WRITING 7+ // LEGAL RESPONSIBILITY

Some believe that younger family members should be legally responsible for supporting older family members when they become physically, mentally and financially unable to look after themselves.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Numerous individuals have recently urged that younger generations be forced by law to care for family members who are no longer capable of self-care. While this is ethically reasonable in one sense, I absolutely disagree with being legally compelled to do so owing to various improper situations.

It is sensible to assert that individuals bear absolute responsibility for their senior family members, most notably their parents, who are typically their closest ties and experience numerous aging obstacles, such as physical and mental health issues or financial concerns. In one respect, this is morally just, given that their parents typically spend most of their lives nurturing children from infancy. Parents, to an extent, also sacrifice their desires, savings, time, and sleep for their children's well-being. Thus, it is unquestionably the children's job to repay their beloved and respected parents. As a result, individuals might have a legal obligation to reside with their original care-givers, financially supporting them or assisting them with medical expenditures.

However, there are numerous contexts in which this treatment may be inappropriate and should be considered. To begin with, many independent parents believe their children owe them nothing. These parents argue that they are not loving and providing for their children with the expectation that they have to repay them  as adults, thereby rejecting their child's support. Moreover, some wealthy parents may not perceive their retirement as a major concern as they can hire someone to look after them without burdening their already struggling children. On the other hand, there could be other reasons, such as family tensions, a lack of time, or financial constraints, explaining why forcing children to take care of their aging parents is an inadvisable concept.

In conclusion, regardless of the moral grounds, there are simply too many situations in which this would result in inconveniences and impracticality. Therefore, I am entirely opposed to the law requiring youngsters to care for the elderly. (318 words)

IELTS Khang Tran.