To the Editors:

The best advice to children on "How to Help Our Parents" [June 9] might well be the same those children gave when their parents wondered what to give them for birthday/Christmas/ graduation, etc.: SEND MONEY.

Lillian Stough

Phoenix

I am 83 years old, living in an excellent nursing home, but with failing sight and hearing like Shakespeare's seventh age of man. I am in a position to say this: Shouldn't compassion, common sense and economics unite to decree that some old folks' lives be mercifully terminated? It hurts me to think of the good that could be done with the $20,000 spent on my yearly expenses.

Cornelia S. Love

High Point, N.C.

TIME has clearly described the grim outlook of isolation and detached social status thrust upon our senior citizens after retirement. The medical profession has been less than totally responsive to the health needs of the elderly. In fact, departments of geriatric medicine are essentially nonexistent in medical schools. As a result, many physicians are not fully aware of the unique psychological stresses associated with aging. Our retired citizens must be provided with community resources for preventive medicine, and treatment clinics preserving the quality of life and the human dignity of the elderly.

William M. Lukash, M.D.

Rear Admiral, M.C., U.S.N.

Physician to the President

Washington, D.C.

It's a shame when a patient must truthfully admit that he is perhaps appreciated and loved more by a mere nurse's aide than by his relatives? If nursing homes are "killer institutions," then all sons and daughters of lonely patients are guilty of premeditated murder.

Rosanne Charles

Birmingham, Mich.

If not for my job as a nurse's aide, I would probably be as unconcerned about the plight of our aged as most 22-year-old Americans. However, since I spend my day shaving someone's grandfather, dressing someone's mother, taking someone's third cousin to the toilet, feeding someone's great-aunt, and trying to communicate with someone's father who has suffered a stroke, I often wonder who will be doing these things for me when I'm 63,78,92 or 85.

Yesterday I woke a sweet old lady for breakfast and asked how she was. This tiny, crippled old lady replied that she was sorry to say she had not died during the night: she was still here to suffer another day.

Melissa Davis

Tucson, Ariz.

TIME'S valuable story on the aged points out that stiffer regulations and better enforcement of existing laws are one way to improve the quality of care for nursing-home residents. I support these moves. But I think we must also confront a more fundamental question: Will any amount of regulation make a difference in a field dominated by those whose primary motivation is maximum profits?

I am increasingly concerned over whether the dynamics of the market place actually work in the long-term care field to assure the consumer a quality product. The elderly consumer often is in no position to choose among competing providers. Choices are made by some third party, who then also pays the bill. Faced with a consumer who is in no position to complain or to reverse his or her decision, the provider has an incentive of sorts to cut corners on services to make bigger profits.

The burden of proof is now on the profit-making homes to demonstrate that they can fulfill the public trust given to them.

Charles H. Percy

Senator from Illinois

Washington, D.C.

When we look at an old person, we see what we may become: one who has lost health, beauty, children, status, income, home, friends and lovers.

The greatest sorrow of the aging human being is an aching loneliness for what is gone forever.

In our clinic, we practice and teach Dr. Robert Butler's Life Review Therapy. The older person is encouraged to reminisce, so that he can come to value his own unique life and his ability to survive. We, the listeners, are awed and inspired by the stories that unfold.

Kay Kinley Melaney

Western Psychiatric Institute

University of Pittsburgh

A Message to Sadat

Some Israelis find promising attributes in Anwar Sadat [June 9], but there is still doubt whether he has a clear view of the main questions that agitate Israel's mind. I summarize them:

1) The main obstacle is not an Israeli refusal to evacuate territories, but an Arab refusal to make peace. There is an Israeli consensus for territorial concessions. Is there an Arab consensus for peace?

2) Peace has little to do with semantic quibbles about nonbelligerency. Peace means that Arab governments have to behave toward Israel exactly as they behave toward Italy and France. It involves a vast transformation of Arab attitudes, ideas, slogans, policies and conduct. Is any leader explaining this to the Arabs with the candor that characterizes the way some of us are talking to the Israeli people about the need to give up territories for peace?

3) No nation can escape the burden of history. For Egypt this includes the burden of Nasser's terrible act of shattering a condition of relative stability eight years ago. The traumatic effects are still at work in Israel's mind. The peace map must be constructed with precision and care so as to avoid the vulnerabilities of May 1967. This means negotiation. When does Sadat propose to look an Israeli leader in the face and reach a common human understanding?

4) The Palestine solution requires a move from the Palestinians themselves. Their opportunity is to generate a leadership that will say, "Not Palestine instead of Israel, but side by side with Israel--now and into the future." Where is that Palestinian voice, and when will it be heard?

TIME correspondents have written that "Sadat has proved quite capable of bold leadership and blunt talk among Arab leaders." True. But in the last resort, leadership consists of leaders talking bluntly and boldly--to themselves and to each other. This is the Israeli hope from Anwar Sadat.

Abba Eban Jerusalem

Mr. Eban served as Israel's Foreign Minister from 1966 to 1974.

Pipeline Boom

As an Alaskan, I have a ringside seat at the tragedy that is unfolding here [June 2]. Men of greed will exploit and plunder this beautiful land. I am not against progress, but based on man's past performance I can only see disaster looming.

Gordon Bergman

Anchorage, Alaska

It seems to me that we are experiencing a modern-day Gold Rush. My only hope is that Alaska does not become another California.

Perry Weiner

New York City

Your article was by far the most accurate and thorough account I've yet to see in the news media.

Barbara Metz

Fairbanks, Alaska

Color Portugal Red?

It is rather easy for Communists to infiltrate a poor country like Portugal [June 2]. If Europe and the U.S. were to intervene, they would be defending the majority of the Portuguese people. We had better do something while there is still time or Europe will soon be surrounded by a sea of red.

Barbara Ann Lichtl

Vienna

Shocked

I was shocked when I read your Press story on Cambodia [May 19]. I profoundly admire and respect Sydney Schanberg, but you have no right to say that everything written by the other journalists did not begin to compare in volume, drama or detail with Schanberg.

I am also shocked at being singled out as the journalist who broke the embargo, which, anyway, was broken by many. I wish to make it clear that only one of my articles was published one day before the end of this embargo and against my will.

Patrice de Beer

Correspondent, Le Monde

Bangkok

Savile Row Vulgarity

There certainly is a London look [June 2]. But I can't believe this is it. In my frequent trips to London--and believe me, I do a great deal of looking and buying--I am not aware of Mr. Skinner or his clothes. Certainly Savile Row has changed (much due to the inventiveness of Tommy Nutter), but "wrapover leisure jacket"--never.

We in America have long looked to London in men's wear--but for taste, not vulgarity.

Bill Blass

New York City

Designer Blass recently added a 1975 American Fashion Award to his laurels.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.