Let us not even speak the base and disgusting reason behind ninety per cent of these displays of love - money;
Thank you for pulling that out from under the rug. Too often, that does not even come up in discussions of assisted suicide.
People act like the main concern is the "well being" of the elderly, but there is a *HUGE* financial concern. The government considers it a waste of money, some children consider it a waste of money, and sadly, some elderly people consider themselves a waste of money. But no one wants to say that money is a reason.
I think if we want our parents to live with dignity we should first look at how they are treated in their advanced age by hospital workers and even ourselves. My grandfather first lost his dignity not because he stroked out and couldn't communicate well, but because people treated him like his communication skills were indicative of his mental cababilities.
My father visited his father every day after his teaching job was over and usually spent at least two out of 7 days yelling at a nurse for being uncaring and condescending.
My mother medically (she's a nurse) checked on my grandfather weekly because the nurses there could not even be asked to make sure he wasn't getting bedsore and the like, nor would they take my grandfather's complaints' seriously or give him the time of day.
It's in treatment like that where dignity is lost. I don't look forward to needing to be bathed and were diapers again, but even more so, I don't want to be treated like I'm a moron. (though in the cases of the totally senile, I can understand why those people must be treatd like children, but it's like health care assumes that every elderly person is too senile to know their own name)
On the other hand, I am in favor of DNR's and other means of preventing medicine from becoming too instrusive. .
*sigh* Sorry, I have a huge amount of pent up anger toward geriatric care in the USA. I'm just waiting for someone to propose that anyone older than 60 should volunteer to die for the better of the planet.
Also,the middle section was a lovely tribute to mothers.
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Thank you for pulling that out from under the rug.
Too often, that does not even come up in discussions of assisted suicide.
People act like the main concern is the "well being" of the elderly, but there is a *HUGE* financial concern. The government considers it a waste of money, some children consider it a waste of money, and sadly, some elderly people consider themselves a waste of money.
But no one wants to say that money is a reason.
I think if we want our parents to live with dignity we should first look at how they are treated in their advanced age by hospital workers and even ourselves. My grandfather first lost his dignity not because he stroked out and couldn't communicate well, but because people treated him like his communication skills were indicative of his mental cababilities.
My father visited his father every day after his teaching job was over and usually spent at least two out of 7 days yelling at a nurse for being uncaring and condescending.
My mother medically (she's a nurse) checked on my grandfather weekly because the nurses there could not even be asked to make sure he wasn't getting bedsore and the like, nor would they take my grandfather's complaints' seriously or give him the time of day.
It's in treatment like that where dignity is lost.
I don't look forward to needing to be bathed and were diapers again, but even more so, I don't want to be treated like I'm a moron.
(though in the cases of the totally senile, I can understand why those people must be treatd like children, but it's like health care assumes that every elderly person is too senile to know their own name)
On the other hand, I am in favor of DNR's and other means of preventing medicine from becoming too instrusive. .
*sigh*
Sorry, I have a huge amount of pent up anger toward geriatric care in the USA. I'm just waiting for someone to propose that anyone older than 60 should volunteer to die for the better of the planet.
Also,the middle section was a lovely tribute to mothers.