Are the elderly valuable members of society?

Question

I believe they are.

I have worked with the elderly for ten years and I have found it an extremely rewarding and personally enriching experience.

So, it deeply saddens me when I hear them say, "I am of no use to anyone."

What are your views/thoughts/experiences?

Answer 1

Yes i have worked with the elderly too, and i agree it is rewarding. I used to find it very sad to watch them sat staring into space. I always wondered what is going on in his/her mind....?I wanted to get in there and share all those long ago experiences and memories. They have raised their families, working days are gone, and they wonder what is next. I went to visit my uncle sam who is in a home for the elderly and as we were chattin i said to him, so what have you been doing then ? He said oh just waiting,you know. I said waiting for what ? He said the grim reaper.
Then he laughed, but in a sad way. I wanted to cry. I could remember when he was a young man, when i was a little girl, and he would come and visit my mother. He was soooooo good looking ! I could cry now just thinking about him........

Answer 2

Our personal experience was many years ago with a certain Dr. here in town. His favourite expression or should I say, diagnosis, was, "You're old, get use to it." We decided that his day as our Dr. was over. About 11 years or so ago, we had to get a Dr. in another town. Praise the Lord we did! My husband went in for a check up and mentioned some things that were happening and our Dr. sent him immediately for a Colonoscopy. He was diagnosed with Lymphoma and it was the size of a large orange. The symptoms that my husband told the first Dr. was the same symptoms he told the second. My husband is alive today because our Dr. paid attention and did something.
He had surgery, chemo and is doing miraculously well. I would love to tell
that other Dr. what I think, but I'll leave him to God. He rights all wrongs.
I should add my husband is close to 76--I DON'T think that it is old. We seniors don't always get the respect we deserve and are not always taken
seriously by Drs. or others. Thankfully, we have a Dr. that really cares about
us and is careful.

Answer 3

Are the elderly valuable members of society, you ask? Yes, they definitely are. My parents are now in their 80's and I am looking after them. My father says, "I'm of no use to anyone" or "I'm just a stupid old man" which makes me so sad, you cannot imagine. I give you major props for your experience with working with the elderly for as long as you have. You must have learnt a great deal. I am so protective of my elderly parents now. My dad uses a walker now, and when I take him shopping, sometimes unthinking people push past him, not even *seeing* him- it makes me so angry! I think, "You hurt my father, I will hurt YOU" My father has been through WW2, The Depression, taking care of both of his sisters and mother when his father died of MS when my dad was only 15. He's from a time and place I cannot even imagine. He's seen and experienced so much, and he doesn't give himself credit for any of it. Many people are under the misconception that elderly people are just, "in the way" and irritating (they drive too slowly, walk slowly, are hard of hearing, etc.) The young cannot comprehend ever getting old- they think they will stay young forever. Youth is wasted on the young. I've learned so much from my parents throughout the years. And I think about how thoughtless I was when I was young, and how I behaved towards them, and it fills me with shame. In other countries, the elderly are respected for their wisdom and station in life. Especially in countries like Japan. Now I am almost 45 and I do all of the shopping, cleaning, laundry, comforting, and just trying to make my parents feel better. I am no saint. I just love my parents. You are a rare person. Wish there were more of you in this youth obsessed world. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Answer 4

The elderly are of immense value in society. Without our elderly, we would have no idea about the intricate histories of the places we live, reference as to how much the world has changed over the years or (for SOME) no sense of respect, self-respect or how to instill either into future generations. I am a Junior in Nursing School and have had the great pleasure of working with the elderly quite a lot. They are to be respected, valued and honored.

Answer 5

I don't think so.
And I mean that, I have thought it over.
The government spends so much money trying to keep the elderly alive, and then complain when todays neglected youth cause havoc on our streets. Money should be invested in people who have a future, not those who have already had a life.
The only use they have is sentimental value and nothing more (apart from making delicious cakes). We cannot learn from them, because times have changed and even the experience and knowledge they have is wasted as we do not listen to them, we cannot learn from their mistakes because we do things anyway.
I hope that if i ever become so old and immobile that i have to live in an old people's home and be constantly cared for, or get some kind of degenerative disease, or go senile, then my children will have the courtesy and sympathy to shoot me.

Answer 6

Yes. they can be very valuable. They usually have a wealth of life experience to draw on. The biggest problem is when you find one who is having problems communicating for some reason. It is hard to maintain patience sometimes to find out exactly what they are trying to say.
Some of the most interesting people I have ever met have been in their 80's or even older. Met one who was a Baptist preacher. He was 103 years old and still very alert. When I shook hands with him, I thought he would break my hand ! Still had a lot of strength in his hands even though he was a little slow walking.
Keep up the good work. Older people need someone to give them a little attention, especially when their family members are too busy to see them.

Answer 7

Yes, they're extremely valuable. My great aunt and uncle raised me, and his mother lived with us for a long while. I called her Muzzy. She taught me how to count by playing dominoes when I was 3 (still my favorite game) and she would play Candyland with me for hours. She had read the Bible cover to cover 13 times. She died a week after her 101st bday when I was 12. I still choke up thinking about her. She was/is the most wonderful person I have ever known. I never heard her say a bad word about anyone, and she could always make you laugh. I miss her horribly. I regret not asking her questions about her childhood and all the things she lived through--wars, the Depression, about the Titanic, how different things were then.

My great uncle (her son) is 90 now (his bday was on 4-11) and he is just like her. He is always willing to help someone at anytime. He refers to strangers as "friends I haven't met yet." He is also one of the smartest people I have ever met. He used to race me to the yard, but now he's stooped and has to walk with a cane. His wit has never faltered, though. I love him and my aunt so much. (she's 71) I'm not making the same mistake twice--I ask them stuff all the time about their childhood, etc. And my aunt has some crazy stories! (she grew up in Mississippi with 11 brothers and sisters)

I think if more people stopped taking the elderly for granted and forgetting about them, we as a country, and as the human race, would be much better off.

:o)

Answer 8

The elderly are a wasted resource in most societies. They are the people who have lived through the often great changes of the modern era. Their case studies would provide invaluable information about how we can do better next time. They also tend to remember things that history conveniently forgets.

Answer 9

I ran Wrinklytech for 9yrs up to the age of 66. I gave others free support with all IT problems - then it got too technical. However I made a large circle of friends that still contact me for help.

I have compiled a history of the village in which I was born, and researched my family tree back to 1760, all of which will exist long after my demise.

Is this "added value"?

Answer 10

I'm with you. It truly is sad when they feel that way and I believe that in today's day and age, family values have gone by the wayside. So many don't spend the time or pay back their parents for the life that has given to them. Instead, they're dumped into nursing homes.

I have a soft heart for the elderly and treat them with the dignity and respect that they deserve.