Exit Loneliness @WWW
An interesting and sad article from the Economic Times. It talks about how older people have become adept at using the WWW to keep loneliness at bay.
As much as the older folk pretend that they are fine with their living conditions there is no denying the fact that they miss their children who are "well settled" abroad in high paying jobs. These parents make do with the support of their local relatives, friends and neighbors and of course now the WWW.
To the dude who bought his father a laptop computer and his equally cool sister who bought their dad computer course material ... its a decent gift and must have cost a pretty packet and all that but it doesn’t replace being there with the folks and making sure they are doing okay specially in their old age when health issues begin to take over. Sending email and calling a couple of times a week do not suffice! I know I have no details of the reasons for the kids to be away from their parents but I still think it is not right to leave ones parents alone especially in their old age and that too several continents away.
Other countries may do things differently but I have seen how pathetic life is for people living in old-age/retirement homes (both in India and abroad). I agree old people can be cranky and difficult but the answer is not as simple as putting them in a home as soon as they cross 70 yrs in age. They need their privacy and freedom as everyone else but also need a lot of support of the emotional kind and not just the monetary kind at their age.
Category: brain drain rant
As much as the older folk pretend that they are fine with their living conditions there is no denying the fact that they miss their children who are "well settled" abroad in high paying jobs. These parents make do with the support of their local relatives, friends and neighbors and of course now the WWW.
To the dude who bought his father a laptop computer and his equally cool sister who bought their dad computer course material ... its a decent gift and must have cost a pretty packet and all that but it doesn’t replace being there with the folks and making sure they are doing okay specially in their old age when health issues begin to take over. Sending email and calling a couple of times a week do not suffice! I know I have no details of the reasons for the kids to be away from their parents but I still think it is not right to leave ones parents alone especially in their old age and that too several continents away.
Other countries may do things differently but I have seen how pathetic life is for people living in old-age/retirement homes (both in India and abroad). I agree old people can be cranky and difficult but the answer is not as simple as putting them in a home as soon as they cross 70 yrs in age. They need their privacy and freedom as everyone else but also need a lot of support of the emotional kind and not just the monetary kind at their age.
Category: brain drain rant
posted by Sushil at 9:55 pm
16 Comments:
I agree with you 100% that parents are our responsibility and NOTHING can justify them being left alone in their old age. They should be looked after like they looked after us when we were small. I feel very strongly about this
:(
I agree ...its really cruel indeed. But now with India being the land of opportunites I see atleast some folks moving back and in the process getting to live closer to folks as well.
I agree...and its very cruel indeed. I really feel bad when I see more and more of so called luxury old age homes coming up in Kerala. But now with India being the land of opportunities, I see atleast some folks moving back and being closer to their folks once again.
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Mm...true..very true...It is also happenin as an aftereffect of different permutation combinations of what is profitable and safe career paths..If only we could take some time to relax and think!!!!!
true to the word.I(not too old yet) use it right now to beat the lonely phase too.
You have been tagged!
It is so very true..70 years and u gift them a comp to send u mails while you stay comfortably numb in the cozy pastures of foreign lands...well written dude..maybe our people have a little bit of sense and empathize
Hey Sushil! Long time no updates, please post!!
Hey Sushil, Was it my tag that finally drove you away? :) Hope not. Look forward to seeing more posts.
Congrats...for u know what..just came from the blog of quillss..so hope u understand..have fun buddy..:)
long time...........no blogs
ahem - achayan is online ..hmm..intereshting shtuff. it is 10 yrs since we passed out ( pun intended).
Nice to know that still people think about parents still and they give lot of importance too . i know how painful when no one is there and they almost have everything except the love and compassion which plays a major role in life. Love cures diseases it is so powerful . But to tell u one more thing we need money to servive also. If we slog for 20 years here and saty outside for 5 years it is the same ... Great to know u .
Nice to know that still people think about parents still and they give lot of importance too . i know how painful when no one is there and they almost have everything except the love and compassion which plays a major role in life. Love cures diseases it is so powerful . But to tell u one more thing we need money to servive also. If we slog for 20 years here and saty outside for 5 years it is the same ... Great to know u .
Yes, parents are our responsibility. A couple of years ago I went to an old age home to visit a friend of the family's. Most of the people there were there cos their children were abroad. It was so sad. Many of them had migrated with their children, and had to return to India cos they could not bear the cold climate. It was terrible, the thought of these people spending their last days in an oldage home, lonely. I for one would never do that to my parents.
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