Domestic Affairs

Elderly suicide not a noble act

By Jenelle Whittaker (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2010-09-08 13:50
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As China's ageing population, defined as those over 65, increases at a rate of eight million people every year, more elderly will be left at home with psychological and physical problems.

Adult children are legally obliged under the elder rights protection law passed in 1996 to provide financial security, daily necessities and emotional stability to their parents in old age.

However in reality paying medical bills for elderly parents and daily care is now often compromised as it is either too costly, or competes with money put aside to pay for children's educational costs.

It is now not uncommon for elderly parents to take their children to court to demand support. According to a report by Mirror Evening News, the volume of such cases has increased annually by 10 percent since 2007.

China is the only country where suicide among women outnumbers men. Older women generally have lower health insurance and social security coverage and are less likely to have worked when they are young to accumulate large amounts of savings.

Suicide is a public health issue that happens to all groups of people. Elderly suicide cases deserve the same amount of outrage and concern as any others. No one under normal circumstances wants to die. Elderly suicide is often a consequence of adult children not taking care of their parents. If we continue to treat elderly suicide as a noble act, it will only get worse as the ageing population grows and the workforce shrinks.

The author is the communications officer for Community Alliance, a Beijing based NGO striving to create a more enabling environment for Chinese elderly.

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