Who Cares About Caring For Our Elderly Relatives?

This article was first published during May 2009 on this site. It has been extensivly edited, admended and added to to bring it upto date. If you find it of interest please leave a comment.

It never fails to amaze me when the UK government, the public or both express shock and surprise when a damming report is published exposing some “new” horror or scandal, especially as most of them are caused by the current government’s inaptitude, lack of foresight, planning or will to turn the election pledges and commitments into realities. If you, like many, read newspapers, watch the TV, listen to the radio or follow news on the web it’s almost impossible not to be aware of, or have formed an opinion about most high profile and controversial subjects and scandals.

I am convinced that the great majority of the British Public is already well aware of the lamentable standards of care for the elderly in our care & nursing homes!.  So why do we, the electorate choose to ignore this scandal?.  Why are we not marching on Downing Street?.  Why are we not petitioning the Prime Minister, why do we go on turning a blind eye?.  After all, every one of us is getting older and there is a very good chance we, or a close family member will need some sort of personal care in the not too distant future.

The amazing thing about us British is that we are prepared to fight for the right to hunt foxes, or keep dangerous breeds of dogs, or protest against perceived invasions of privacy, or fight for the underdog, Gurkhas settlement right and similar worthy causes but seem incapable of fighting for our own people, for our underprivileged, our disadvantaged, our disabled, and especially our elderly.

The unpalatable truth is;  that today the old are seen by many younger members of our society, and especially by our politicians and our own children as an inconvenience that must be put up with, tolerated, managed, hidden away, disadvantaged and neglected. They are viewed by many as an expensive luxury they could well do without. If the old are going to be so inconsiderate as to keep living longer they must be managed as cheaply as possible, the shameful mantra is “let’s put them out of sight, and do it as cheaply as possible”.

The truth is, until I turned 50 I never really gave getting old and its consequences much thought, none of us do, it’s the “head in the sand syndrome” we know it’s going to happen but we ignore it until it’s too late . Now that I am pushing towards 60 the subject of getting old has begun to take on much more prominence and importance to me with the realisation that I’m nearly there. I point this out, not so as to invoke any sympathy on your part, rather only so you can understand my point of view. It is becoming increasingly difficult for me to examine old age, and care of the old objectively rather than subjectively, as any day now it is possible it will begin to affect me. There, I’ve owned up, as I approach my old age I am given to consider the subject of my own care, should, heaven forbid, I ever need it.

Tweet This Post  Read more... (4009 words, 3 images, estimated 16:02 mins reading time)