Attitudes to the elderly LO To reflect on

Attitudes to the elderly LO: To reflect on issues faced by the elderly Starter: Make a list of no more than 5 benefits of being elderly and 5 disadvantages

Benefits Disadvantages

My Generation… • The generation gap has existed for many years. Young people still tend to think the elderly are old-fashioned and the elderly sometimes think young people are immoral and a potential threat to their safety. • Often elderly people use phrases such as “it wasn’t like that in my day” – what do you think they mean by this?

My Generation… • Read through the lyrics as the song is being played. • What do you think the songwriter is trying to get across in this song? • Listen to the song again, this time analyse the lyrics and write down what you think each line is suggesting.

Problems faced by the elderly… • Read through and summarise the problems faced by the elderly (page 36 -37) • Number them in accordance to your own order of importance. • Explain why you have chosen your most and least important.

Problems faced by the elderly… • Have to rely on state pension. Poverty can be a problem • Some are not ready to retire and their experience can be undervalued • Health problems • Less mobile and more dependent on others • Worthless to society – little to no contribution • Often face loneliness • Made to feel like a burden on family/society

Task… • What do you think can be done to help to make the lives of the elderly better? • Are the opinions of the elderly worth listening to? • What do you think the word ‘wisdom’ means?

‘Old people have no reason to complain’ (3 marks) Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer showing you have thought about more than one point of view.