Cultivate the joy of "tall trees and big shade"

There is a saying: “If the body of an elderly person is like a tree that needs to be fertilized, then their soul is a garden that needs to be cultivated with the sunlight of care and sharing.” In the journey of cultivating joy in old age, taking care of the “spiritual garden” for the elderly is the most profound and sincere expression of filial piety.

The Hung Thanh 2 Residential Group Health Club, An Tuong Ward maintains regular activities, as a place for the elderly to interact and connect.

Listening to the heartbeat of old age

For Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tuyen, Tan Ha 3 residential group, Minh Xuan ward, the joy of each day is sometimes as simple as the "ringing" sound from the phone, signaling a call from her children far away. Most of the remaining time, she wanders around the house and small garden, life just quietly passes by. Looking at Mrs. Tuyen's story, perhaps many of us will see the image of our own grandparents and parents in it.

In the context of increasing average life expectancy, health care is not only about helping the elderly live longer but also about helping them live happier and better lives. Lecturer Trieu Thi Phuong, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ho Chi Minh City, shared that in reality, the spiritual life of many elderly people in Vietnam is not high. Specific problems that the elderly are experiencing in the new era. That is, the "emptiness" syndrome after retirement, the digital gap and technological isolation, the fear of "burden" and dependence. Many people lack attention, feel lonely, have poor mental health, and are prone to depression.

The first psychological burden that many people face is the “emptiness” syndrome after retirement. A lifetime of dedication, social status and work rotation suddenly stops, leaving a void for many people. Mr. Ma Van Ha, Hung Thanh 4 residential group, An Tuong commune shared, “Before, I managed hundreds of workers. Now I just stay at home. All day long, I can only talk a few sentences with my family.” The loss of social role makes many people fall into sadness that they cannot share with anyone.

In contrast to the emptiness of a part of the urban elderly, some grandparents in the countryside face a different reality. When their children go to the city or to industrial zones to work, they become reluctant "grandparents with diapers". The joy of being with their grandchildren is often accompanied by worries. Mrs. Ta Thi Loan, Vinh Bao residential group, Chiem Hoa commune, sighed: "My whole day is a cycle of meals and sleep for my grandchildren, my health is no longer the same as before. I am worried about my grandchildren's health and also worried about my children working far away."

In old age, an invisible fear called “burden” and the fear of depending on children and grandchildren is inevitable. Ms. Hoang Thi Mai, a retired trader in Bac Quang commune, confided: “Many nights I had back pain and couldn’t sleep, and I didn’t dare call my daughter, afraid she would worry, because I had to go to work the next day. I’m old, I don’t want to bother them. I just hope I stay healthy as long as I can.”

Joy of old age.

The “gap” in mental health care

There are currently nearly 1,000 cultural, artistic and sports clubs established in the province. The clubs have become a "common home" for many elderly members to participate in activities and improve their mental health. Mr. Trieu Minh Tu, 73 years old, one of the long-time members of the Tran Phu Dance Club, Ha Giang 2 Ward, excitedly said: "Dancing helps my wife and I bond more, our spirits are more comfortable, and our health is also much better."

However, many elderly people, especially in remote areas, still cannot fully access necessary care services. The spread of community activities is not really even. Mr. Pham Van Chinh, Chairman of the Elderly Association of Yen Phu commune, affirmed: “The distance between villages is a real condition. To organize a common exchange session, people have to travel quite a distance. Therefore, we always try to maintain activities in small groups, and at the same time find new ways for the elderly to connect with each other more.”

In general, the healthcare system for the elderly is still not enough to meet the needs. The shortage of doctors and nurses specializing in geriatrics has limited the activities of consulting and disseminating knowledge on disease prevention and treatment in the community. Many localities have not yet allocated funds to conduct periodic health check-ups or manage chronic diseases for the elderly at the grassroots level.

Meanwhile, centralized care models such as nursing homes are still quite unfamiliar and not for the majority. Ms. Nguyen Thi Ha, a garment worker in residential group 8 Hung Thanh, An Tuong ward confided: “My husband and I work all day, thinking about my mother being home alone is also heartbreaking. I have also researched nursing homes, but with the current income, the family cannot afford it. For now, we still ask neighbors and call my mother regularly.”

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Vietnam is among the 10 countries with the fastest aging population in the world. However, there is a sobering reality: The number of healthy years of life for the elderly is only about 64 years old. This means that many people have to spend their last years of life in illness, with medical costs 10 times higher than that of a child. This significantly affects mental health and reduces the quality of life of the elderly.

"The elderly are a valuable national asset"

The core goal of Resolution 72/NQ-TW is to increase the average life expectancy of Vietnamese people to 80 years by 2045. To realize this goal, taking care of the mental health of the elderly must be a top priority.

According to the Plan to implement the Elderly Health Care Program until 2030 in Tuyen Quang province of the Provincial People's Committee dated November 27, 2021, the goal of taking care of the mental health of the elderly has been set. In particular, taking care of the physical and mental health of the elderly is one of the important tasks.

In recent times, many programs and activities to care for the elderly have been implemented in the province. Many commune and ward health facilities have implemented monthly medical examinations and medication. Every year, health facilities coordinate with the Commune Elderly Association to organize 2-3 centralized health examinations.

In addition, to help the elderly feel useful, the local government creates a mechanism for the elderly to continue to contribute. After retiring, Mr. Do Van Son, a retired teacher in Ha Giang 2 ward, was elected as a residential group cadre. He shared: “Although I no longer stand on the podium, when I can use my knowledge to accompany the people, I feel young again. Seeing that I am still useful to society is the greatest joy, helping me forget all fatigue and illness.”

In today’s context, “living a meaningful life” is also linked to the ability to connect in the digital world. Advances in information technology are helping seniors overcome many obstacles to connect more with friends and relatives, keeping their minds active in daily life.

The use of smart technology devices for the elderly has become a new trend, helping them change their lives, quickly catch up with the digital age 4.0, and integrate with young people so as not to be left behind. Through technology devices and social networks, the Provincial Association of the Elderly has set up Zalo and Facebook groups to exchange and share knowledge and experience in health care for the elderly...

Recently, at many meetings discussing improving people's spiritual life, General Secretary To Lam said that he really wanted to have models of health care centers, "anti-loneliness" for the elderly aged 70 - 80, when their children and grandchildren all go to school and work. Comrade To Lam affirmed: "The nursing center takes care of the elderly like students, picking them up in the morning and taking them home in the afternoon. When they come here, they can meet friends and old colleagues to talk, play sports, learn music, culture, and arts, which is very interesting." This model not only helps the elderly escape loneliness, have a healthy environment to socialize and exercise; but also maintains family ties in the evening (in line with Vietnam's "emotional" culture). Right at the meeting, the General Secretary suggested that the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Health, and the Association of the Elderly discuss making a model of "Semi-boarding nursing home". It is especially necessary to socialize and popularize so that people with low incomes can also enjoy the model.

In the Plan for implementing the Elderly Health Care Program until 2030 in Tuyen Quang province, the Provincial People's Committee has set out the tasks and solutions: Building and implementing models of Daytime Elderly Health Care Centers; Building and implementing a Nursing Home model in an appropriate form, moving towards socializing the implementation of the task of elderly health care. In the coming time, the Association of the Elderly hopes that the province will implement a plan to build a model of semi-boarding nursing homes.

General Secretary To Lam affirmed, “The elderly are a precious national asset”. The journey of taking care of the mental health of the elderly is not the responsibility of the health sector or any organization alone, but is the shared responsibility of the entire community, from each family to policy makers. Taking care of the health and creating joy for the previous generation is also the way each individual and each family demonstrates their filial piety.

Giang Lam

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/xa-hoi/202510/vun-dap-niem-vui-cay-cao-bong-ca-08e44b8/