Mini Debates Caring for the Elderly Pre-Reading Warm Up Questions ☀ 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 Is the population of senior citizens getting bigger or smaller in your country? What are the advantages of people living to an older age? longer and better lives Sometimes senior citizens are able to live What are the disadvantages of people living longer? normal lives and care for themselves until a very old age - but as Do you think that the quality of life is better now than it was fifty years ago? 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” How are most elderly people taken care of in your community? 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 COMPREHENSION 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 What group of people is becoming the fastest growing population in Canada? Why are people living longer lives? Who are the parent-sitters? Why is it difficult for parent-sitters to take care of their parents? Why is it a difficult decision for a child to put their parent into a nursing home? Copyright 2009 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 Mini Debates Caring for the Elderly 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 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 right word(s) from the left column above to complete the following sentences John took $25 from his sister’s purse Now he feels and _ Susan’s mother is 90 years old She has disease and can’t remember very much any more DISCUSS IT Work with a partner or in small groups Discuss the following questions Do you think it is wrong to put a parent into a nursing home? Who is responsible for caring for the elderly? Do you think that only the oldest child in a family is responsible for caring for the elderly parent? Should an elderly parent be put in a nursing home? What you think is the best way to care for the elderly? My friend only eats fruits and vegetables She has a very healthy My grandmother lives in a She is taken care of by nurses because she has become ill Do you think that it is better that people are living longer lives? WRITE IT People who are 50 years old are called Choose one of the questions above and write a paragraph stating your own opinion DEBATE IT Below are two 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 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 Copyright 2009 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 Mini Debates Caring for the Elderly ANSWER KEY Please note: The reading for this topic is also available in full-page format at the end of the lesson (page 4) Comprehension: 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 The middle-aged adults are “parent-sitters” 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 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 Vocabulary: A Match the words f e g 10 a j b B Choose the correct word guilty, ashamed Alzheimer's diet d c nursing home i 9.h middle-aged Copyright 2009 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 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 “parentsitters” 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 Copyright 2009 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