錢先花光，還是命先沒了？：長照4個90歲老人的我，將如何面對老後生活？

 

ISBN：9786263617117

不知道是否因為被日本殖民近半世紀的緣故，台灣和日本在社會政經體制與社會發展模式上，總讓我覺得十分雷同。打個比方，就像把一群講中文的華人丟到日本裡成立一個自治區，應該就會慢慢長得像現在的台灣一樣。也因此，許多社會、人文的議題與課題，日本總是超前台灣幾年先表演給我們看。說得咬文嚼字一點，就是它山之石。而不論早年的繭居族、單身寄生族，到近年的格差社會、下流老人，都是已在台灣重現的社會現象。

少子化和高齡化社會是一體兩面。日本早在多年前就已邁入高齡社會，加上衛生、醫療體制尚稱周全，八、九十歲人口的比例應該位居全球前列。我們常把長命百歲當成祝福語，不過在看過這本《錢先花光，還是命先沒了？》之後，或許會略微改變我們原本淺薄的想法。作者小梶沙羅是一位年近耳順的單身女子。由於雙親都已高齡九十，日常起居無法自主，因此她搬回老家，開始了一段看不到盡頭的照護修行。而命運似乎也在和她開玩笑，又把膝下無子的阿姨與姨丈交到她手中，成為必須照顧的對象。偉哉「以一打四」，帶的不是小孩，而是年近百歲的老番顛。

究竟是年紀增長造成生理性的退化，還是活得太久導致心因性的異變，小梶沙羅所面對的老人們，逐漸出現冥頑不靈、容易動怒等言行舉止。更慘的是，囤積過期食品、堆滿數不清的無用物品，最後讓住家變成垃圾屋。看著書中的描述，也讓我省思，應該從現在開始培養好相處的個性，以及良好的衛生習慣，免得老了退化之後，變成一個讓家人或非血親照顧者感到困擾的老人。在台灣政界流於報喜不報憂的氛圍下，高齡化社會的困境與改善之道，早已是典型的灰犀牛問題。再加上社會對安樂死抱持排斥卻又帶有某種偽善色彩的態度，可以想見，台灣未來勢必會被高齡化課題打得鼻青臉腫。

I'm not sure if it is because Taiwan was ruled by Japan for nearly 50 years, but I have always felt that Taiwan and Japan are very similar in their social systems, political and economic structures, and ways of development. To give an example, if you put a group of Chinese-speaking people in Japan and let them form an autonomous region, it might slowly grow into something like today's Taiwan. Because of this, many social and cultural issues seem to appear in Japan a few years before they reach Taiwan. In a way, Japan often gives us a preview of what may happen in our own society.

From hikikomori (people who shut themselves away from society) and parasitic singles in the past, to the widening wealth gap and poor elderly people in recent years, many of these social problems have already appeared in Taiwan. A low birth rate and an aging society are two sides of the same coin. Japan became an aging society many years ago. Thanks to its good public health and medical systems, it probably has one of the highest numbers of people in their 80s and 90s in the world. We often wish others a long life, but after reading *Will Your Money Run Out First, or Will Your Life?*, we may start to think differently about that blessing. The author, Sara Kokaji, is a single woman close to sixty years old. Since both of her parents are already in their nineties and can no longer take care of themselves, she moved back home and began what seemed like an endless journey of caregiving. As if that were not enough, fate also placed her childless aunt and uncle in her care. Suddenly, she found herself taking care of four elderly family members at the same time. It was a "one against four" challenge—not with children, but with relatives who were nearly one hundred years old.

As people grow older, they may experience physical decline or even changes in their personality. The elderly people Sara Kokaji cared for became stubborn, unreasonable, and easily angered. Even worse, they collected expired food and piled up countless useless items until their homes became filled with clutter and trash. Reading these stories made me think about my own future. I should start developing a pleasant personality and good hygiene habits now. Otherwise, when I become old and my abilities decline, I may become a burden to my family or to those who take care of me. In Taiwan, politicians often focus on good news and avoid talking about problems. The challenges of an aging society and the need to solve them have already become a classic "gray rhino" issue—something everyone can see coming but few are willing to deal with. At the same time, many people still reject the idea of euthanasia. Because of this attitude, it is easy to imagine that Taiwan will face serious difficulties as its population continues to age.

比句點更悲傷

 

 繼「你好，我是接體員」後，大師兄又出了「比句點更悲傷」。書名取得十分巧妙，理應生離死別是人生最離跨過的關卡，但書中的故事都是死別之後所引發，令人不忍聞問的種種不堪，真的是比「句點」更讓人悲傷。

人世間的愛憎恨，有時候並不會因為死者為大而消釋。相反地死亡像是一台情感放大機，它將夫妻、家人和親友間的種種，無論是互相扶持的美還是反目成仇的醜，都放大、增幅到極至。在人生最後的時刻，振發出強烈又沉重的休止符。

全書閱畢不免讓人嘆息，雖說一樣米養百樣人，但人際之間的齟齬，總結來看也不脫情財仇。人的一生，就好像在紙上畫出一條無止盡的直線，去連結原點和終點。而原生家庭提供的「教」和「養」是決定落筆的方向，角度偏了，線越畫離終點越遠，人也就走偏了。幼時教養的缺漏，可能就得付出數十年甚至用一輩子的時間來修正。書中所見比句點更悲傷的故事，多半離不開「貧窮」和「無助」。

大師兄和「做工的人」作者林立青，可說是以文載道。透過文字向大眾傳達他們在社會底層中的見聞。讓讀者體悟反思，身處的國家社會一直有著我們不曾見過的陰暗面。「比句點更悲傷」延續「你好，我是接體員」的風格與品質，喜愛前作的朋友們可以趕緊入手翻閱。

 

你好，我是接體員

在各類型的電影中，唯有靈異鬼怪和血腥恐佈片我是無福消受。怪力亂神的題材像是重口味的麻辣佐料，愛者大呼過癮，惡者則避之危恐不及。生性膽小如我輩，真的碰不得也，更不想招惹不同次元的滿天神佛、好兄弟。因此即便耳聞這本「你好，我是接體員」題材罕見、內文有料，我卻遲遲不敢提起勇氣買來閱讀。

因緣際會，某天和友人出遊，她在書局中翻閱此書，我便順其自然地一起拿起來共覽。作者「大師兄」是「PTT佛媽版」的知名網友，從作者簡介得知他曾經從事長照服務，後來在殯葬業就職。這本「你好，我是接體員」是他將在職時經歷過的大小事，用三分詼諧七分淡然的口吻，變為篇篇時而動人、時而令人莞爾的短文。看似各自獨立的小故事，細細咀嚼後體會到皆是以殯葬服務內容為經，悲喜無常的人生百態為緯，讓作者編織出一整本染上灰暗色彩的浮世繪。

很難說這是本「人生悲喜劇」文集。因為全書充斥著死亡與離別，以世俗的觀點來看這全是悲劇。而數個「大師兄」穿插在內文中的笑點，就我來看也是一種極為濃厚的黑色幽默。從最後一篇的作者自述可知，「大師兄」的人生是在一路跌跌撞撞的情況下邁步向前，他能在謀求溫飽之餘，產出如此流暢的文字與細膩動人的觀點，真有如古人所說的「大隱隱於市」。此書和「做工的人」一樣，讓我體會到各行各業都有其專業和學問，也處處皆有人情和文章。