Many of we Indians in SG have to leave their parents back in India and shift here for work, business. We stay for a long period in SG and gradually become Permanent Residents or Citizens.
Slowly but surely, living in the first world country and enjoying the latest of everything – kids education, science, technology, fashion becomes a way of life. Since Singapore is so near to India, routine trips to India continue as well..at least once in a year or half and so on..
But what to do if emergency occurs? In this case, am talking about elderly folks back in homeland.. What to do if they fall sick or need us urgently there and we cannot spend more time with them due to job commitments etc. Howmuchever we hate to be in such a situation, it is quite common to arise.
Recently, having stuck in such a scenario, I was seeking some solutions. Am the only child of my parents and do not have any siblings who can look after parents 🙁
Here is what we can try to do for our elders – (especially when you are the only child)
1. Take help of willing relatives and neighbors who have genuine affection for our elders
2. Arrange a care giver if they need medical attention at home
3. Encouraging elders to keep paying guests at home. Could be risky though to keep strangers as tenants
4. Some parents are cool with the idea of trying out retirement homes or old age homes. As a child, it is our duty to find the best of these homes and ensure that parents do not get that sad, gloomy, I-am-unwanted feel. Here are some links that you can check –
Goodhands –
http://www.goodhands.in/goodhands.php?pagename=forothers#getintouch
Epoch Eldercare –
http://www.epocheldercare.com/#assistedliving
Tribecca care –
http://www.tribecacare.com
There are many such options now available across India. We have to visit personally and find out which one suits the best.
5. If possible, shift the base back to India to be near to your parents. It is a big decision and must be considered very carefully. It is always difficult for us to bridge and balance the gap between older and younger generations and get the best for both.
6. If possible and if parents are healthy, bring them to stay with you at least some months in a year. Visiting passes, tourist visas options can be explored for this.
Hope this post will help some of us. If you have any other solutions, feel free to write to us on
[email protected]Shub
(For RainbowDiaries)
Note: all opinions expressed in this article are independent views of the author. Links mentioned are taken from Google and other web resources.
As the world becomes borderless and travel becomes so much easier, this is getting way too common. Someone has to ‘sacrifice’ and stay back for the sake of the old folk.