The Elderly

Old people.  They fascinate me.  Never a dull moment ….well, wait.  Let me take that back.  There are PLENTY of dull moments when spending time with the elderly, but never a time that fails to be insightful or thought provoking.  

As a caregiver, I never really know what to expect while working.  Some nights prove to be completely uneventful, and other nights I find myself chasing after residents trying to steal ice cream out of the freezer while simultaneously trying to break up the arguments occurring in the living room.  Resident 1: “Wheel of Fortune is on.  WE ALWAYS WATCH WHEEL OF FORTUNE.  Change it back!”   Resident 2: “Go watch in your room if you don’t like “Sing Off”!  You’re the only one that wants to watch Wheel of Fortune!”

You’d think that the elderly would be quite tolerable of most foods, as long as they are pretty bland and not too spicy.  Unless it’s just my select 14 residents, think again.  A current list of foods that some of my residents refuse to eat…

                Marshmallows

                Chicken

                Pasta

                Nuts

                Any type of casserole

                Turkey

                Eggs

   Cake, or anything cake-like (seriously, my resident informed me of his dislikes using that exact phrase)

                Lettuce

                Any green vegetable

                Some soups

Come on.  Chicken!  Who doesn’t like chicken?!  Anyway, I’ve come to the conclusion that if I want everyone to be happy I can serve chocolate, ice cream, and pizza (Although the pizza can be tricky.  Each resident dislikes two or three toppings, so I resort to pepperoni and cheese).  Not the greatest foods to be serving to the elderly…especially when they are the ones who need to be eating an adequate diet rich in nutrients. 

               

Despite all their complaints, I’ve come to cherish my time with the 14 residents that are 50 years my senior. It takes a lot of patience and acceptance for them to get to where they are.  They’re constantly adjusting to changes taking place, in both their body and surroundings.  And I think the hardest, yet most beneficial, challenge they face is accepting the help that they deeply need. They really don’t like receiving that help right away, but once they do it is the most humbling act to witness.  And most of the residents express their gratitude openly, and with genuine appreciation.

As young adults, it’s hard for us to think about aging.  We feel that it will never happen to us, or that the process will not be as enduring as it has been for others.  And I think we take the elderly for granted.  Just because we think they are crazy (illustrated by their outrageous stories they tell) doesn’t mean they don’t have anything to teach us.  It took me a long time to realize this.  But they do carry with them lessons learned from their past.  Next time you run into (or carefully walk by) someone over the age of 80, ask them to tell you about their past.  They will be more than happy to share, and probably feel valued and respected that you asked.  No matter how different our generations, we have so much to learn from them.