Old and abandoned

The Sunday Star "Old and abandoned" highlight the rising cases of forsaken seniors in government hospitals. In the first five months of this year, Kuala Lumpur Hospital topped the list, registering 134 such cases against 120 cases, a 12% increased while Penang Hospital reported 114 cases for the whole of 2008.

Children who could or would no longer bear the cost of taking care of their aged and infirm parents are treating hospitals like a 'dumping ground' because food, shelter and medication are provided by the Government. And it saves them the hassle of applying for places for their parents in government-run welfare homes.

Good family values like filial piety must be inculcated from young, said Health Minister, Datuk Liow Tiong Lai while experts advise parents to nurture a strong bond with their children from young to avoid being abandoned later.

But there are also cases of parents not loving their children leading to them [the parents] being abandoned when they are old and their health deteriorating. Parents need to sow love and care to their children when they are still young and the bible promises that they will reap abundantly of it when they are old. For ever action there has a reaction.

Galatians 6 : 7 Do not be deceived : God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

The bible recorded in Exodus 20 : 12 and Deuteronomy 5 : 16 to "Honor your father and mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you."

Ephesians 6 : 2-3 Honor your father and mother — which is the first commandment with a promise that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.