It happens to us all, however hard we may try to delay the process—we grow old. Surgery may remove wrinkles (皱纹), skin which has become less firm may be tightened by a surgical operation on the face, and hair-dressers may dye grey hair a more youthful color, but we cannot remain young forever.
Advances in medicine have made it possible for more people to stay alive longer. However, what is important is the quality of life, and people age differently. Some people remain quite well and able to look after themselves when they get old, but others of the same age are not so lucky. They have to go into a nursing home in order to receive adequate care.
The worst aspect of ageing is that often the mind becomes less alert. As people grow older, they often experience loss of short-term memory, although they may well be able to recall quite easily s that happened long ago. Later they may suffer from dementia (痴呆), a disease which gets gradually worse.
By no means all elderly people are in this category. Many senior citizens are in possession of all their faculties and see retirement as a time of . Not only that, if they have a generous retirement pension, they are likely to be quite well off, with money to spend on holidays and other luxuries. Because of this, both businesses and government have a new respect for what is known as grey power.
By no means, however, does everyone treat OAPs with respect. There are some culture which are noted for the great respect with which they treat their old people, but many people in other cultures regard the old people as having a very low status in society and treat them accordingly. They often consider old people as having one foot in the grave. Someone should remind them that they, too, will be old one day.
Elderly people who cannot look after themselves go to ______.