Elderly care critical

The family is supposed to be the foundation upon which a society is built. Families are thought to be nurturing, protective and secure units, under which members can learn, grow, thrive and become stronger individuals. 

 

However, with several developments having changed the face of the family in the Western Hemisphere from an extended unit to that of a nuclear one, many of our elderly are being left to their own devices where they have to rely on social services provided by the government, sporadic family support or sadly, no one. 

 

The reasoning behind this is varied, with some families being reluctant in supporting their elderly relatives, while others refuse to take on the duty at all. Some researchers have suggested that these attitudes come from a skewed viewpoint on the aged, a fear of ageing constantly underlined by a society which increasingly values youth, or an increasing selfishness where the focus remains on material gain for personal use rather than social responsibility.  

 

The plight of much of our elderly population has been brought to the fore in the last decade, where the abandonment of these individuals by their families at the various health institutions across the island is becoming more prevalent and more of a burden to the state, as pointed out by a health minister a few years ago. Both short and long-term detrimental consequences exist for elderly persons constantly experiencing negative ageist attitudes and behaviours from relatives, friends and wider society, including potentially damaging dependent behaviours, low-self esteem and low sense of worth.

 

Therefore, it is critical to explore and transform the negative attitudes of the younger generation towards their elderly counterparts, in an effort to bridge any intergenerational gaps and reduce the chances of senior citizens being left to fend for themselves without familial support, and of developing the self-fulfilling prophecy that the stereotypes of being old are true and inevitable. 

 

It is true that some elderly persons may no longer seek activities that can stimulate the mind, or try to stay active, which can have serious implications for their mental and physical health, but many appear to crave social stimulation and interaction with others.

While it is interesting and noteworthy that there are several community resource centres and other facilities opened up to the elderly, the family as a whole and not just one individual should also share the responsibility of ensuring that their senior relatives are taken care of physically, emotionally and mentally. The excuse that one person is “too busy” to spend time with their mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt or uncle is just that – an excuse. After all, the Bible itself speaks to the need to honour one’s parents or former caregivers regardless of their age or condition.

 

Dementia and Alzheimer’s are not easy conditions to handle, especially for caregivers, but with the numbers of those being diagnosed every year rising, our younger generation should seek to educate themselves about the best way to handle an elderly parent diagnosed with these. What is truer still is that while ageing means the deterioration of health for many, there are a growing number now who are still fairly active and who should not be shoved aside because their age has hit over 75.

 

It is time that more support systems are put in place to ensure that families do not see their elders as burdens, but as those who have contributed and in several cases continue to contribute to the development of this country.