Wang Bailing: To Care for the Elderly Is to Revere Life

subsidies to these families while calling for more young volunteers to join in the service. “We will all get old, it’s an issue we should not postpone considering until we retire from work. Why not change from passive to active mode — when we are still young, learn to take care of old people, and at the same time get to learn and prepare for ourselves?

Another plan on Wang Bailing’s agenda is to promote “home care with social assistance” and “family-style social care for the elderly.” The first is to intensify medical and other services from volunteers and the community offices for seniors living in their own apartments; the second is to bring comfort to the residents of old-folks homes or old people without children by arranging regular volunteer visits. She has suggested to departments with an interest that, prior to college graduation, students should perform a certain number of hours of service for the elderly, to set the ninth day of each month as “Caring for the Elderly Day” to encourage children to do something nice for their parents, and so on.

Reverence for Life

Wang Bailing posits three principles for a good life for an old person, namely, a sense of security, of inclusion and of worth.

“The greatest pleasure for old people is to feel that they are still valued. Man’s life span is like that of a flower; it blossoms then withers. It’s a totally natural phenomenon. But our wish is for the elderly to live life with relish, and pass away in ease and dignity.”

“I hope through our Fund more and more people can join in helping our old people, offering love, wisdom as well and material donations. No form of dedication is turned down.” Wang Bailing’s passion has influenced the people around her. Her assistant Annie is a Chinese American full of dynamism and fervor. She had a job in the financial industry in the U.S., but, moved by what Wang Bailing once said, she came back to China. Having worked as a volunteer for seven months in the Fund’s preparatory stage, Annie opted to stay on.

She explained: “I lived in America for more than ten years, a period when China was developing at its fastest, but it passed me by. Now working in public service for the elderly makes me feel I’m part of a significant stage in China’s development process.”

Wang Bailing enjoys visiting people of 100 years and above: “The rhythm of their life is measured, they are grateful and calm. It makes you realize that such longevity has not come about by chance. Life should be revered.”

Wang compares these old people who have experienced so much in their lifetime as a library full of wisdom and interest. The Fund plans to hold lectures for old people, giving them the opportunity to discuss life, health and happiness.

“It’s another form of life education. Actually we are very far from understanding life. If the whole society can care for and value life, that society can be truly civilized and advanced.”