Respect for the Elderly

The Asahi Shimbun

Japan

September 18, 2007

A little village in Hyogo Prefecture held a gathering in 1947 to show respect for the elderly and to ask them to share their wisdom and life experiences. It is said that this was the origin of the national holiday--Respect-for-the Aged Day. 

It has been exactly 60 years since then. At that time, the average longevity in Japan was roughly 50 years old. Now, the expected life span is 79 for men and 85 for women. Japan is an exceptional country in terms of life expectancy. 

Not only are Japanese people living longer, their lifestyles in old age are beginning to change. What is especially striking in recent years is the rapidly increasing number of people over 65 years old living alone. There are as many as 4 million of them. 

With the increase of the "nuclear family," fewer people live with their grown children. There are those who live alone after bereavement, and those who chose not to marry. Living alone allows certain freedoms and few hassles. Some people are good at living on their own, and enjoy the benefits of their lifestyles to the hilt. 

But there is another aspect to living alone that cannot be ignored. Many elderly people living alone actually want to be with people, but they have no chance to mingle with neighbors or have no friends. 

A Cabinet Office survey of elderly citizens showed that more than 60 percent of those over 65 years who are living alone had some sort of worry in their everyday lives. The most prevalent concern was over "illness and aid," but the second most common concern was about being "alone with no one to rely on." 
Moreover, it is often elderly men living on their own who tend to be cut off from their communities. One in four said they did not mingle with their neighbors, and over 40 percent said they "had no close friends." 

Nearly 20 percent of those men have no one they can consult with, even if they have worries or problems. 

All of these numbers are strikingly higher than those for elderly women living alone. This means that men who had been work-oriented are finding it difficult to find their place in their communities after retirement. 

When elderly people lead solitary lives, there are many causes of concern. They may fall prey to illegal business practices. If they cannot ask anyone for help when they get sick, they risk dying a solitary death. To prevent these things from happening, it is not enough to rely solely on the government or welfare services. 

First of all, it is important for each citizen take a look around and make a point of asking their elderly neighbors about their health or any kind of trouble. Such a small extra effort to make sure they're OK makes life so much easier for our elderly neighbors. 

Newspaper deliverers, mail carriers and those who check on gas and water meters would also be able to help keep an eye on the elderly people's well-being. 

Elderly people who want to have more contact with their neighbors must not just wait around for a chance to come along. They could go to the local community center and join a hobby group, for example. 

Making a point of talking to your neighbors is a good thing, and not just for the elderly. Communication helps to create a safer community, and will be the first step toward creating an atmosphere that's comfortable for everyone. On Respect-for-the Aged Day, those are the kind of things we would like to think about again.

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