I’ve been listening to people on Raidio Uladh talking about ‘assisted dying’, and in the course of the conversation a term was used: ‘Some old people are afraid they might be a burden on their family.’
FFS – there’s no question of ‘might’ – of course old people are a burden, and the older they get the more of a burden they become. They have to be helped to cross the road, walk, they repeat themselves, they forget more and more, they eventually have to be fed, they have to have someone wipe their arse. Yep, they definitely are a burden.
But do you know any other group of people who are a burden? Kids. The older they get the less of a burden they become. But that aside, they have to be helped to cross the road, walk, they repeat themselves, they forget stuff, they have to be fed, they have to have someone wipe their arse. Yep, they definitely are a burden.
And even people who are neither very young nor very old can be a burden. They get sick, they pick their nose in public, they get pissed and drive cars, they tell stupid jokes, they can be seriously boring. All that is a burden others have to carry.
The truth is, we’re all a burden when very old and when very young and – at least occasionally – when in between. That’s why as human beings we have to help each other, and when we do we feel good, whether the one helped is a child, an adult or an oldie.
Mind you, while kids get better looking (all babies look like Churchill) and more clever with time, oldies get uglier and stupider with time. Just sayin’, like…
Very good jude free Palestine
I wonder how our Sinn Fein MP’s voted in today’s assisted dying bill in the House of Commons. Oh that’s right, they didn’t.
Maybe they had mislaid their union Jack morning dress or felt that it was unfair to vote on laws for another country. You note Claire Hanna didn’t vote either.
For over 25 years I operated a Dr Scholls orthopaedic shoe store .my customers were definitely in need of wellfitted shoes, arch supports and advice. I am now in that place and there is not a Dr Scholls store anywhere in America.It turns out that my store was the last one in America. I even held a wake for lesser ” soles!”
Aging is a blessing and does require patience ,knowledge ,good judgement and acceptance of the experience . Surround yourself with friends,family.activities that cause you to move around a lot,even pickleball. And find doctors ,therapists other active seniors who enjoy a good walk. Do not let yourself pity,that is the curse of aging.
Sound advice!
Excellent piece Jude, old people are like children without the cuteness factor. They do the exact same things.