The IELTS Teacher Mastering IELTS Writing: Model Answers

Many elderly people are no longer looked after by their families but are put in
care homes or nursing homes.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?

GAP FILL VERSION (SEE COMPLETED VERSION BELOW)

It is ___________ common for families to send their elderly ___________ to live in

nursing homes, rather than take care of them at home. This essay will
___________ some of the benefits and drawbacks that have resulted from this
___________.

Looking ___________ at the positives, a significant advantage is that care homes

are often much better ___________ to deal with the demands of elderly people
___________ family homes. For example, nursing homes do not usually have
stairs, and for ___________ which do, stairlifts or elevators need to be ___________.
This means that the typical mobility problems which tend to appear among
geriatrics are not exacerbated. Not only ___________, but the staff who work at
nursing homes have been professionally trained to manage ___________ needs of
the elderly. It is rare for family members to ___________ these skills.

___________, care homes for the elderly also present some disadvantages, the
most obvious of ___________ is the lack of loved ones around. Although it is
possible for friends and relatives to visit nursing home residents, these visits
can be ___________, and loneliness is often the ___________. To ___________ matters
worse, it has been shown that those who are lonely are at ___________ risk of
becoming depressed and having their ___________ system weakened.
Furthermore, care home residents are often ___________ by illness and death.
Such an ___________ is likely to curtail happiness and trigger ___________
depression.

In conclusion, despite the benefits of specially-trained staff and well-equipped

facilities ___________ nursing homes can offer the elderly, the ___________ of
loneliness and its concomitant depression should also be ___________ into
consideration.
The IELTS Teacher Mastering IELTS Writing: Model Answers

COMPLETED VERSION

It is increasingly common for families to send their elderly relatives to live in

nursing homes, rather than take care of them at home. This essay will highlight
some of the benefits and drawbacks that have resulted from this switch.

Looking firstly at the positives, a significant advantage is that care homes are
often much better equipped to deal with the demands of elderly people than
family homes. For example, nursing homes do not usually have stairs, and for
those which do, stairlifts or elevators need to be installed. This means that the
typical mobility problems which tend to appear among geriatrics are not
exacerbated. Not only this, but the staff who work at nursing homes have been
professionally trained to manage the needs of the elderly. It is rare for family
members to possess these skills.

However, care homes for the elderly also present some disadvantages, the
most obvious of which is the lack of loved ones around. Although it is possible
for friends and relatives to visit nursing home residents, these visits can be
infrequent, and loneliness is often the consequence. To make matters worse, it
has been shown that those who are lonely are at greater risk of becoming
depressed and having their immune system weakened. Furthermore, care home
residents are often surrounded by illness and death. Such an environment is
likely to curtail happiness and trigger severe depression.
The IELTS Teacher Mastering IELTS Writing: Model Answers

In conclusion, despite the benefits of specially-trained staff and well-equipped

facilities that nursing homes can offer the elderly, the drawbacks of loneliness
and its concomitant depression should also be taken into consideration.