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Alana
Joined: Mar 23, 2001
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Culture and the elderly
April 23, 2001 - 09:16 AM
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After spending 3 years volunteering in a hospital, I noticed something totally incredible. I was amazied to see that different cultures treated their elderly parents and grandparents differently. Some cultures saw the elderly as wise and valuable to a family, while others saw the elderly as a burden and a problem. Often, people who fell into the second category wanted to simply find an old folks home in which to stash their elderly family members until their death, while people who fell into the first category fought hard to make any necessary arrangements to keep their family members at their homes.
I found that usually immigrants were the most caring towards their elders, while many "true-blue canucks" were a little more hasty with the retirement homes......but that was just my (and many of the other nurses and volunteers') observations.
Comments?
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Robert Margolis
Joined: Nov 15, 2000
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Re: Culture and the elderly
April 23, 2001 - 10:22 AM
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My father passed away this past January at 85. We were horified at the lack of services and care provided in the various facilities in the US. Fortunately, my sister was able to have him in her home and he was able to pass away with family.
While it is important to help youth develop, often we cast away those who paved the way for us. Our elders deserve better.
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MJ
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Re: Culture and the elderly
April 27, 2001 - 12:07 PM
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What a wonderful world this would be if we could take care of everyone. Unfortunately, those who are lacking in care and attention from their families suffer no different than those who are cared by their families.
Aging, illness and lonliness are life's adversities and sooner or later it happens. Europeans, middle easterns Asians, and many other cultures often feel an obligation to their parents as it is their parents who have supported, guided and loved them during the prime of their lives when they needed direction. I don't think any one culture would neglect their family. I think the only thing that factors into the neglect of the elderly is money. There is never enough money to take care of the problems that exsist in this world. It's nobody's fault it is just life.
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Alana
Joined: Mar 23, 2001
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perhaps...
April 29, 2001 - 11:38 AM
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Perhaps you are correct in saying that no particular culture would totally and completely neglect their elders, BUT.....there are some cultures that care for their elders a heck of a lot more than others! I can say this with full confidence and certainty after having worked in a hospital. I believe that the grief process a family goes through after a loved one has passed away says a lot about the way those people value human life. When I first worked in the hospital, I believed that one should never ever judge people while they were grieving the loss of a loved one. While I still believe this to be true, I am more realistic in recognizing that some grief is more genuine than others. I'm not sure what point I'm trying to prove, but.......maybe I'll come back later....
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MJ
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Re: Culture and the elderly
May 8, 2001 - 03:32 AM
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I wonder if it is the culture or the society that dictates what the offspring do for their aging parents.
I think that our society is coming to an era where the boomers are getting older and it will be interesting to see if their kids will be able to take care of them.
Do you think that kids should take care of their parents when they get older or do you think that everyone should look out for themselves?
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Luanne
Joined: Mar 21, 2001
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Re: Culture and the elderly
May 10, 2001 - 11:57 AM
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I believe that one should always be grateful and appreciative of one's elders. Coming from an asian background, the elders of the family are the wisest and deserve the utmost respect, no matter how old you are.
perhaps what you notice, Elana, is that many North American families are so independent and self involved that they expect their parents/grandparents to remain as independent as they were 20 years ago. There are some elders who prefer living alone in a home or something with their friends etc but the fact is that in many homes, they seem so lonely and bored even with neighbours, friends and such.
My grandmother lives with us and I believe that just her presence in the household does indeed have a positive effect on all of us. No matter which way you look at it, mothers know best and no matter how challenging a situation may be, a grandmother's advice is always good.
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Chris Shaver
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Re: Culture and the elderly
May 7, 2004 - 01:26 AM
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It is true that all differrent cultures have all differrent ways to treat elderly people. For me I meet up with my grandparents almost over week.I am lucky that I still have one great grandparent still alive.I treat this as a blessing because not many in this world have even met or seen their great grandparents.I think treating elderly people fairly and with extras care is the best way to treat them.
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Areeb Azhar
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Re: Culture and the elderly
May 7, 2004 - 01:40 AM
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Yes it is true that different people and religons treat
elderly differently but everybody should elderly in a good and equal way.
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