Modern lifestyle with more abandoned parents

22/02/2013 00:00

Hundreds of senior citizens live alone and in very bad conditions. This has made many of them see asylums as a better choice.

There’s room for only 500 senior citizens who can live in public and private institutions, while the demand is increasing. Emigration and divided families are the main reasons.

“We have had more demands and some of the senior citizens are in a very bad situation, abandoned by the children. Our institutions can help those in need”, said Gezim Tushe, chief of the National Social Service.

Experts explain that although the requests are big, the state cannot replace family. Children in emigration or in Albania cannot abandon their parents.

“The main cause of the problems that the senior citizens have is their biological family. The Albanian society is losing a good traditional equation, the wonderful relation between the children and their parents. The parents of today are the ones who have done a lot for their children. They have suffered to bring them up and to educate them. Those who have emigrated must keep in mind that their parents are here, and they must show spiritual care before the financial one, in order to soften the wound of lonely old age”, Tushe declared.

More than 1000 senior citizens receive daily treatments, but their requests are larger. The local administration must work to give them more community services.

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