PCL On Wrong Assistance to Older People

The second of the four problems after marginalization identified by PCL is the current assistance being provided to older people. It has found out that the so-called “institutional care” is already obsolete and no longer helpful. The main reason is: it segregates the elderly from family and society, and becoming less human. To avoid such negative situation, PCL recommends that “wherever possible feasible, older people should be given the chance to remain within their own environment by means of such forms of support as home help, day-care, day-centers, etc.” Retirement homes is mentioned as a possibility. This is quite popular in the United States. It is becoming a business because of the huge financial support from Gov’t, Big Business and the private sector. Many PhilAms in the USA are doing well in this area.

This is not happening in the Philippines because Filipino culture is already family-oriented where respect for older people is a highly-held value.

A few religious congregations are in this sector as their pastoral project, not business enterprise. In Davao City we have the Home for the Aged in Agdao of the Missionaries of Charity and the Home for the Retirees in Tugbok of the Alexian Brothers.