Creating A Supportive Environment For Elderly Loved Ones

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Our family is an important part of our lives, providing us with support and sheltering us with love and care. At one point in our lives, our family members will grow old. Naturally, our parents will grow old first. Their bones start becoming weaker, their legs start to shake, their hands are not as strong as they used to be, and their eyes are not as sharp as they once were. At some point, they will be unable to do the things they enjoyed doing. This is an important aspect of their lives. The time when they need to be loved and cared for the most. It is easier for old people to fall into depression if they are neglected by their loved ones instead of being showered with love and care.

The cycle of life is such an interesting concept. When we are younger, our parents or older relatives take care of us as we are unable to do anything on our own; we can’t do the chores on our own or think by ourselves. However, as they grow older, the tables turn and we, who used to be their babies, become their caregivers, and they, our “children.” Growing up, I'd always imagine what it would be like when my parents grow old. Of course, with everything they have done for me, it is only right that I repay them. Yes, I owe them a debt of gratitude.

When our family grows old, should they be taken to retirement homes where they would be taken care of 24/7 by professionals or should they be taken care of by family members at home? I have never been against nursing homes for elderly people. Although I have never been to one, I have seen how they operate in movies. Both methods- retirement homes or family members, are good. In the end, the main goal is to make sure they receive special treatment. In my opinion, the best method to use depends on the type of family. As I always like to say; life has an interesting way of pulling its strings. For some families, a retirement home is the best option. Let’s use Family A and Family B as a case study.

In family A, there are 2 children and their old parents. Unfortunately for them, the two children secured jobs in a distant location. Let’s say another country. And there are no relatives to take care of the parents. In this case, it is better to take the parents to retirement home instead of leaving them all by themselves. This way, they can be taken care of by professionals. It would be impossible for their children to fly back home to take care of their parents from that time. Also, it would also be unreasonable for them to quit their jobs for this reason. How then would they have the finance to take care of them? On the other hand, family B has 7 children and numerous relatives staying with the elderly parents. In this case, the better method will be to take care of them in the family home.

As I mentioned earlier, I am against nursing homes for elderly people. Both methods have their own perks. However, if the ball is in my court, I’d prefer to take care of my old people in the family home. Although nursing homes for elderly people are good, they cannot fully be trusted. What if they treat our old people somehow? Afterall, the professionals are humans and can get pissed over little things. What if our old people does something that pisses them off and they decide to take it out on them by treating them unfairly? There are just so many what ifs. If our old people are taken care of by us in the family home, no matter what they do, we will never take it out on them because they are family, but this is not the case in nursing homes. Blood is thicker than water.

In summary, while I think nursing homes for the elderly is a very good approach to making sure our old people get treated by professionals, taking care of them by ourselves in the family home is a better option. The benefits of the latter outweighs the former. In the end, it all narrows down to whichever works for you.

Thanks for reading.