Time flies so fast, and in the blink of an eye, they have basically entered retirement.
In the eyes of many, they are the luckiest generation.
Because they have enjoyed the dividends of reform and opening up, experienced the rapid development of society, and caught up with the implementation of the one-child policy, they do not have to worry about a few children, nor do they have to worry about their own pension.
However, is this really the case?
When we step into their real lives, we will find that their retirement life is not as good as we imagined, and it can even be said to be sad.
They should enjoy the happiness of their old age, but they have to face the shadow of their old people's illness.
Why is this happening?The reasons for the dilemma of this generation's retirement life are mainly due to the following aspects:
With the improvement of medical standards and living conditions, China's population aging is becoming more and more serious.
According to the data of the Bureau of Statistics, the elderly population aged 60 and above in China has reached 25.4 billion, accounting for 18 percent of the total population1%。However, the elderly over 80 years old, that is, the parents who are behind, account for 2 percent of the total population2%。
It is estimated that by 2025, China's elderly population will reach 300 million, accounting for 21% of the total population. This means that one in five people is elderly. Moreover, there are more and more elderly people among the elderly, and their physical condition and quality of life are getting worse and worse, and they need more care and attention.
Since 1979, the one-child policy has been implemented.
The result is a group of "4-2-1" families, in which an only child has to take care of two parents and four grandparents.
This is a heavy burden for an only child, not only to bear the financial pressure, but also to share the mental pressure. And for the later generation, they are both the parents of only children and the children of the elderlyThey are under even greater pressure to take care of the elderly, their children, and themselves.
As we age, the physical functions of the elderly gradually decline, and various chronic diseases and geriatric diseases also follow. According to a survey by the Chinese Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, the prevalence of chronic diseases among the elderly in China is as high as 75%. Among them, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and other harmful diseases account for the main proportion.
In addition, the elderly are also prone to neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and senile depression, which not only affect the quality of life of the elderly, but also bring huge care problems to their children. Some elderly people even need to stay in bed for a long time, or rely on various instruments and drugs to maintain their lives, which is an endless torment and torture for their children.
For these reasons, the retirement life of the next generation has become sad. Their sorrow is reflected not only in themselves, but also in their peers.
This is not alarmist, there are many real examples around me.
Sister Liu, she was originally a cheerful woman, and after retirement, she traveled around with her husband and enjoyed life. However, with the illness of her in-laws and father, her retirement became a day of serving three elderly people.
She had to give up her hobbies, busy with the daily life and diet of the elderly, running back and forth to the hospital, and was financially stretched. Her husband is also in poor health because of taking care of the elderly and needs more care from her.
Although her daughter has the heart to help, she also has her own family and work and cannot always be by her side. Her retirement life is like an infinite loop of caregiving robots, only tired and helpless.
Mr. Zhang's story may be even more poignant. He is a retired professor who has always loved academics and education, and has not been idle since retirement, often participating in various academic activities and social welfare.
His wife is a retired doctor and a warm-hearted person who often goes to the hospital for free clinics to help those poor patients.
Their son is an excellent lawyer, their daughter-in-law is a beautiful flight attendant, they have a lovely grandson, and the family is happy. Mr. Zhang's retirement life can be said to be very happy.
But just last year, his wife suddenly found out that she had stomach cancer, and it was already in an advanced stage, and doctors said that she would only live for half a year at most. This was a bolt from the blue for Mr. Zhang.
He took out all his savings to perform the most expensive surgery on his wife and hired the most professional doctor for his wife. He did whatever it took to keep his wife alive for one more day.
His son and daughter-in-law are also very filial, often come to visit his wife, bring her grandson's **and**, tell her about the new things outside, and bring her some joy and warmth.
Mr. Zhang's retirement life has become a day to accompany his wife. He waited in the hospital every day, watching his wife's pain deepen day by day, watching her life pass away day by day. His heart was becoming more and more desperate. His retirement life is like an endless tragedy, there is no hope, there is no way out, only waiting and grief.
These stories are not unique, they are just the tip of the iceberg of the retirement life of the next generation, and there are many more stories, more sorrows. Their sorrow is not because their children are unfilial, but because they still have to serve the elderly at the age of old-age care.
So, what can we do for them?
Establish more elderly care institutions, provide better elderly care services, so that the elderly can receive thoughtful and professional care, and reduce the burden on their children.
We need to improve the hardware facilities of elderly care institutions and improve the software level of elderly care institutions, so that the elderly can live comfortably and with dignity. We need to encourage social capital and non-governmental organizations to participate in the pension industry, form a diversified pension model, and let the elderly have more choices and more autonomy.
Carry forward the culture of filial piety of the Chinese nation, cultivate children's filial piety and sense of responsibility, let children respect and love the elderly, care for and help the elderly, and let the elderly feel warmth and happiness.
We need to educate our children that taking care of the elderly is not only a kind of giving, but also a kind of growth. We need to guide our children and communicate more with the elderly, so that the elderly can feel respected.
Strengthen the attention and help for the retirement life of middle-aged and elderly people, and feel respect and trust.
It is necessary to establish more social organizations and volunteer services to provide more care and help for middle-aged and elderly people, let them participate in more social activities and public welfare undertakings, let them expand more social circles and hobbies, and let them enrich more spiritual and cultural life.
We need to create more social atmosphere and environment, create more development opportunities and space for expression for middle-aged and elderly people, let them show more talents and values, and let them feel more recognition and encouragement.
These measures may be able to improve the retirement life of the next generation, so that their retirement life is not sad, but full of happiness and dignity.
Of course, these measures also require their own active cooperation and active participation, they also need to adjust their mentality and expectations, they also need to communicate and negotiate more with the elderly and children, and they also need to plan and arrange their retirement life.
After all, retirement is the last stage of their lives.
I hope that the retirement life of the next generation can become better, happier and more dignified. Be able to find your own happiness and value in retirement.