Many seniors wonder if there is a place for them in the hearts and minds of family, friends, and society.
Ramifications of Neglect
In legal circles, neglect is explained as an act of omission, or the failure to provide the necessities of life. The list of necessities includes food, medication, and mobility apparatus.
There are many more necessities of life. There is the need for courtesy, for respectful treatment, and for the sharing of special moments. There is the great need to feel wanted.
Very much part of a decent life is friendship and companionship. Older people who live alone frequently have feelings of being deserted and neglected. Those who’ve had to move to new communities may have a very real sense of isolation. Others whose friends have died or moved away have the same feelings. They do their best to continue on and not complain, but sometimes that’s not possible. Senior couples may feel abandoned.
Laughter and the Heart
Recent studies at the University of Maryland Medical Center indicate that laughter is good for the heart. It reduces the level of stress hormones. Laughter therapy is recommended for people whose stress levels are high. There are suggestions that watching at least one good comedy each day can be extremely beneficial.
The fact remains that laughter shared with another human being can be even more beneficial. Just the act of sharing a few silly moments can be wonderfully therapeutic. If those moments are shared with family members or close friends, the results are more lasting.
Marketing campaigns that are geared to young people determine television advertising and programming. There are few if any examples of healthy, knowledgeable seniors. The question then arises as to how young people perceive their elders.
Relationship Issues
Very often, misconceptions lead to the ignoring or ridiculing of elders in society. Many seniors may not know how to use a computer. Perhaps they use old-style cameras. Maybe their over-worked, arthritic hands cannot move very well over the keyboard or work the tiny gadgets. Perhaps they prefer to tend their gardens and take care of people or pets.
Family members living great distances apart could keep in touch and share telephone conversations with some regularity, if financially able to do so.. For seniors who are on line (and there are many), family members could make a practice of sending them an e-mail or having a private chat. Or they could ask for a favorite recipe, or tell about the exam they successfully completed. They could share photographs, not necessarily on a social website.
Do family members believe that the old members couldn’t possibly understand what their problems are, or what their successes mean? Having lived through many horrendous events, today’s seniors know the fundamentals of survival.
They understand hopes and dreams. They know what it’s like to win and to lose. Most have some amazing stories to tell. Very often they want someone to ask about their history and to listen to their answers.
As stated by the Ontario Human Rights Commission, societal attitudes are to blame for elder abuse in its various forms “in large part, because ageism exists”. It would be wonderful if the elderly were fully recognized as “individuals with the same human needs and rights as other citizens”.
Sources:
Ontario Human Rights Commission
The Canadian Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse
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