LETTERS: News about the elderly often focuses on the burden on the country's pension and healthcare systems.
On the financial aspect, one can take a leaf out of Europe's book. I came across a new European strategy for elderly persons involving a guarantee for older people, similar to the European Youth Guarantee and the European Child Guarantee.
The guarantee serves as the tool for implementing the strategy at the European Union (EU) and national levels, and which enables EU funding to be used to finance programmes supporting the elderly.
Simultaneously, while it is critical to meet the care, resource and health needs of the elderly, it is important not to reduce them to these needs.
Even in the face of physical limitations, older members of society contribute to their communities.
Furthermore, continued physical and mental activity not only improves health and wellbeing, it allows the wealth of knowledge and experience that this population has accumulated to be harnessed for the common good.
Some other news dwells on loneliness and societal isolation among the elderly.
When people retire, loneliness and isolation can set in when they are no longer regarded as having something of worth to contribute to others.
Yet the desire to contribute to society, to have a purpose beyond one's own needs, does not disappear because people have reached retirement age.
We need to rethink what it means to contribute to society, beyond attributing this to remunerated employment.
Many sectors. including the government, offer discounts and privileges to the elderly, but we can do more.
We need to remember that human rights and dignity do not diminish with age.
Senior citizens should not be viewed as welfare recipients, but as citizens with the same rights to a full, non-discriminatory life as people of all ages.
Much thought needs to be given to how intergenerational bonds can be strengthened in society, beginning at the grassroots of community life.
For example, how can the elderly act as a source of experience and wisdom for younger generations?
How can children and youth be of service to the elderly? How can spaces be created that foster connections between different generations?
There is a need for conversations, at all levels of society, on how we and society can do better for our warga emas.
A longer life expectancy is now the norm, thanks to advances in healthcare and science.
A flourishing community is one that is intergenerational in nature and avoids treating the elderly population as a group separated from the rest of society.
Our society would be for the better and stronger when we embrace people, regardless of their age, and offer channels through which they can contribute to society.
HO YUET MEE
Kuala Lumpur
The views expressed in this article are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of the New Straits Times