Beijing: Lu Xi, 32, an office clerk in Beijing, tried to explain to her 4-year-old daughter why sometimes it is not a good idea to extend a helping hand to an elderly person who falls over on the street.
On June 15, an elderly woman in Dazhou, Sichuan province, fell over in the street and broke her leg. Three primary school students managed to help her up, but she then accused them of having knocked her down and asked their families to pay 20,000 yuan ($3,290) toward medical fees.Jiang Zhiyun, the father of one of the children, reported the case to the police in November. A police investigation found that the old woman had lied, and she was sentenced to seven days of administrative detention for extortion. Her son, who was also involved in the case, was given 10 days of detention and fined 500 yuan.
Meanwhile, warm-hearted people, when offering first aid, should proceed with caution because moving an elderly person who has fallen over might cause secondary injuries."It's not a smart move to get an elderly person up quickly after he has fallen because it will possibly cause damage to his bones and joints," said Lin Xiaoling, a nurse at a nursing home in Tianjin |
