By and large, societies around the world are slowly aging, and this is creating its own unique challenges to care for this segment of our population. In your country or culture, what is the current situation of senior citizens:- Are many of them finding it necessary to work?
- Do seniors often live alone or with family in their old age?
- Do you have a grandparent that lives or lived with you?
- What lessons of life can the elderly teach the youth of your country?
Randall
Due to the current economic situation in our country more and more senior citizens cannot afford to retire. In fact, most of them work two jobs in order to make ends meet. It's a common reality in Brazil for the oldest in the household to provide food and pay for the bills because the youth are having a hard time trying to get a job. As to their wisdow, as awkward as it might sound, we don't value and look up to the elderly as we should - which is a pity because they have so much to teach. I think it's a cultural thing. It's not like China where the elderly always have a say over different issues.
ReplyDeleteAs our country China is large of population. In city, retiring age women who are worker over 50 years old,managers over 55 years old, Men all over 60 years old. They can get annuities of social security after retiring. Some senior citizens who have high tech or skill choose to continue work in order to be full their time in live, no as money. Some senior citizens have to work as their children couldn't support their life by themself. A lot of seniors live with their children to help their children's family doing housework or take care of grandson and granddaughter. But in the further, many senior will live alone as there is only one child in family. The experience of life of the elderly can teach the youth to live in good lifestyle. In our goverments are progressing to improve how to ensure seniors having good live in their last years.
ReplyDeleteIn my country China, some but not many senior citizens will keep working after retirement. There will usually be some money (no matter much or little) in our senior’s pockets，because “saving money for any possible future needs or accidents” is a kind of traditional dogma which is deep into people’s mind here. Some seniors are back into work because they do not want to be idle and useless, dough is one of reason but apparently not be the most important one. My dad is doing his job now with the “salary” which is less than 1000 RMB per month after his retirement. I guess he just like to have people to chat with and be around sometime. And I believe taking care of grandchildren is the most popular and main “job” for Chinese seniors nowadays. Many youth even leave their babies to their parents who live in the different cities for several years, which is ridiculous in my opinion. Most of Chinese seniors (not 70-year old I mean) really enjoy that “job” and see it as a natural and happy thing. They move to totally new city and become the full-time baby-sister and housekeeper willingly. At least that is always my mom’s dream!
ReplyDeleteI think more and more seniors in china now live alone. Yesterday they left homeland and parents to struggle for better life and today their children do the same thing. Even though the whole families are in the same city and are close to each other, young people want the free and independent time and space, so do the old. In my plan, I will take my parents live with me when they are too old to take care themselves, at least we will live in the neighbor, I mean I can get their house in 10 mins and see them anytime I want or they want. Thus nursemaids who will do housework and look after old people’s daily lives when we are absent are necessary. Taking care of four parents and our own children in the future is not easy for my husband and me. But as the only child in each family, that is what we have to face and I am sure we can handle it well.I had lived with my grandfather for several years and he is the only one who wanted to live with my family, the other grandparants did not like to leave their own home. I was almost spoiled by my grandfather, whatever I wanted whatever I asked he would try everything to make me satisfied.And my parants even could not blame me in front of him!I love him very much.
As to the lessons the seniors can teach us, I think it depends on the knowledge and the experiences the senior had.But we really can learn something from them,especially from those strong positive and smart guy who is always full of hope.
I´m spanish and I´m a bit worried about the future because it´s difficult to support all the senior citizens spend (or, at least, that seems according the experts). It´s outrageous, due to the huge effort they have made during all their lifes. My parents and grand-parents started working at 15 years old! Have they wait to 65 years old to the retirement?
ReplyDeleteApparently, we are facing with the growing of the aging population more and more. Now, with the supports of the scientic and technical achievements, people can last their lives longer.
ReplyDeleteIn general, the average age of the retirement is 60 for men and 55 for women. In fact, in the cities, they all want to continue working, not for money but for their need of communication, passion of working and many other reasons. For instance, at the age of 60, my father has to retire, I remember that he was so sad and fell ill. One year later, he found a job and now he is OK. It is clearly that he works now not for the money but for his leisure.
In Vietnam, the majority of senior lives with their family in their old age. So, my husband 's parent really want to live with us. I find that will make our parent comfortable and safe but it is complicated when we live together with the difference of characters and views. Obviously, that limites young couple 's fredoom and privare life. Otherwise, with their experience, the elderly can teach us alot about how to avoid failures, mistakes in the life or they can give us useful advises to live better.
This particular topic touches my heart and my situation so I enjoyed reading the comments. I try to gain insights. We can learn a lot from the elderly. I learned to try to plan ahead and save no matter how difficult it might be. I've seen the mistake of my mom who now relies on just her social security pension which, sadly, is not enough. She lives in deep poverty and in want, it actually drag me too & my daughter to this same situation. I try to save as much as I can and save for more pension coverages and medical coverage though lately pensions & health insurances are hot topics and widely debated on the question of until when can it last. That is pretty scary. I don't wish to live too long as I might not have many relatives or kids to take care of me when it's my turn. I am an only child, I see the mistakes of being born as one child in the family. Worse, I am a single parent & I have one daughter too. At my age it might be difficult to bear another child, besides I don't have a husband or a boyfriend right now. I'm neck-deep in caring for my mom, juggling 2 jobs and caring for my grade school child. It's not easy. I see the mistakes of being an only child. I wish I'd have brothers or sister and I wish the same for my daughter. The future will be so bleak, scary and very difficult for my daughter if she remains alone to care for me and for herself when she becomes old too. I wish her the best and to have a strong family support in the future. I wish for her to have many kids and to have a good loving husband who makes for a good, responsible partner in life for her. We say jokes among my cousins that being women, we don't want to live beyond 60 yrs old if we will just become senile, useless and a source of irritation to family & relatives. When it's our turn, we all agree we pray for God's provision to take care of us and give us a good night's rest once and for all so that we won't have to endure a useless life on diapers & medication. It just wastes the many years that we have saved. It's best to enjoy the savings while having a good health. After that, it's time to rest and not to bother our families with the ever increasing costs of maintaining elderly who burns through the pockets. It's best to enjoy a shorter, meaningful and productive life rather than wish for a long, meaningless life full of anxieties about the future and many other worries & fears.
ReplyDeleteNowadays there are many seniors living in our society. I think that this number is increasing since I was born and this situation makes me think who will care for them in the future.
ReplyDeleteFirstly, the senior citizens are people who were young one day and deserve a lot of comprehension. Besides, we can learn about life with them enjoying their advises and worries.
However, in the current days people do not take care of the elderly. For these reason, I think that us, like sons, must to think better about taking care of ours grandfathers and grandmothers to make the old age less sad.
Particullarly, I am an only child and I have a big responsability with my parents because they will have only me to take care of them in the old age. Fot this reason, I fell very worried about this situation.
To sum up, we must take care of the senior citizens because they could be our grandfather, grandmother or even our parents. So we have to start to think now in how to make better their lives and move to make this dream come true as fast as we can!
A developing country like Philippines is battling with various kinds of national issues. Poverty is the leading problem. Senior citizens are mostly divested of health care, good housing, and enough pension. Depending on their prior social status and occupation determines their current status. However, most seniors dwells with their families, some are living on the streets, and others are in home for the aged. These fragile population has been the least priority in my country. Pension is the only grant given to them.There were no jobs available jobs for them as companies find them more costly than hiring younger ones. As a result, some of them ended up selling cigarettes on side walks, some have become beggars to sustain their daily lives.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, it is our culture to look after our parents when they get old. We were once taking good care of our grandparents, but there were also associated conflicts arises to this set up. Firstly, financial constraints.Secondly, the caregiver. These problems hinders senior citizens to live normally, they were sometimes compelled to do things beyond their capabilities.
Elderly populations advised younger generations to work hard, save for their retirements as they were the least priority by the government.
It’s so sensitive topic especially when relating to health. In Russia is sad how elderly treated in hospitals and government clinics. How terrible is hospitals environment, the service is even worse, not take care at all ( of course have exceptions of humanity, but general) , food is so pure, not enough of nurses ( as salary is paltry, and that is why , no service, not care,even do worse) i would say better stay at home if not emergency than go to hospital. Of course have some private clinics, but seniors not able to afford it.
ReplyDeletePension also very low, and have or more should pay for the flat fee and another fees. Only hope is supported from children. And it’s difficult to be only one child... life is very hard for elderly here, as they hoped on government , but in present is helpless...
It's a very important topic because it's related to every person. In my country Venezuela, when people get old they usually lives with relatives, people who have to go to a retirement house is usually because they're abandoned, or they are alone. I can not think of my mother living her last years at these places. But it is true that some countries like The Netherlands (I lived there for one year) they have special residences where seniors live in little houses next to the others but they're assisted everyday by a team of nurses, if the have a problem, there is a medical service next to theirs units, they have like a restaurant and other common areas that they can share but at the same time they're separated and independent. I think that developing these possibilities are the key to build a better future for seniors.
ReplyDeleteIn my country find work for the elderly is very hard, even with their experience, considering the "family" side, they are not abandoned, it is normal to find families where the grandparents live in the same place, unfortunately for me that was not the case, as they always lived in another house. I think that the elderly can teach many things to the youth, especially if we consider the experience they have, for example, in the politic, it is very common to ask the point of view of an elderly that lived in the country and saw different presidents.
ReplyDeleteIn Vietnam, it is very hard for elderly to get a job due to their oldness or just unsuitable for the job itself.Most of them are living with their family and other are been cared in the center.The elderly can teach young people about their past experience about lives,war and even relationship so that they can know more about the history.
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