67. 68. 69. 70.III. READ THE PASSAGE CAREFULLY AND ANSWER THE QUES...

66. 67. 68. 69. 70.III. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions that follow. Many people wrongly believe that when people reach old age, the families place them in nursinghomes. They are left there in the hands of strangers for the rest of their lives. Their grown children visit themonly occasionally. The truth is that this idea is an unfortunate myth – a fictitious story. In fact, family membersprovide over 80 percent of care that elderly people need.Because Americans are living longer than ever, more psychologists and social workers have begun tostudy care giving to improve care of the elderly. They have found that all caregivers share a commoncharacteristic: All caregivers believe they are the best person for the job. One caregiver said that she hadalways been closed to her mother. Another was the oldest child. Another was the youngest child. Socialworkers interviewed caregivers to find out why they took on the responsibilities of caring for an elderly,dependent relative. They discovered three basic reasons. Many caregivers believed that they had an obligationto help their relative. Some stated that helping others made them more useful. Others hoped that by helpingsomeone now, they would deserve care when they became old and dependent.When people care for an elderly relative, they often do not use available community services, such asadult daycare centers. If the caregivers are adult children, they are more likely to use such services, especiallybecause they often have jobs and other responsibilities. In contrast, a spouse, usually the wife, is much lesslikely to use support services or to put the dependent person in a nursing home. Social workers discovered thatthe reason for this difference was fear of poverty. All ill, elderly people may live years, and medical care andnursing homes are very expensive. An elderly couple’s saving can disappear very quickly. The survivingspouse, usually the wife, can be left poverty. As a result, she often tries to take care of her husband herself foras long as she can.Researchers have found that caring for the elderly can be a very positive experience. The elderlyappreciated the care and attention they received. They were affectionate and cooperative. However, evenwhen care giving is satisfying, it is hard work. Social workers and experts on aging offer caregivers andpotential caregivers help when arranging for the care of an elderly relative. One consideration is to ask parentswhat they want before they become sick or dependent. Perhaps they prefer going into a nursing homes andcan select one in advance. On the other hand, they may want to live with their adult children. Caregivers mustalso learn to be assertive and ask for help from others, especially siblings. Brothers and sisters are willing tohelp, but they do not know what to do.We can expect to live longer lives than ever before. Caring for the elderly and being taken care of canbe a mutual satisfying experience for everyone involved.