Nothing Goes to the Grave. So Why Are Parents Left Behind?

 

Death takes nothing with it—no money, no property, no status. Everyone leaves empty-handed.

Yet many parents are left behind long before death arrives.

Old-age homes in India are no longer meant only for the abandoned or childless. The country has over 1,300 registered old-age homes, and studies show that nearly 70 percent of residents have children who are alive and financially independent. These are parents who once sacrificed comfort and security to raise their families.

India’s elderly population is growing fast. By 2036, nearly one in five Indians will be above 60. At the same time, surveys reveal that almost half of urban elderly feel neglected, even though they have families.

Busy careers, smaller homes, and modern lifestyles are often cited as reasons. What is rarely discussed is how responsibility slowly gives way to convenience. Care continues, but emotional closeness fades.

Old-age homes are sometimes necessary. But when they become the easiest option, they point to a loss of values rather than a lack of resources. Parents who once asked for nothing are left with shelter, but without belonging.

In the end, wealth stays behind. What remains is how we treated our parents while there was still time.