Are we living too long?

I read this piece of news online and it really made me wonder if living too long is a boon or a bane. Krishna Dasi, a centenarian was locked up alone inside a house for over 10 days, by her daughter, until the neighbors got the cops to rescue her. The daughter, who was supposed to care for her old aged mother had to attend to a family emergency and there was no one who would volunteer to take care of her 101 year old. The family is financially weak ruling out the possiblity of hiring a help for the old lady.

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Krishna Dasi's daughter couldn't take her along with her as the travel would deteriorate the condition. Krishna Dasi looked very weak when the cops rescued her. She was rushed to the nearest health Care facility and soon she was back in health. She told the cops about her son who had broken ties with her after a property dispute. The son was called to have a look at his mother.

Gopal hesitantly came to have a look at the condition of his mother after the cops summoned him, but refused to care for his mother because years back she had not given him homis share in the family's property. The 60 year old son earned his living as a daily wage labourer. The cops had to counsel Gopal to make him understand his responsibilities towards his ailing mother. He finally agreed to take her home.

What if the son had not agreed to take her home or worse even if the daughter abondoned her. While the world would see her as a lucky woman who would live a little extra over a century in good health, but deep down she would be cursing herself for being blessed with health. She might have been feeling like a burden on her kids. It is the duty of the kids to care for their parents when they are not in good health for they have had those sleepless nights when you were ill. It is not that they want to be a burden on you, but there is little they can do.