Throw-Away Seniors

So, what's it worth to keep an elderly family member around? They can't do much to help with the housework. They're always in the way. They can't hear you too well, when you try to say something to them. They get all squinty-eyed when they watch TV. Why should we keep them around, when it's just as easy to put them in an assisted living facility, and let them take care of them? That way you can forget them, and concentrate on living your own life.

I'm sorry to say that this is what is happening in our world today. When seniors become a burden to their adult children, they get put away and forgotten.

Wait a minute. These are the people that put a roof over our head, food in our mouths, clothes on our backs, a good education, and made sure we were shown love, as we grew up. They are the reason for us being who we are today.

Remember when your Mom said "No" when you wanted to go skating that time when you were 10, and you said you "hated her"? Or how about the time you came in late from that date (3 hours) and Dad grounded you for two weeks? Remember how you argued with him how unfair it was? I guess they should have considered putting you into a detention center, with kids your own age, because you were just too much trouble for them to bother with.

And, how about when you retire, and maybe can't get around too well by yourself anymore? Do you want to be put away by your kids, so they don't have to worry about you? Our kids are watching and learning from us. They will end up treating us the same way we treat our parents.

Mom knew about the storm rolling in when she said you couldn't go skating with you friends. Remember how your buddy got the case of frostbite on that one? But you hated her because you couldn't go.

And your Dad sat there on the couch, knowing that you weren't that experienced a driver, listening to the sirens in the distance, wondering if you were still alive. And yet, when he expressed his worry, you argued with him. Parents only have so much to use to try to straighten kids out, and grounding is one way. I'll bet you weren't late again for a while after that.

For centuries, the family unit was ruled over and governed by the eldest. Seniors were revered as a well full of knowledge and wisdom. There were no family decisions made without consulting them. But now, we seem to know it all, and don't need them anymore.

We yank them out of the comfortable home that they have lived in for years, throw them into a small apartment, where they no longer get any privacy and don't know anybody, and them we forget about them. This is the single greatest fear that seniors have today. This is why they don't tell you about something that hurts, or something that bothers them that could turn into a life-threatening situation. They are so afraid that you won't think they can handle living in their home anymore, and start making decisions for them. They are aware that they may be thrown away at any time.

Now, there are some good facilities around, and the seniors are treated well, for the most part, and there is a definite need for these places, but too many times our parents are placed there just for our convenience. This is wrong. They took care of us; now it's our turn to take care of them. They gave us love when we needed it, we should return the favor.

There are so many systems available today that help seniors maintain their independence in their own homes. There are Personal Emergency Response Systems that have a button they can wear around their neck, and can push to get help, when there is an emergency. There are even automated systems that don't require any physical input from the senior. They are designed to react automatically in an alert situation. If you haven't heard about these, just check out my Bio.

We can no longer deny our children the chance to get to know their grandparents, or deny our parents the chance to see their grandchildren grow up. They actually enjoy helping with the kids. They have an unending supply of experience that we can learn from. One of the biggest things they can teach us is patience, for our kids, and for each other. They have survived a lot in their lifetime, and are still here. They must know something.

This country and our economy are falling apart around us. There are those that think we are soon going to evolve from a democratic society to a socialist one. If we are going to save this great country, and keep our free way of life going, we need to fix it. And the best place to start is within the family. One citizen may not be able to make a huge impact on our society, but if we each start small, in our own family, the changes will be monumental. We need to start by asking our parents what they think this Country needs. They know what needs to be done; maybe we should listen to them, and not just throw them away because we feel a little inconvenienced.

About the Author:

Mark Beghtel was originally trained as an Electronic Warfare Technician in the US Navy, and has worked in the private Electronics Industry since 1983. He has dedicated his life to providing systems that help people, installing and maintaining Fire- and Security-Alarm systems, along with many different PERS Systems. He is now the Manager of Technical Services for TSI Distribution, the nationwide distributor of the QuietCare® System, which provides automatic monitoring of the Activities of Daily Living of Seniors, to help keep them in their own home, and independent as long as possible. They also offer monitored and non-monitored PERS Systems, and Mark's job is to ensure all of the systems are installed properly, through training, account setup and maintenance.
Company Website: http://www.Quietcare1.com

TSI QuietCare® is a nation wide quality PERS provider and can be reached at (941) 752-1656
On a personal note, Mark plays Bass and Keyboard, along with providing backing vocals in a Bradenton/Sarasota Rock Band. The band site is http://www.knightfallsite.com

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