From the Readers

Old people are indeed assets

(China Daily)
Updated: 2010-06-25 07:50

Comment on "Treat old people as assets, which they are" (China Daily, June 22)

Today's child is tomorrow's senior citizen. It is life's evolution, the short journey of a person's lifespan on earth. Every living organism goes through the same process. There is birth, there is death. Nothing escapes.

An infant is just as helpless as a grand old person. All things being equal, a child takes a longer time to become capable of taking care of himself, while an old person becomes incapable mainly because of health reasons. Surveys show that most elderly people suffer from health problems in their advanced age. But if an old person is in good health, he/she can still do some work and be useful to society.

In China, since ancient times, children have been raised inculcating the value of filial piety that calls on adults to take care of their aging or aged parents. This is a very important value, which Chinese people should never forget, for the simple reason that today's child is tomorrow's senior citizen.

A son today will become someone's father tomorrow. As a child he has his parents to care for him but as he matures and can take care of himself he has the duty of caring for his aging parents. A person who takes care of his aging parents would like his/her offspring to take care of him/her when he ages and becomes helpless. So in between the two states of helplessness is the useful and purposeful life period.

Like an individual, a country too acts responsibly only if it takes care of its senior citizens, all of who had been useful to their family and country at some stage of their life. If one is unfortunate enough not to have a caring child, then one has to depend on the State for help, and the State should come to the person's rescue. When states treat their old people as assets, they show great care and responsibility.

Old people can be useful to society as long as they are reasonably healthy. Some not only raise their own children, but also help raise their grandchildren. Because of experience they can be quite effective too. As long as they have a shelter and get enough to eat and wear they, in most cases, are a happy lot. They do not need a lot.

For the unfortunates, the government needs to build old people's home, where they can get shelter, healthcare and other amenities. Good governments will never shirk the responsibility of taking care of their senior citizens. By fulfilling their responsibilities, they only facilitate the building of a harmonious society and offer old people a life that is free of troubles.

Hence, the government should take more concrete steps to help the needy and the helpless.

HsunTze, on China Daily website

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(China Daily 06/25/2010 page9)