MR JEFFREY Tan ('Retirement village: Pulau Ubin an ideal
choice') and Miss Angeline Elysia Tan ('The hope') meant well on
April 19 about introducing retirement villages for senior
citizens.
Certainly, more can be done for senior citizens to have a
meaningful and wholesome life in their twilight years.
But the idea and concept of placing them on an island or in a
village is not one that should even be considered, no matter how
well we develop such a place with easy accessibility for visits
thrown in.
At a time when we are encouraging our young to be filial and
look after their ageing parents, conveniently packing their parents
off to an island or village is not the solution. Spending quality
time with their parents and looking after their welfare is.
And because many today are all too often busy with their career
and own family, it makes more sense to live with, or at least be
near, their parents.
It may be true that senior citizens will benefit from the peace
and tranquillity of an island or a village.
However, by the same token, it will ultimately detach them from
their family and the Singapore they worked so hard to help
build.
Victor Khoo
