1. Why do old people today live longer than in the past?
The main reason people live long now than they did in the past is due to improvements in diet and health. Generally, the world has developed greatly over the last hundred years, so that now it is much easier to find healthy food and get access to medicine. Improvements in technology mean that many illnesses that used to be fatal can now be treated safely and cheaply. Other diseases that arise from poor sanitary conditions such as cholera are now extremely uncommon due to vast improvements in infrastructure and general quality of life.
2. Are the attitudes of young people today towards old people the same as they used to be, years ago?
For the most part, old people in China continue to be treated with respect and admiration. However, it can be argued that the rapidly changing nature of society means that some traditional values get ignored. Some people are so focused on the future and trying to make money that they forget their values. In the past families stayed together because it was difficult to travel away from home. This meant that old people were well-cared for. Nowadays many families are split up because it is so easy to move around the country, so it can be easy to neglect older relatives. Old people in general can often feel cut-off from modern China because it is changing so quickly.
3. What can young people learn from elderly people?
Elderly people have so much to offer young people in terms of their experience. Younger generations cannot understand their history and background without the knowledge of the people who came before them and actually lived through those events. Young people can learn about their cultural heritage from older people who may have a closer connection to traditional customs. Without this constant learning from older generations, many aspects of culture would be lost. Another thing that elderly people can teach the young is how to get by in life and make the most of their opportunities. They will have already gone through many of the same experiences young people will go through, and can give them advice based on their own experiences.
4. Do old people in China have opportunities to attend any forms of classes?
Nowadays in China there are some colleges that are exclusively for old people to attend. They exist to help them get an education if they didn’t have the opportunity to do so before. They also offer many practical course so older people can enjoy learning some new skills and use them to benefit other people. There are also many communities where older people can socialize and support each other. This allows them to make new friends who share the similar interests and remain active and enjoy their old age. It’s great that places like this exist because without them life might be very boring for some old people living alone.
