In my lettter entitled, “Being taken for a ride”, under this column a few weeks ago, I tried to draw attention to the plight of elderly parents who are being taken advantage of by their children who are dependent on the parents to ferry their grand children to and fro school and to involve them in other househlod chores while the son and daughter-in-law go out to work or enjoy their social outings.
In the event, in the twilight years of their lives, the retired elderly people get confined to their homes.
They give up their social life, stay at home being miserable and lose the opportunity to mingle with their peers at social gatherings for senior citizens.
The letter received favourable comments from people who said that the contents reflected their own position.
In corroboration, some have stated that in the olden days, the daughters-in-law were in awe of their mothers-in- law.
But now the tables have turned and the situation seems to have reversed where the elderly parents, even though not financially dependent on their children, have to rely on them for company and to avoid being lonely.
The mothers in law are then at the beck and call of the daughters in law who take advantage of the situation.
The parents make sacrifices and try to make the most of rather uncomfortable situation. They fear that otherwise they would spend the rest of their life being lonely and neglected.
Dinesh Sheth
Newbury Park, Ilford
