My dear child, when you were small,
I used to spend lots of time on behalf of you,
I teach you how to eat with a spoon and chopsticks slowly,
I teach you how to wear clothes, comb your hair,
Now, I am sick and bedridden,
I always think of the previous sweet memory between us,
Please give me a little time to recall your childish face,
Let me think again…
But I may recall nothing,
As I am old now,
So I get things forgot easily.
When we get older one day, do we have to face the same life and destinies like these old people?
A 74-year-old woman, Zhao, has to rely on Oxygen infusion device for a peace nap.
An old woman called Zhang has done housework for her lifetime. Now, she is sitting on a wheel chair to look after a doll as her own child. And people laugh at her for her foolishness.
A daughter chases her father out from the house and sends him to an elderly home.
A 70-year-old man, Li, is suffering from the cerebral hemorrhage disease that causes him unable to manage himself.
A 84-year-old man came to visit her wife in the elderly home. His wife is suffering from the cerebral atrophy disease.
An old man called Song has been bedridden for years. He puts his daily necessities close to his bed.
An old man called Lee has to watch television while lying on his bed as he is suffering from a chronic disease. This is the only way he keeps abreast with the outside world.
A 74-year-old man called Wong is suffering from Parkinson's disease. He took a 10-hour-journey to visit his son-in-law who is suffering from chronic lungs cancer.
An old man called Han smokes two packets of cigarettes while roaming around the corridor.
An old woman called Lu has been bedridden for nearly a month. She is suffering from a coronary heart disease. The cloth dolls at the window were given by her children.
An old woman is sleeping with unfinished bread in her hand. She looks desperately for her children's love and care.
They have gone through all the afflictions and agonies,
Just for the sake of their children,
Their black hairs have turned white,
More wrinkles crawl all over their bodies,
Their eyes become blurring,
Their limbs become numb,
Their teeth drop one by one,
They are bedridden helplessly,
Desperately expect for his children's love and care,
But their children ignore them due to their sickness and old age,
All their children have gone away and abandoned them in an elderly home,
Never ask about their welfare,
However, they are still waiting for their children to come back,
Without complain and hatred,
They are waiting…
We all will grow old one day. So, we must care for the welfare of our parents. We must not leave them at the elderly home or wander around the street. If we are unable to care of them due to our hectic schedule, we can employ a home nurse to look after them. Never let them feel abandoned and lonely.
As people grow older, they loss their ability to manage themselves. We have to help them routinely to wear clothes, and to wash their bodies. Their clothes may get wet or dirty as they cannot control their feces and urine like a normal person. We have to understand this situation.
Their teeth turn soft and weak due to the age. As a child, we should prepare appropriate diet for them to bite on. We have to take care and love them just as they looked after us when we were a child.
If one day, they could not walk properly due to old age and disease, we should hold their hands and let them following our steps to walk properly and slowly.
We should remember that one day we will become like them. So, bear in mind that the parents' love worth no pennies and endless.
