On Growing Old.

It was Lounge Mode, so I asked her what she wanted to talk about. She said she wants to know about the Geriatric Home Care back in PH.

Interesting. Growing old. How do people grow old in PH? Who takes care of them? Interesting  eh?

In the PH, if one has a family  usually, the grow old with the family, we call it extended or nuclear kind of set up. The government provides pension  but not necessary daily needs to the geriatric population.

There are no government-funded facility that can shelter this group. Only hospitals have specialized wards dedicated to this age bracket. Most home cares are privately-owned which are very costly while others are supported by foundations and donations from different sectors.

Quite different from how it is in Japan , she said.

At age 40, the working population is required to get a salary cut for their pension. This fund will qualify them to government support and facility once they reach the retirement age. They either go to a Nursing Home or a registered home care nurse visits their home and attend to their needs. All for a minimal fee since the government will cover much of the costs.Quite impressive and justifiable to work hard on your youth and let your money work for you at old age.

It's not scary to grow old, more so, alone, in Japan, I thought. I probably should consider this option.

I see myself as someone who can never be good enough, no matter how I try to be the best person that I can be. Why? Coz nobody stays. The person just comes and goes. The next thing I know I am alone again.
Though I am not closing my doors to possibilities, nor I am shutting off people from coming into my life, I have learned not to expect anything in return. I just learn to live my life alone. It will take a real man to make me feel I am someone worth it and soneone good enough.

As early as now, life is telling me that it's okay, right?

But in my deepest of heart, I am praying for someone to grow old with.