Go East Mum And Dad

The debate on outsourcing has taken on a new angle.

The East-West divide on jobs, protectionism, quality of service, the damage to western economies and the boon for eastern ones has been discussed ad nauseam.

Now however, an eastern man (read Indian) comes along and promotes the outsourcing of western elderly to the east simply because taking care of old, frail parents is becoming a drain on already stretched purse strings.

I’m sure that like me, most of you were raised to honour your parents and to stay true to them no matter what the cost.

Our holy books are rife with passages on the love and respect we must shower on our parents because it is the right thing to do and it is God’s will.

Life as we knew it though has drastically changed in the last 20 years with the working population spending more time in the office and commuting to and fro than at home, surrounded by family.

Add to that, the soaring cost of living, education and healthcare has made it imperative that every adult member of the family brings in a pay packet to make ends meet.

In this rat race it has been found that the two groups who suffer the most are children and the elderly. Neither can or is allowed to work while their natural caretakers, parents and adult children must.

This has led either to ageing parents being moved out of their homes into special centres, or for those with money, to fully serviced condominiums; but in their own hometowns where their children and grandchildren can visit regularly.

So, what will this outsourcing whirlwind bring us in the next 20 years? Will parents soon be outsourcing their children to the east because it is cheaper to raise them there?

And just as the outcry on the quality of data entry, accents and standards resulted in the recall of some jobs back to the west; will a similar outcry over the quality of care, food and hygiene result in the return of all elderly and children back to source?

Write in and tell us what you think.

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