Dr. Liang Shuang, a cardiologist at a hospital in Changsha, Hunan, remembers a recent elderly patient brought in by their children. The patient had long-standing blood pressure of 160/110, which they were aware of, but had not sought medical attention. Instead, they believed the advice of wellness institutions, health supplement salespeople, and some friends, opting to manage their health at home with supplements and even “unknown traditional Chinese medicine.” If it weren’t for their children’s insistence to visit the hospital, they would have continued to struggle alone at home.
Dr. Liang told reporters from China Youth Daily: “Elderly patients postponing medical care tend to present with more severe conditions by the time they are diagnosed. Compared to ten years ago, there has been some improvement, but there are still quite a few cases. I encounter two or three such cases every week.”
Many young people feel helpless when it comes to their parents who “hesitate to seek medical help despite feeling unwell but do not communicate with their children.”
Additionally, posts online expressing grievances about parents’ habits, such as not wanting to turn on the fan in hot weather or consistently eating leftovers, have resonated with many.
Young people refer to these behaviors as “enjoying good fortune but suffering through hardship.” They struggle to understand, in light of their financial means, why their elders still choose to “suffer through hardship.” How can they communicate better to reduce such behaviors among their parents?
Frustration over Elders’ Choices to “Suffer Through Hardship”
Chen Jie, a girl in her early twenties from Chongqing, often feels frustrated about her grandparents’ choices to “suffer through hardship.” Her grandparents live in the countryside and receive only a few hundred yuan in pension each month. She and her family visit them during holidays and regularly buy items for them, often giving them money as well.
Chen Jie believes that rural living is inexpensive and one can live comfortably without spending much, yet her grandparents insist on “suffering through hardship.”
Recently, she brought her younger sister back to the countryside during the summer break.
Before their first meal, she found bowls and chopsticks soaking in water that had already gone bad, and three or four more containers with dirty water. When Chen Jie poured out the dirty water to clean them, her grandmother scolded her for not being frugal.
Chen Jie noticed that they refused to eat the food she bought for them; in the end, the noodles went moldy, the dumplings wouldn’t cook no matter how long they were boiled, the rice spoiled, and the expired cooking oil caused diarrhea.
Her grandmother frequently steps out to collect fertilizer right at mealtime and doesn’t return until dark. “What if she falls on the slope and there are no young people at home to help? She often goes out in the blazing sun to search for herbs. How much can they sell the herbs for? They aren’t short on money but insist on doing dangerous things. A neighbor took her in, but my grandmother said she wasn’t used to the food and lifestyle, so they sent her back. She went right back to running up the hillside,” Chen Jie said.
