Old Age and the Welfare State - Essay Example

Old Age and Welfare State The concept of a welfare state takes its basis from understanding that the citizens of a country need to be given their due and this must happen on a consistent basis. This is so required because old age citizens are dependent upon the state which has to look after their needs as well as the people who do not have jobs or are unable to make both ends meet due to high inflation and other significant factors that affect their lives in more ways than one. Therefore the concept of a welfare state is all the more significant because it touches upon quite a few areas which are related with the treatment of the people as they grow old and are unable to live their life their own way.

It is imperative that they are given the room to enjoy life as it comes and be given the different needs and luxuries of life because these are very dear to them without a shadow of a doubt. It is a fact that old age is a hindrance within the lives of the people and hence it is a good understanding if the old people are given the much needed assistance from the government because their experience and presence means immense value for one and all. What is needed however is a comprehension that this welfare state would live up to its promise and give its very best even within the most difficult of times (Theobald, 2003).

It must be remembered that when a person touches the age of 60 years, there are less people that surround him and this is the time when he is left on his own. It is the nation’s responsibility to look after his needs and give him shelter, food possibilities, a job if the need is and all other amenities of life. This is the most premise of the welfare state as has been the norm all over the world. Some people believe that old age is a problem. The fact of the matter is that this is not seen as a problem and should not be taken as such.

If at all this was a problem, the dictum of a welfare state would not have started in the first place. However, there are some sections of the society which believe that a welfare state is there to look after the needs of all and sundry and not just the old individuals. These people view the welfare state ideology as a flawed one that has brought little benefits to their own domains and the same will continue to be the case as far as their thinking rationales are concerned. But then again, the most basic question is that whether or not the welfare state is something that must be understood within the premise of a collective good or just for the sake of the old people who are indeed the senior citizens at the end of the day.

There seem to be many answers available for such a question if posed. The welfare state is therefore an entity that takes into consideration the due roles of the people who are unable to find solace with their lives in a number of varied ways. The state promises them the cover that they so direly require and takes into its own perspective how issues need to be analyzed and adjusted, which would essentially mean success for the old people in one way or the other (Finsveen, 2010). The welfare state does not imply for any shortcomings within the lives of the old people yet it signifies a desire to set things right within their domains so that they can achieve success and make both ends meet on a day to day basis.

A welfare state is therefore a state which gives back without asking for any returns towards the elders of a state which is a collective good