How can we educate our young to shoulder the responsibility of our elders ?
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Contributions from Year 1
Government can promote importance of filial piety.
Parents teach their young to respect and care for elders.
Parents act as proper role models C
they treat their parents well, take care of them and provide them with what they may need.
Schools organise trips to old folk’s homes so that students are exposed to the pain and loneliness experienced by the people there and this will teach the children to be more caring towards these old folks.
The young and old should interact and communicate more so that a bond builds between the two and children will naturally learn to respect their elders and treat them well.
It is noted that this problem does not occur in extended family. Tolerance and patience have to be present, hence, the child learns these values faster, and since a bond exists right from the start, it is likely to continue.
Education (from young) : (1) formally at school education (2) informally at homes (filial piety, morals, responsibilities, etc)
Encourage parents of the young to set the example.
Government providing housing rebates for those homes accommodating senior citizens to lessen financial burden.
Allowing first-hand experience (or interaction) with other senior citizens by organising social work at aged homes.
Teach them moral values from a young age through subjects like moral education.
Launch public campaigns to raise awareness.
Provide government incentives to families housing elderly people.
Subsidise medical cost for the elderly in order to lighten the burden of the young.
Practice care for the elderly at home (ie. to set an example).
Take children to old folks’ home to let them see how the old folks’ felt.
Narrow the generation gap.
Revival of extended families : helps children to prepare by emulating their parents. Parents thus are the role-models. Living together also helps to learn the generation gap.
Education : Instilling good moral values to the young. This should be done from an early stage to cultivate sense of responsibility.
Make compulsory visits to old folks’ home to let young interact with the old.
Organising functions in schools that involve interaction with grandparents. This is to develop the bond between the young and eldery.
Government : 1. Can use education as a tool to prepare the young. 2. Use mass media to create awareness of the old and their problems. 3. Provide assistance or start organisations to provide assistance to the young who have problems like financial problems. 4. Can start websites to provide assistance.
Organise talks and seminars to create awareness.
Education through the mass media.
Parents should teach them.
(Adapted) "Through education … to let them study the history and show them how much the older generation has contributed to the modern society in the past."
(Adapted) "… take them to the old folks’ home. Let them help the old folks’ and talk to them. There are problems in communication. Some older citizens speaks dialect and the young people speaks English or Chinese. Young people should be taught their own dialects to get them to know what the older citizen is talking."
(Adapted) "They must be made to realise that the old people’s contribution to the nation only has brought Singapore to its good status now. Hence, looking after them and caring for them is a part of respecting them for what they have done in bringing the nation thus far."
(Adapted) "Today’s youngsters should realise that their parents would be part of the majority of the older population. They must realise that it is a privilege given to them to take good case of the ones who gave them life."
(Adapted) "… through developing their moral values, they know that it is against law of humanity to ill-treat elderly people."
Besides the mental and emotional aspect, practicality is important. Teaching them how to take care of the older citizens who are more physically fragile. Have them learn first aid, and how to take care of the elderly’s needs.
Educate them on the emotional, psychological needs of our older citizens. They would be more patient with the elderly if they knew why the elderly reacts a certain way to situations.
Education through the school curriculum
--> moral ed from pri through secondary
--> civics in JC
--> community activities (old folk's homes, visitations to underpriviledged old folks)
--> GCAs (liasons with 'homes' to foster good relationships.
--> Debates, discussions regularly
--> Counselling
Education through family
--> campaigns directed at parents to advise the fostering of good relations between the old folks and children
--> advertisements, ad campaigns on family values
Government Policies (possible)
--> Financial assistance (subsidy for families with old folks)
--> transport subsidies (MRT - SBS)
--> Law against parental abandonment
--> higher taxes (no rebates) for higher income families that send parents
to old folk's homes