How best to prepare for the twilight years of life

I was really shocked when one of my colleagues, during our lunchtime chat, talked about finding a proper home for senior residents for his parents. As we sat perplexed, he explained that it was neither his decision nor his suggestion but his mother's. He further elaborated that even if he had such an idea, he would never have had the guts to put it to his parents.

Not long ago, it would be considered a violation of traditional filial piety to sidestep one's duty of taking care of one's parents. But it is one thing to deliberately shirk one's responsibility, and it is another when a person does want to take care of his or her parents but just cannot spare enough time and energy to do so.

In the coming decades, many Chinese in their 30s or older will face a similar problem since most of them have only one child under the family planning policy. The policy, effective since the late 1970s, has contributed a great deal to the economic prosperity and well-being of Chinese people today. This is also a great contribution to the whole world.