Life of old people in modern society Glossary for IELTS

10 Society terms

This glossary can help you prepare for the IELTS writing tasks related to Life of old people in modern society.

burden: noun; A load, typically a heavy one.; Example: On the other had, those who support the system say that, retired parents can be a burden to young families.
controversy: noun; Prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion.; Example: However, this situation has raised controversy about whether we extend to our elders the care and respect they deserve.
elderly: adjective; (of a person) old or ageing.; Example: Many old peoples in Britain, after a lifetime of hard work and the toil of bringing up children, are put into homes for the elderly by their families.
expensive: adjective; Costing a lot of money.; Example: Not only is it expensive to support old people who have little or no income, but the fact that old people are often ill and need a great deal of looking after can be too much for their busy children.
finance: noun; The management of large amounts of money, especially by governments or large companies.; Example: Old people in good health and with enough finances to support themselves can be a great help to their children.
penniless: adjective; (of a person) having no money; very poor.; Example: On the other had, sick and penniless old people are better off being looked after in retirement homes at government expense.
retirement: noun; The action or fact of leaving one's job and ceasing to work.; Example: They point out that in retirement homes old people tend to feel useless and unwanted by their family members, who seldom come to see them.
tend: verb; Regularly or frequently behave in a particular way or have a certain characteristic.; Example: They point out that in retirement homes old people tend to feel useless and unwanted by their family members, who seldom come to see them.
toil: noun; Exhausting physical labour.; Example: Many old peoples in Britain, after a lifetime of hard work and the toil of bringing up children, are put into homes for the elderly by their families.
unwanted: adjective; Not or no longer desired.; Example: They point out that in retirement homes old people tend to feel useless and unwanted by their family members, who seldom come to see them.