Task 2 model answer 25: Advantages and disadvantages of living with older people

In many traditional cultures, members of the same family will live together from childhood to old age. In many cases, older family members living at home is a trend which has both positive and negative aspects.

A significant point in favour of this is that it provides a good support network for parents, both of whom may work outside of the home. Having grandparents on hand to look after the children can potentially provide a more stable environment as the child will have a familiar face at home until the parents have finished working.

Influence of the grandparents extends beyond simple babysitting, however. They are able to provide a source of advice and knowledge that can greatly benefit all members of the family on a range of subjects, especially for when there are new born babies in the home as this can be a stressful time for new parents.

There are, of course, also disadvantages in having older people at home. There is the issue of space, as the family home may not be big enough to accommodate everyone comfortably. There is also the issue of deciding which members of the family should live together, as both the husband and wife may both have surviving parents.

To conclude, there are clear positives and negatives to having older members of the family living in the same house. Although at times there may be frictions typical when people live together, this is arguably outweighed by the advantages of the support and knowledge older people are able to offer.