I was a bit surprised the very day I learned about retirement homes. I confidently said it was a poor business idea thinking that it's abnormal for families to give up their old ones to such places, but I was wrong. It even surprised me more to know that there are numerous people across the world who prefer having their age ones in places like that for different reasons.
It really shouldn't be surprising because with the little time I have spent in the world, I have seen people who claim not to like having aged people around them. I have seen those who believe catering for them can be very stressful, there are those who don't have the time and so on. People have different reasons, and I can't condemn them for doing things just because I think it's inappropriate. It might be what works best for them, so who am I to judge them?
Although retirement homes aren't common in this part of the world, I have read so many things about them. It's indeed a lucrative business, and having professionals care for aged people sounds like a good deal, but not for me. It can't be an option for me when it comes to considering the well-being of my aged ones.
A lot of the time, I have encountered people who still do not understand that living as a human is beyond the food we eat, the clothes we wear, and the things in our possession. Yes, these things are also important, but they will have less impact on us when our life lacks love, care, and true companionship, most especially the type that comes from our loved ones (family).
Regardless of our age, that family connection is always important. It's a rare type of connection that a caregiver or retirement home professional can't develop overnight, and I feel terrible when people deprive their aged ones of that bond and connection for any reason.
Life can get really busy sometimes, and retirement homes become the only option just because we want the best for our aged ones, but let's assume that they did the same to us as kids.
Imagine you were kept somewhere by your parents just because they never had the time to properly care for you; would you ever grow up to like or build proper connections with them?
Many parents deprived themselves of the lives they had always wanted all because they dedicated their lives to us. They wanted to always be there to cheer, support, and care for us when we needed them the most, but it's the other way around when it's our time to cater to them.
I honestly think it's unfair to put them somewhere at that time of their life when they should be relaxing around us, creating memories, and even sharing their wealth of knowledge since they won't be here forever. If they are have given their all to cater for us, I really don't see any reason for us not to do the same.
One thing I have always believed is that no one can care for us better than our family. Similarly, my time as a head teacher in a school has shaped my idea about caregivers. While going around the school sometimes, I see how nannies treat kids in day care. It's not bad, though I believe those children's parents would have done better.
I am definitely not condemning the retirement homes because there are people who have justified reasons to put their aged ones there, but the idea of putting my old ones there just doesn't sit well for me. There is this need to keep them around me, make them feel love just as they have done to me when I was dependent on them.
If they had other options, they would never want to be a burden on us, but that's just life. They are the old ones today; I will be the old one tomorrow, and to keep it short, I believe in karma.
I will never love being kept in a retirement home, so why should I do the same to my aged ones now?
Posted Using InLeo Alpha