Monday, July 19, 2010
Faris Hakim: To what extent should the government be responsible for taking care of the elderly?
The government maybe expected to be responsible for the elderly financially. Most of the elderly are no longer in the workforce and even if they do have monthly Central Provident Fund (CPF) payouts, the amount may not be sufficient in meeting their daily needs as the cost of living in Singapore is high. This is where the government comes into the picture. The government should give out subsidies for the elderly if it does not compromise on their use of resources on other purposes. Although the government maybe expected to be responsible for the elderly financially, it is the elderly's immediate family members who should bear the responsibility. The government can only do so much whereas the relatives can provide for more untangible needs such as their emotional needs and filial piety.Although the government is expected to provide for the elderly financially, the onus is on their relatives to play a more pertinent role.
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I like the way you twisted the argument around by saying that CPF contributions aren't enough for retiring in Singapore as cost of liing is high. However, I feel that the elderly can actually make do with the limited amount of money in their CPF accounts by living a life that is thrifty and they plan the way they spend the money. However, I do agree that families of the elderly should be the ones who should bear the bulk of the responsibility of taking care of the elderly.
ReplyDeleteFaris sets a clear boundary in his SV, stating that only under the circumstance when elderly are not able to support themselves financially, government intervention may then sets in. However, i feel that the examples given can be further substantiate. :)
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