Homework 1 6

Caring for the Elderly
Copyright 2008. This eBook is produced and distributed by Red River Press Inc. All rights reserved. The contents within this e-book/document may only be
photocopied by members of ESL-Llibrary.com in accordance with membership terms and conditions. Contact info@esl-library.com for complete details.
CARING FOR THE ELDERLY
PRE-READING QUESTIONS
1. Is the population of senior citizens getting bigger or smaller in your country?

2. What are the advantages of people living to an older age?
3. What are the disadvantages of people living longer?

4. Do you think that the quality of life is better now than it was fifty years ago?
5. How are most elderly people taken care of in your community?
ESL Lesson Plans - Mini-Debates - Caring for the Elderly
Caring for the Elderly
The elderly are becoming the fastest growing population in Canada. The improvements in health care and diet
are helping people to have longer and better lives. Sometimes senior citizens are able to live normal lives and
care for themselves until a very old age - but as most people age - they need care takers at some point. As a
result, more middle-aged adults are responsible for taking care of their aging parents. These people are often
called “parent-sitters”.
Parent-sitters often have their elderly parents move in with them. The parent-sitters usually have busy lives
raising their own children, going to school or going to full-time jobs. It is especially difficult to take care of a
parent when they are ill with diseases, such as blindness, Alzheimer’s or arthritis.
Sometimes a parent-sitter will decide to put a parent in a nursing home, especially if the parent becomes very ill
and requires 24-hour care. This decision is very difficult and often leaves the child feeling guilty and ashamed
for not taking care of the parent at home. Many people feel it is the young person’s duty to take care of their
elder family member.
Nowadays, people are living much longer, often into their 90s, so it is sometimes not possible for family
members to care of these people at home. The choice of caring for aging parents at home or putting them in a
nursing home has become a very difficult one.
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. What group of people is becoming the fastest growing population in Canada?

2. Why are people living longer lives?
3. Who are the parent-sitters?
4. Why is it difficult for parent-sitters to take care of their parents?
5. Why is it a difficult decision for a child to put their parent into a nursing home?
VOCABULARY REVIEW
A. Match the words on the left with the correct meaning on the right.
1. nursing home A. older people

2. parent-sitter B. the usual food and drink that a person consumes
3. guilty C. people who are between the ages of 40-60
4. Alzheimer’s D. being unable to see
5. diet E. a person who takes care of one or both of their parents
6. blindness F. a special hospital where older people live until they die
7. middle-aged G. feeling that one has done something wrong
8. duty H. feeling bad about something that one has done
9. ashamed I. a responsibility or obligation
10. elderly J. a disease that causes a person to lose their memory and ability to move
B. Choose the correct word from the left column above to complete the following sentences.
1. John took $25 from his sister’s purse. Now he feels ____________________ and _____________________.
2. Susan’s mother is 90 years old. She has ________________________ disease and can’t remember very
much any more.
3. My friend only eats fruits and vegetables. She has a very healthy ________________________ .
4. My grandmother lives in a ________________________ . She is taken care of by nurses because she has
become ill.
5. People who are 50 years old are called ________________________ .
DISCUSS IT
Work with a partner or in small groups. Discuss the following questions.
1. Do you think it is wrong to put a parent into a nursing home?

2. Who is responsible for caring for the elderly?
3. Do you think that only the oldest child in a family is responsible for caring for the elderly parent?
4. Should an elderly parent be put in a nursing home?
5. What do you think is the best way to care for the elderly?
6. Do you think that it is better that people are living longer lives?
WRITE IT
Choose one of the questions above and write a paragraph stating your own opinion.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
DEBATE IT
Below are three topics to debate in small groups or pairs. Your teacher will tell you if you will be debating
for or against the idea. You will have ten minutes to prepare your arguments. (Your teacher will explain
the rules of debate before you begin.)
Topic #1:
Adult children are always responsible for taking care of an elderly parent at home.
Topic#2
Elderly parents should live in a nursing home.
Notes:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________

Homework 1 6

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Homework 1 6

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Caring for the Elderly

1. Is the population of senior citizens getting bigger or smaller in your country?

3. What are the disadvantages of people living longer?

Caring for the Elderly

elder family member.

nursing home has become a very difficult one.

1. What group of people is becoming the fastest growing population in Canada?

1. nursing home A. older people

Work with a partner or in small groups. Discuss the following questions.

1. Do you think it is wrong to put a parent into a nursing home?

You might also like