The hightened Rail way over bridges & numberless steps, the aged people 2 climb-up?Can't v plan 4 alternatives

Question

See, in India we never plan or give consideration for the elderly people & phyisically challenged ever! We go on raising d heights of d trains, ( &recently a news went on, there r double deckers too, in trains, to b introduced!!), there by in every rail way stations through out d country, d elderly people have 2 climb up all the steps 2 go 2 the other end of the platform. The step-climbing is not an easy joke 4 even d younger people & it is highly foolish to daily climbing up & climbing down d unending steps @ d railway stations! If one old lady has 2 go from station 'X' to 'Y', see d horrible thing, d poor old lady has 2 climb up from road level 2 railway station level by steps, from there she has 2 climb up one slopy unending steps-horizontal walk-slopy down... travelling in d incredible indian crowds 4 decades...again she has 2 climb up frm station 'Y' slopy unending steps-horizontal walk-slopy down!DONT WE HAVE THE BRAIN 2 PROVIDE AN UNDER GROUND RAMPING SLOPES FOR OUR EASY LIFE?

Answer 1

Yes, while I agree with you that we need to be considerate towards our senior citizens, I feel it is also equally (if not more) important to take care of physically challenged population too. Coming to the question of Brain, it is not a question of brain, it is a question of means - we have got so used to getting things subsidized (or free) and go up in arms the moment a small hike is announced but take the armchair approach to sit in judgement - it has to be done this way or that way. C'mon, let us do something instead of preaching or expecting the government to do things for us (or atleast pay a right price for the services that we expect). If it was just brains, we could design systems that can transport the elderly, sick and physically challenged people with elevators, escalators etc right from their homes, but then it is a matter of practicality and money, honey ;-)

Answer 2

Unlike the many Asiatic cultures who revere the elderly as a source of wisdom gleaned over a lifetime, apparently the US isn't as far behind as I had thought.  Common practice here dictates when mom and dad have needs that make them "burdensome" it signals the time when a berth is secured in some sort of semi-institutional living arrangement.  Warehoused and forgotten for the most part.

Until something like hurricane Katrina comes along and the "caregivers" scurry for their lives leaving those to whom their care had been entrusted behind to die frightened and helpless.  Of course there's the occasional fire that kills a couple of score of those no longer needed, with the requisite three days of slow news cycle coverage (less if Britney Spears shoots something else).

But, there is the Americans With Disabilities Act, which has forced "all access" types of entry, exit, street side curbs, convenient parking spots, etc., and of course the latter of these benefits are abused by people too damned lazy to walk a few yards into a shop or store.

So, it is absolutely do-able to help those who have helped us, or to help those in need of it for any reason.