Ageism!

[ArthurBrown]

Ageism!
It’s my view that older people deserve respect and the rest of us, in my case just a little younger, should ease the strain of old age by including old ones and offering dignity and a lot of warmth whenever we can.

My old dad, got his dignity compromised recently when he found himself in the gap between the NHS and private care companies. The NHS had brought some so-called re-habitation beds from a local private care home. On his release from hospital they told him that he was considered medically fit for discharge from hospital. The social workers felt he needed more occupational therapy and these extra few weeks in bed in rehab would give him more time to regain his strength.

Behind the scenes; the care home, with other ‘specialist’ dementia unit were keen to offer my dad a permanent bed there, as within seven days of being there his dementia appeared to be the issue focused on, me and my family declined. The social worker implied he was unable to feed himself. It was my view that his increased morphine was affecting him badly, and suggested that he be given more time to recover and that his decline might not be permanent.
He has to experience awful side effects having his medication reduced and presently is able to feed himself and continue to be sure and steady on his feet post surgery- he is fighting hard now and we can only hope.
Foe me the overlap between the NHS and the Private Sector, is an extremely worrying one. I cannot blame the private care company, for viewing his care via the angle of his dementia, but he is only in hospital because he had surgery on his leg- his dementia makes it all very difficult to handle- but wants care at his home and so I try to hope that sooner or later this will be a possibility.
If you don’t have any older relatives, just give an old person a smile, the next time you are rushing around in your world- they will appreciate it.
Because our ageist society can make old people feel isolated and alone.
We are all going in one direction and so lets be aware how it helps to care-
Arthur Brown