What are the advantages of establishing a nursing home in a Buddhist temple?

Reflections on the establishment of nursing homes in temples

How to actively deal with the aging population and solve the outstanding problem of providing for the aged in China has become a topic of general concern to the whole society. From the perspective of Buddhist lay people, the problem of providing for the aged of lay people deserves our attention, and it has become common sense to advocate the establishment of Buddhist lay people's nursing homes.

First, why do you want to run a Buddhist lay nursing home?

It is reported that by the end of 20 13, the elderly population in China will exceed 200 million; At the end of 20 14, the number of elderly people over 60 in China reached 2120,000, and the national elderly population increased by more than120,000 a year. 21.20,000 elderly people, some Buddhist elderly lay people only eat vegetarian food for three meals a day, and recite the scriptures on time every morning and evening. Because they have special custom requirements in diet and daily life, ordinary nursing homes can't live in. They are eager to find a nursing home where they can spend their old age peacefully, practice Buddhism, get help and care after death, and die safely.

In view of this, the whole society should pay attention to the problem of providing for the aged for special groups and vigorously establish Buddhist lay nursing homes. In recent years, with the rise and continuous development of social pension, many monasteries are trying and exploring the establishment of lay nursing homes. What are the unique advantages if a nursing home is built in a temple?

Second, the characteristics and advantages of temples running nursing homes.

1, encouraged and supported by national policies. 20 12, 16 On February 6, the six ministries of the State jointly issued the Opinions on Encouraging and Regulating Religious Charity Activities with the document "Guo Zong Fa (2065438+02) No.6". This opinion provides strong support for temples to set up nursing homes and is the main basis for temples to handle nursing homes according to law.

2. It can comprehensively solve the problems of chanting Buddha, studying and providing for the aged. The atmosphere of the temple is good, and the establishment of nursing homes is a good place for many elderly laymen to spend their old age peacefully, which can make the old people live regularly, study regularly and feel comfortable. This not only solves the practical difficulties in the life of the elderly laymen, but also eliminates some worries from the spirit, satisfies the wishes of some elderly laymen, and is of great benefit to the physical and mental health of the elderly.

3. It can improve the resource utilization rate of temples. Since the reform and opening up, the party's policy of freedom of religious belief has been fully implemented, and a large number of restored, rebuilt and newly built Buddhist temples have emerged in various places. Although many monasteries have large-scale buildings, many letters for the elderly, and complete basic facilities for eating, living and studying, there are still some problems, such as fewer monks living in monasteries, high vacancy rate after the Fa Conference, and low utilization rate of temple resources. If we build monasteries and nursing homes according to the idea of "making the best use of things, reducing investment, optimizing allocation and enjoying resources" and explore the road of "one temple and two hospitals", it is also a good thing with less investment, quick results and benefiting the country and the people, which can improve the resource utilization rate of monasteries.

4. The pension problem of some Buddhist lay people in rural areas can be solved nearby. Ancient temples were places for educating people, which was equivalent to the present schools. In all the historic villages in China, temples have been built. Since the reform and opening up, many monasteries have been restored, rebuilt and built in rural areas. If we explore and promote it according to the model of "one temple and two houses", we can say that many temples will open nursing homes in the future, which can solve the problem of providing for the elderly of some Buddhist laymen in rural areas.

5. Self-discipline management to achieve public welfare purposes. The focus of Buddhist laymen's practice is to eliminate the "five poisons" of greed, anger, ignorance, slowness and doubt, and cultivate a pure heart. Because laymen pay attention to practice, cause and effect, and know how to be grateful, they can be self-disciplined, self-supervised and self-managed after staying in nursing homes, which can avoid and reduce the problem of "contradiction between support and management" and the troubles of the elderly and children, reduce management costs, and achieve the goal of low fees and high public welfare.

You can get more help and care from volunteers. Many kind-hearted lay volunteers can help and take care of the elderly at any time when they hold Buddhist ceremonies or daily holidays in temples, and better inherit the virtue of "I am for everyone and everyone is for me".

7, can solve the problem of death in time. The highest goal pursued by elderly laymen is to get rid of the cycle of life and death and survive in a paradise; I am most worried about whether I can get hospice care and die smoothly at the end of my life. The best effect of hospice care is to exert collective strength at the last moment of life. Many people will help you on the spot in time, but this effect is generally difficult to achieve. After staying in the nursing home founded by the temple, the problem of helping you in time can be solved.

8. A new way of funeral can be popularized. After the old man died and was cremated, a new funeral treatment method can be popularized. According to the Buddhist funeral ceremony, the ashes are placed in the pagoda of the temple, which can reduce extravagance and waste.

Third, the present situation and problems of temples running nursing homes.

1, the development model is vague. Building a nursing home in a temple is a new thing. How to operate? How to achieve sustainable development? At present, there is no clear development model, and everyone is still in the stage of crossing the river by feeling the stones, which is still far from the nursing homes in society.

2. The management system is not clear. Most legal persons or the heads of nursing homes are the abbots of monasteries. Organizational structure, personnel and financial management are integrated with the temple, and the management system is not clear. Formally, the monastery takes the road of charity, which essentially restricts the development of nursing homes. Just like when an old man asked if he had enjoyed the support of many good people when he lived in a nursing home, if so, or when it was difficult to say clearly, he dared not live in a nursing home founded by a monastery.

3. There are different opinions. Some people agree with the practice of setting up nursing homes in monasteries, while others express doubts and have different views.

4. The pension scale is not large. Most nursing homes are post-renovated, and the scale of providing for the aged is not large.

5. The service scope is limited. Most nursing homes can only accommodate elderly people who take care of themselves, but semi-self-care and full-care elderly people can't accept them, and the service scope is limited.

6. The overall occupancy rate is not high. Most elderly people mainly stay for a short time, and their stay time is unstable. They often stay more in legal meetings, more in summer than in winter, and more in off-season. For the elderly who can take care of themselves, nursing homes are not as good as their own small families. Missing children and relatives makes the old people reluctant to stay for a long time. The overall occupancy rate of nursing homes is not high when semi-self-care and full-care elderly people cannot stay.

7. Service personnel are difficult to hire. Because the service staff recruited by nursing homes are basically laymen, they believe in cause and effect. Many laymen think it is ok to volunteer, but if they should not earn money from the temple, they would rather work outside and earn less money than in nursing homes. Therefore, it is difficult for nursing homes to recruit stable managers and nurses.

8. Insufficient development potential. Most elderly families are not rich. If the fees are too high for the elderly to bear, they will not be able to stay, and it will be difficult for nursing homes to continue to develop. Therefore, most nursing homes maintain the status quo and have insufficient development potential.

Fourth, some suggestions for temples to run nursing homes.

In order to make monasteries run nursing homes to serve more elderly laymen, adhere to the direction of public welfare development and achieve the goal of sustainable development. Suggestion:

1, the management system should be clear. First of all, the temple organization established the "Nursing Home Management Leading Group". Secondly, the management system of nursing homes should be clearly separated from monasteries, self-contained and run independently. Nursing homes should be independent accounting, self-financing public welfare legal institutions, consciously accept the supervision and management of the "nursing home management leading group", and at least accept the financial audit arranged by the leading group once a year.

Nursing home management and service personnel should be recruited for the society. Of course, one of the basic conditions is that Buddhist laymen are believers. Only in this way can a stable and conscientious management team be established.

2, ideological understanding should be changed. It is a good thing for temples to run nursing homes for the benefit of the country and the people, but if they want to do well, they must do what they can, so as not to increase the burden on temples, nor to make the elderly living in them worry about using temple property, so as not to bear causal responsibility.

No matter how much money and goods laity believers give, they all support temples, and nursing homes cannot be used with temples. Temple houses and facilities used in nursing homes can be compensated to temples through leasing, or internal agreements can be signed. For example, nursing homes regularly extract part of their profits and give them to temples as rental fees.

3. The scope of services should be expanded. Nursing homes should be in place in one step, and fully accept the elderly who are fully self-care, semi-self-care, and fully care. While expanding the scope of services, it is necessary to ensure that the nursing home has an independent kitchen and activity room to meet the needs of the old people who like soft food and hot food and daily entertainment activities.

4. The advance plan should be in place. Although the majority of elderly laymen hope to have a nursing home where they can spend their old age and practice Buddhism; However, we should not blindly start construction, the pre-planning should be in place, and every detail, including various management systems, should be detailed and operable. Otherwise, if you give up halfway or fail to achieve the expected goal, it will easily lead to all kinds of distractions and disputes and make causal responsibility.

5, lay believers should pay attention. With the arrival of aging population, it is the expectation of the majority of lay people to run Buddhist nursing homes well, and it is the obligation of the majority of lay people to pay attention to the development and changes of nursing homes. The majority of lay people should put forward ideas, find ways and work together to improve the development model and management system of establishing nursing homes in monasteries.

Disclaimer: The author wrote this "reflection" only to attract jade. If there is any conflict with the existing temple practices, please criticize and guide.