Police cannot end solitude of the elderly

Premier Li Keqiang smiles and talks with Hai Baoting and his wife. [Photo/english.gov.cn]

Police?officers in Ma'anshan, Anhui province in East China, recently received an emergency phone call from a 70-year-old man in the early hours of the morning. The old man said he had fallen and needed assistance. When police officers came to help him, however, they found the old man had prepared tea and wanted to chat. The old man's only aim was to get some company. People.cn commented on Thursday:

When people encounter a danger, they turn to the police for help. Dialing police hotline is the first choice for most people at an emergency. That the old man called the police just to "chat", is unbelievable.

Yet our aging society means more elderly people living in cities are experiencing loneliness and suffering. Despite the government taking measures to help them, they still need love and care.

In fact, many elderly people have security and material support but lack emotional support and spiritual comfort.

In light of the current situation, we should focus on providing spiritual support to the elderly. On the one hand, the government and relevant departments should further fulfill their social responsibilities by establishing effective pension system and providing services. On the other hand, children should be encouraged not to forget the responsibility of looking after their elderly parents.