In many cultures, parents are revered for their wisdom, guidance, and unwavering support. They are honoured for the sacrifices they make, the wisdom they impart, and the unconditional love they provide throughout their children’s lives. Traditionally, it has been considered both a duty and a privilege for adult children to care for their parents in old age, ensuring comfort, dignity, and well-being. Yet in recent years, an alarming shift has surfaced. Increasingly, elderly parents are being neglected, abandoned, or left homeless, cast aside by the very children they once nurtured and protected. Some are found wandering the streets, desperate for shelter, food, or medical care. Others are placed in underfunded elder-care homes and forgotten. This tragic reality contradicts the cultural and moral values that once upheld family unity and intergenerational support. While modern pressures such as financial strain, migration, and individualism may contribute, they cannot excuse the abandonment of one’s parents.
Imagine being left alone without a roof over your head, with no one to turn to. For many abandoned seniors, this is their daily reality. The pain is not only physical but deeply emotional. They often feel unloved, unappreciated, and disposable. Rejection by their own children can lead to depression, anxiety, and a profound loss of purpose. The reasons behind abandonment vary. Some adult children struggle with financial or personal difficulties, while others feel overwhelmed by the demands of caregiving. In certain cases, they may lack the skills or resources to provide adequate support. Whatever the cause, the outcome is the same: elderly parents are left to suffer. The consequences are severe and far reaching. Abandoned seniors are more likely to experience poverty, malnutrition, poor health, exploitation, and abuse. The emotional toll of loneliness, isolation, and despair can be just as devastating as the physical hardships.
Several incidents from Sri Lanka highlight this distressing trend.
Meegasara, Weeraketiya (2016): A seventy-four-year-old man, who had single-handedly raised his daughter after his wife’s death, was abandoned at a bus stand by that very daughter. She had sold their property and moved away, leaving him paralyzed and pleading to be admitted to an elder’s home.
Horagolla, Gampaha (2020): An elderly man, believed to be from Anuradhapura, was found abandoned near Amara Vihara. Local authorities eventually admitted him to an elder’s home after a hospital check-up.
Pettah Bus Stand, Colombo: An elderly couple in their eighties, after dividing their wealth among eight children, were left homeless when none accepted responsibility for their care. One son tricked them into traveling to Colombo, pretending he would take them to an elder’s home, only to abandon them at the bus stand.
Such stories expose not only neglect but also a disturbing erosion of moral values. When children, once nurtured with love and sacrifice, discard their parents as soon as they become dependent, they reduce a sacred bond to a mere transaction. Parents dedicate their lives to raising their children, working tirelessly, sacrificing comfort, and offering unconditional love and financial support.
To repay this lifelong devotion with cruelty, indifference, or abandonment is a betrayal of family, compassion, and human decency.
Leaving a paralyzed father at a bus stand or discarding elderly parents after inheriting their property reflects a society where greed and selfishness replace duty and love. These acts cut far deeper than financial neglect. They represent a breakdown of the very essence of family and respect for human dignity. It is time to take a stand. We must reaffirm the value and worth of our elderly parents and ensure they receive the care and respect they deserve. This requires a cultural shift that prioritizes the well-being of seniors and supports caregivers in their vital role.
Change begins with awareness. We must speak out against elderly abandonment, support organizations that provide services for seniors, and cultivate a culture of compassion and gratitude. By working together, we can build a society where parents are cherished in their old age, not discarded. The abandonment of elderly parents is not just a social issue. It is a moral crisis. Let us take collective responsibility, honour the sacrifices of those who raised us, and ensure that no parent is left to face their final years in loneliness and despair.
