I called home the other day to chat to my parents, the usual thing to do when you’re stayin away from home.
Mum told me that Dad was shocked the other day when he saw an old man attempting to hang himself at the garage in the house next door. The house next to ours was converted into a care centre for old folks, since last year. The living condition is dismal, and just barely OK.
The old folks’ family visit them every Sunday, but all they do is spend an average of an hour.
Oh, back to the old man who attempted suicide. Well, he must have been pretty unhappy. Mum told me that sometimes dad or brother would hear the old folks cry out to their caretaker not to be rough on them while helping them bathe. Instead, they heard the caretaker (we don’t know how many of them) hit them and sometimes they’d hear the old folks complain about the water being too cold.
They are fed only twice a day, with pitiful food. I know, because I saw the cook (or caretaker) throw out the leftovers for the dogs to eat. Plain rice with something, I don’t know. They are served dinner at 4pm.
4PM!!!!!
Who eats dinner at 4PM?
When I was back for the Chinese New Year holidays, I saw the old folks left in their wheelchairs, under the morning sun at 9AM, just watching the dogs’ puppies play. No interaction, no joy in their lives – it was quite a sad sight. Very pitiful.
The care centre is supposedly part of a church. -___-
Seriously, I am sure they had good intentions, but why hire caretakers who abuse the old folks instead of taking care of them properly? Is money an issue?
Anyway, back to the story. I don’t think the old man managed to kill himself. I wonder if he got a scolding from the caretaker(s) and his relatives. I wish I could scold them instead, for being cold-hearted!
Poor old man.
Sniff…Unappreciative children….sigh..
zOMG! 1st !
yeah, most of the care centres, the conditions are pretty bad.
sad but true.
our co. is running a charity program to help fix one of the old folks home around town…
It really boils my biscuit to hear that people would mistreat vulnerable old folk like this.
Complain!! Shut these people down and get the old folks better caretakers! Nobody should have to suffer the indignity of living their last days out in misery!
Pity the old folks….what’s wrong with the society lately?
poor thing…complain to the management!!!ish!!!
Hey bimbobum.. i think u should volunteer since its only next door. 😉
iv’N: means i have to balik kampung! then i have to cancel all future plans of waiting for you to ask me out …….. wahahahahah ;P
KhinKo: afraid that they’ll burn my house down leh
Amos: no time for family, wanna make more and more money what!
Applegal: and to be related to that particular church is appalling, don’t you think? i think the stupid church should do something.
allan: very noble! charity work is scarce nowadays – the genuine one without need for fame, i mean. 😉
karheng: zOMG!!
applegal: that’s the problem..there isn’t enough money to get them better caretakers..it’s either tahan, or live on the streets.
support your local care centre! (or a rotaract/rotary/interact club.)
Sad to hear it. Maybe its time for someone to take some action on the general treatment of old folks in Malaysia. Maybe the government should have more control and regulations on retirement homes.
Poor treatment of old folks is just as bad as child labour or war refugees.
Guess this needs to be addressed.
bimbo: yes! and thats why am not mentioning names!
i guess it all boils down to commitment, if the local community would organize monthly day care visits, grab some funds from gomen and residents staying nearby, that would help as well.
Remember Moral classes in secondary school? We would always have endless discussions and debates about stuff like this. There was once where we debated on whether parents should be sent to old folks home/care homes when they’re old?
My Mum, being the some liberal she is in certain areas of life, always said that she does not mind an old folks home, provided it’s a good one. She always says that “you think what, it’s cheap ar?” Which is true, the good ones with small luxuries and nurses etc cost a fortune! I’m still quite torn whether she really means it or is just trying to pretend to be liberal.
But anyway, based on her views i advocated then that care homes MAY not be a bad thing especially if we (children) are too busy with work etc, we may not have enough time to look after them. What if something were to happen to them whilst we’re away ? Some homes have nurses etc, plus they can mingle with people their age.
I of course got bollocking from advocates of the other side. One guy was so emotional about his point of view to the extent that he wanted to go for a fist fight to settle the issue. Haha weird classmates of mine. Anyway, he said this in Malay (loosely translated) which stayed in my mind till today.
“You’re parents are willing to undress you and clean the various excrements from your privates when you’re a baby. You can’t even do the same for them when they’re old and not able?”
We all went WooOOOOOOOooOh!!!
He has a good point and i kept my mouth shut. At this moment i cannot honestly say that i am able to do that when they’re old. Even imagining it is a lil bit gross to be honest. It’s not really about the excrements, but shylar….
Anyway, just a point to ponder on.
yes money is an issue…