Domestic workers in Hong Kong play an indispensable role for local families, especially for those with aged parents who stay in the house for most of the day.
In a commentary published in Ta Kung Pao on Thursday, a columnist named Yeh Sang shared the dilemma he faced when employing a domestic worker to take care of his aged parents.
The first caregiver he hired was described by the writer’s mother as a smart and capable woman because she handled the household chores properly. However, the worker insisted that the old folks obey her rules and could not make any suggestions.
If there were any complaints, the domestic worker would give them a long face, scold them and not listen to them.
Even after the writer asked the caregiver to respect and obey his mother, she did not follow his request, so she was fired.
The second domestic worker was an easy-going woman but not very bright.
Because of the cultural difference, the writer, said his mother needed to teach the new caregiver many things step by step and asked her to follow through the process, but the worker learned slowly and made mistakes all the time, which made his mother angry.
However, thanks to the worker’s patience and gentle personality, every time his mother got angry, a smiling face helped put out the fire.
The writer lamented that it was a dilemma: Hire a domestic worker who is capable but bad-tempered, or a less capable worker but with a good personality.
However, in the end he believed that the worker and her charge could get along eventually if both were willing to be good to each other.
The most good to look after the old ages, to save money in then put them in, in the home for the ages.. because both incapable… I suggest better to be wealthy enough..