Seniors

There was a topic on radio on who's responsibility it is to take care of the senior citizens; the government, the children, or the seniors themselves. Here in Asian especially in Malaysia, it is frown upon to even think of sending your parents to a nursery or the old folk's home.

Imho, naturally every kids would want to take care of their parents. It is in every kid's heart the willingness to provide and care for their parents when they are old enough, should they have the means and capacities to do so. It is natural for parents too, not to burden the kids with such responsibility, unless unintentionally.

It is the same as the way parents took care of their children when they were young. Remember when we were kids, some were sent to nurseries and daycare centres while the parents went to work. Some stayed with their grandparents, and some got maid hired to keep an eye on them at home. In unfortunate cases where the kids were sick or needed special assistance and attention to live by, they were sent and 'kept' in hospital or special institution where specialist and experts could help with them getting better.

Now the cycle is reversed, it's unfair to judge those sending their parents to old folk's home as bad children. Dumping them to any homes or hospitals and totally ignoring them, leaving everything in the hand of the caretaker, don't bother to go and visit; now THAT's negligence. Otherwise in cases where the parents are incapable in taking care of themselves and the kids can't afford to quit working to look after the parents 24/7, it should be OK for them to be sent to sort of a daycare centre while the kids go to work. You don't have to if you can afford to find a nurse to take care of them at home.

As we don't judge parents who sent their kids to daycare centres, it is unfair to judge kids who send their parents to good quality old folk's homes - that's what I think. The regulators can help by providing more flexibility and benefits to kids such as better, qualified centres, special leave from work to take care of parents, subsidies and others. Awareness on better retirement plan should be instilled too as well as better lifestyle in terms of maintaining a good health and a sound mind. Also one of the caller on radio mentioned on the importance of "siblings' meeting", which I totally agree with.

Family is everything. We love them, we want the best for them. We hope and pray for their happiness, always, herein and hereafter, insyaAllah