Unproductive old folks are always neglected.....

There are a couple of important issues in your post that should be examined. First, older people who are unproductive are giving themselves more problems than necessary. I'm 61, and if I were unproductive, I don't think I could live with myself. I work full-time, put a great deal into a number of charitable causes, read a lot, and meet with wonderful friends several times a week on myLot. My kids and I keep in touch, but there's no way I'd allow myself to be their responsibility. Does that mean I'm fortunate enough to have good health? I wish I did. I have several extremely dangerous health problems. I take a huge number of medications each day, and I see various doctors at least three days each week. Still, I wouldn't ever want to be anybody's responsibility but my own. My friends off-line are great, but I don't impose my problems on them, any more than I would on my kids. I have a medical transportation company take me where I need to go when I'm too sick to drive. When my husband finally gets out of prison, I'll rely on his help more than I would on anyone else, but for now I have to take care of everything. We'll get his problems straightened out in a couple of years, when he's home, but, although the governor promised to help us learn to sue for a totally illegal incarceration, we've been unable to get political help while he's serving a sentence for a crime someone else confessed to having committed. Of course, this makes everything more stressful and difficult for me. Why should the children shoulder these burdens? We raised them to be independent and self-sufficient, not to be burdened with our problems. Does our love for our children depend on what they do for us? Of course not. Do they love us for what we can do for them? Of course not. Nobody's love is conditional. Will we end up in an old-folks' home? Never! I might need help with taking care of this big old house, but I won't leave it and turn over my problems to someone else. If I were desperate for help, I could get a live-in assistant for the same or less money than one of those horrid places would charge. I have no intention of being warehoused! If any of my kids were having a hard time of things in this terrible economy, I might hire them to help in the house, but I would never expect them to be saddled with my needs as well as their own. The point is, I won't let myself go, and my children have enough responsibilities with their own families.

I would never neglect my parents. When my father was sick and dying I visited with him constantly. My husband new that I would be spending the nights with him, and if he wanted to see me, he would have to drive an hour and half to my fathers house. I learned to love my husband more for the service and kindness he showed my father in his time of need. If I had children I would expect them to support me in the care of my father as well.

there is no way that i will neglect my parents when they are old and couldn't take care of themselves anymore... that is just so wrong... i will definitely take care of them and try to spend time with them as well... that is just the right thing to do especially after they take care of us since we are still a baby... so i will make sure that i take care of them and put them in my house if i can when they are really old... take care and have a nice day...

I am kinda sure Filipino traditionalists are still against putting up their old parents in homecares or homes for the aged, though maybe some have done this, but maybe just a few. We Filipinos love to take care of our parents in their old age. I myself would never abandon my parents in their fragile state, that is when they needed their children most, why turn their backs from them? Though my parents and I are on bad terms right now, I still envision a happy old age for them, I just don't have the heart to see them kicked out and mend for themselves. Just yesterday, while I was walking in the street, I saw an old woman looking for food in the trash can and I really cried for her, I went to the bakeshop and bought her food. She gave me this weird look, took the food from my hand and quietly scurried in the corner. I was thinking she maybe embarrassed even to say thank you or she may be very hungry. As I walked away, I felt sorry for her, even felt both mad and sorry for her children who abandoned her. It's just sad. I don't really know how to solve this universal problem, but an individual can certainly make a difference. Every little kind gesture, a generous action, can make a difference. I just hope others can find kindness in their hearts as well. Great discussion! Keep posting!

I live with my 83 year old mother. She is almost deaf and I wouldn't think of leaving her alone. My father passed away in 1997 and now I feel as though I didn't do as much for him as I should. But, I guess I am only human and I did the best that I could. I can see the mistakes that I maded and try to correct them. We have our little disagreements but she is usually right anyway. Her older sister is 90 years and she lives alone but her son is right next door to her. I wouldn't think of sending her to and old folks home as long as I can care for her.

Since their parents no matter what we have on the ex-rearing,thes is our generationg can not forget,we usually are busy working, overlooked the parents,perhaps as long as we arrived home, a warm words, so that parents can feel very happy and meet.