Society has responsibility to care for elderly

AN ELDERLY WOMAN, about 80 years old, in Southwest China's Chongqing municipality was reported to be wearing a chain on her foot. While many called her family cruel, her daughter-in-law said that they had no other choice. She said her mother-in-law kept walking off and getting lost and there was no one in the family who could be with her during the day. Beijing Youth Daily comments:

It is, of course, inappropriate and immoral to chain the old woman's foot. Yet what makes the story even more tragic is there appears to be no other option - if her family lets her leave home freely, the old lady will continue to get lost, and one day might never come back.

Some blame the old woman's family, claiming they should find another way to stop her from getting lost. For example, some suggest, one of her sons could quit his job and take care of her 24 hours a day. Perhaps one of them could, but that would put a heavier financial burden on the whole family, including the woman herself, and might cause even more problems.