Just musing....something to think about
When we have children we do not send them off to a 24hr a day, child proofed care facility where all of their fundamental needs will be met by strangers, while we go about our lives as usual dropping in every once in a while (especially holiday’s and special occasions) just to say hi and make sure all is well... In our society that would be what we refer to a “deadbeat.” We instead make many small changes to begin adapting to life with the little creature, making personal sacrifices in both our private and public lives for them, staying in more often, eating a bit better (and earlier and perhaps often) child proofing the home, adjusting sleep cycles, making different decisions about the cars we drive and the areas we live in.... the list goes on and on and it all adds up to a revolution of one’s own life and it is great... We consider it our responsibility; we accept it and we begin weaving our reality around it. However, why is the same not true of our elders? Why is it that we do not feel this same sense of responsibility? Why is it socially acceptable to negate responsibility and send them off to care facilities? Why are small changes implemented over time in the home and public and private selves to accommodate them? Because we are too busy? Because we have no idea what we are doing and they would be better cared for someplace else by someone else? Because we were not financially or mentally prepared for it? These all sound like they would be quite applicable in negating our responsibility to our children as well. As do all of the other justifications I’ve heard as to why people deal with the elderly in this manner. I could go on speculating all day as to why we collectively shed this responsibility, but perhaps it is best you think about it for a while yourself and draw your own conclusions.
