Opinion / Columnist
Take care of old people
28 Mar 2018 at 12:00hrs | Views
Figures do not lie, the number of elderly people (above sixty) in our beloved Zimbabwe could be less than a third of the population. The majority of whom stay by themselves as widows or widowers since most young relatives including children are away in the diaspora, towns and cities in search of better lives.
Cases of suicide by the lonely aged are on the rise, a possible result of stress, depression and abject poverty. Others die in unexplained fires on account of poor eyesight and dangerous housekeeping or is it hut-keeping? The state of the economy may be the reason why young people cannot take care of the elderly or its mere neglect.
Widows are at times wantonly accused of witchcraft, leading to murders at the hands of their relatives. After failing to secure a job in towns, some short-sighted youths worsen their situations by attacking the elderly villagers. Self-appointed false prophets are exacerbating the already precarious situation by falsely accusing the aged of being witches. Shame on these devil's advocates, God is watching.
In view of the aforementioned, the government should seriously consider looking after the aged since churches and society have failed the senior citizens. A monthly twenty-dollar stipend would not dent the national purse. Let's take care of the aged, a fountain of wisdom.
Thomas Murisa. Harare.
Cases of suicide by the lonely aged are on the rise, a possible result of stress, depression and abject poverty. Others die in unexplained fires on account of poor eyesight and dangerous housekeeping or is it hut-keeping? The state of the economy may be the reason why young people cannot take care of the elderly or its mere neglect.
Widows are at times wantonly accused of witchcraft, leading to murders at the hands of their relatives. After failing to secure a job in towns, some short-sighted youths worsen their situations by attacking the elderly villagers. Self-appointed false prophets are exacerbating the already precarious situation by falsely accusing the aged of being witches. Shame on these devil's advocates, God is watching.
In view of the aforementioned, the government should seriously consider looking after the aged since churches and society have failed the senior citizens. A monthly twenty-dollar stipend would not dent the national purse. Let's take care of the aged, a fountain of wisdom.
Thomas Murisa. Harare.
Source - Thomas Murisa
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