnerable individuals often lack the ability to defend themselves or voice the abuse to visiting family. However, considering the total number of seniors in assisted care facilities, abuse is rare and likely to decrease in the future as technology allows for closer monitoring of employees.
Overall, I believe retirement communities to be a positive as they are liberating for families. This applies to the seniors themselves as, though they may be restricted from leaving the premises, they can interact with their peers and form meaningful, new bonds. The greatest benefits, however, are for the family unit as a whole. Families are rarely equipped with the medical training or financial resources to support aging individuals. For instance, it is a nearly impossible task for a family where both mother and father work to look after an ailing parent as well as their own young children. They are likely to lack some combination of energy, will, means, and time. By placing their parents in an elderly home, they will have more time to invest in raising their own children and advancing at work, which will itself increase the standard of living for all family members.
In conclusion, the risk of possible abuse at retirement homes does not overshadow the benefits generally for families. This is a sensitive topic but each individual must decide what is in their own best interests.
Answers
detractors critics
highlight notable instances focus on big examples
exposés reports
reputable news organizations well-known media companies
on a regular basis often
incidents examples
criminal or civil cases people put on trial or sued for money
instances examples
mistreatment treated badly
memorably cruel sensationally bad
have been known to be have a reputation for
beaten hit
demeaned insulted
neglected not cared for
in terms of concerning
their basic sanitary needs how clean they are
vulnerable weak
lack don’t have
defend protect
voice ability to talk
visiting family family coming to see them
considering given
total number complete figures for
rare not common
in the future later
technology computers, internet, cameras, etc.
closer monitoring watching closely
applies also is true for
restricted kept to
premises grounds
interact talk to
peers people around their own age
form meaningful create important
new bonds new friendships
benefits advantages
family unit as a whole family altogether
rarely equipped not often have
medical training experience as doctors
financial resources money
aging getting older
nearly impossible almost can’t happen
ailing parent sick mother and father
as well as and
some combination of an amount of
energy initiative
will desire
means money
time free time
placing putting
invest contribute
raising helping grow up
advancing getting better
standard of living quality of life
risk threat
retirement homes retirement communities
overshadow stronger than
sensitive topic hard to talk about
decide choose
own best interests for their own good
Pronunciation
ɪnˈkriːsɪŋli ˈkɒmən
ˈsiːnjə ˈsɪtɪznz
rɪˈtaɪə tuː
əˈsɪstɪd keə fəˈsɪlɪtiz
ɪnˈstɛd ɒv
rɪˈmeɪnɪŋ
ˌɪnstɪˈtjuːʃənz
ˌrɛpju(ː)ˈteɪʃən
əˈbjuːs
trɛnd
ˈlɪbəreɪts ˈjʌŋə ˌʤɛnəˈreɪʃənz
dɪˈtræktəz
ˈhaɪˌlaɪt ˈnəʊtəbl ˈɪnstənsɪz
ɪksˈpəʊzɪz
ˈrɛpjʊtəbl njuːz ˌɔːgənaɪˈzeɪʃənz
ɒn ə ˈrɛgjʊlə ˈbeɪsɪs
ˈɪnsɪdənts
ˈkrɪmɪnl ɔː ˈsɪvl ˈkeɪsɪz
ˈɪnstənsɪz
mɪsˈtriːtmənt
ˈmɛmərəbli krʊəl
hæv biːn nəʊn tuː biː
ˈbiːtn
dɪˈmiːnd
nɪˈglɛktɪd
ɪn tɜːmz ɒv
ðeə ˈbeɪsɪk ˈsænɪtəri niːdz.
ˈvʌlnərəbl
læk
dɪˈfɛnd
vɔɪs
ˈvɪzɪtɪŋ ˈfæmɪli
kənˈsɪdərɪŋ
ˈtəʊtl ˈnʌmbə
reə
ɪn ðə ˈfjuːʧə
tɛkˈnɒləʤi
ˈkləʊsə ˈmɒnɪtərɪŋ
əˈplaɪz
rɪsˈtrɪktɪd
ˈprɛmɪsɪz
ˌɪntərˈækt
pɪəz
fɔːm ˈmiːnɪŋfʊl
njuː bɒndz
ˈbɛnɪfɪts
ˈfæmɪli ˈjuːnɪt æz ə həʊl
ˈreəli ɪˈkwɪpt
ˈmɛdɪkəl ˈtreɪnɪŋ
faɪˈnænʃəl rɪˈsɔːsɪz
ˈeɪʤɪŋ
ˈnɪəli ɪmˈpɒsəbl
ˈeɪlɪŋ ˈpeərənt
æz wɛl æz
sʌm ˌkɒmbɪˈneɪʃən ɒv
ˈɛnəʤi
wɪl,
miːnz,
taɪm.
ˈpleɪsɪŋ
ɪnˈvɛst
ˈreɪzɪŋ
ədˈvɑːnsɪŋ
ˈstændəd ɒv ˈlɪvɪŋ
rɪsk
rɪˈtaɪəmənt həʊmz
ˌəʊvəˈʃædəʊ
ˈsɛnsɪtɪv ˈtɒpɪk
dɪˈsaɪd
əʊn bɛst ˈɪntrɪsts
Vocabulary Practice
D____________s of such communities h_______________________s of abuse. These are detailed in frequent, highly publicized, e_________s from r___________________________s o_________________s. Many of these i____________s become c___________________s and the i___________s of m_____________t are m_______________l. E________________e h________________________e b_________n, d__________________d and n_____________d i_________________f t_______________________s. These v____________e individuals often l_____k the ability to d___________d themselves or v_______e the abuse to v_____________y. However, c______________g the t_____________r of seniors in assisted care facilities, abuse is r____e and likely to decrease i________________e as t______________y allows for c_______________g of employees.
Overall, I believe retirement communities to be a positive as they are liberating for families. This a________s to the seniors themselves as, though they may be r___________d from leaving the p___________s, they can i__________t with their p________s and f____________________l, n__________s. The greatest b___________s, however, are for the f_______________________e. Families are r_________________d with the m_________________g or f___________________s to support a______g individuals. For instance, it is a n_________________e task for a family where both mother and father work to look after an a________________t a__________s their own young children. They are likely to lack s_____________________f e_______y, w____l, m_______s, and t_____e. By p_________g their parents in an elderly home, they will have more time to i_______t in r_______g their own children and a______________g at work, which will itself increase the s_______________g for all family members.
In conclusion, the r____k of possible abuse at r__________________s does not o______________w the benefits generally for families. This is a s__________________c but each individual must d_____e what is in their o____________________s.
Listening Practice
Reading Practice
Speaking Practice
Age
- Do you like your current age?
- What was the biggest decision you made in your life?
- At what age are people happiest?
Writing Practice
Nowadays more and more older people who need employment have to compete with younger people for the same jobs.
What problems does this cause?
What are the solutions?
There is a phenomenon that more and more retired people prefer to stay in retirement communities and centers, instead of living in their children’s house. In my opinion, this positive development may result in more entertainment and better health care for elder.
On the one hand, elder people could have fun with their counterparts, because they share the same memories of a period or situations. Retired people would likely talk about their personal stories repetitiously, which may bore children, and futher limite their happiness. However, they have the same topics to talk with other elders, because they may have worked together and experienced the same hisrotical moments. For example, there are a lot of old soilders in Russia who participated in World War II. They may have fought for each other and protected their nation together. Exciting discussions about wars or political laws may happen in retirement centers, which are beneficial to their minds, health, and entertainment.
On the other hand, adults may worry about the health situation of their parents, particularly those who have heart disease or other health problems. Adults need to work during the day and have no chance to look after their parents all day long. A single elder with heart disease may have an accident when something happens suddenly, such as thunder. It would be dangerous if he could not send messages for help. Therefore, retirement communities are needed to take care of elder. There are professional elder health care experts who can help arrange their healthy daily lives and handle emergency health problems.
In sum, living in retirement communities and centers would benefit not only elder’s entertainment, but also their health. In addition, governments should spend more on retirement communities and centers to take care of retired people.
Sir, in positive or negative development essay do we have to given our personal opinion.
Don’t think about different types of essays – examiners don’t!
To be on the safe side, always give your opinion, Samaira.
Noted with thanks.