My siblings and I had a conference WhatsApp call recently with our uncle from our mother's side because this is a once-in-a-while thing. We spoke at length, and that was when we got to know that our grandmother is 100 years of age and still alive, though her eyes aren't in good shape. We were speechless at first; along the line, he complained to us how she (grandma) had been shouting and insisting on returning back to the village rather than being in the city with them. Who would take care of such a woman with bad sight unless she is brought under someone's care?
My grandma was taken to live with our uncle two years ago when there was no one to care for her in the village. Everyone who was with her had died, and so, the best solution was for her to be taken away instead of my uncle travelling every week to check on her, which isn't the best considering the insecurity and price inflation in the country. But seriously, it's not easy to take care of old people when one has the work they are doing, but that is the best instead of giving them away to some professionals to care for them. Most times, it doesn't work that way than to have your parents under your close watch.
On the other hand, my paternal grandmother, before she died was a retired teacher and ever since then, she has always been at home. When her children realized they wouldn't be able to be available as everyone needed to move on to pursue their careers and lives, they brought people including my last siblings and two of my cousins to take care of her while they were responsible for their education. They built a house for her, and it was easier to always call every minute just to know how well she was doing. Everything was catered for her and she never suffered till her lifetime.
The old ones need care and it is that time when we always believe that it is our turn to take care of them now that they have no strength again. Their skin is back to that of a newborn baby, and everything about them needs to be handled carefully, but it's safer and better to have them under one's close watch than opting for retirement homes, where sometimes, it doesn't work as planned.
In some situations, some oldies won't accept that, especially when you have the ones who are acquainted with their homes and wouldn't choose to be taken away to another place even if finance isn't an issue. They want to be in their hometown, where they are known and it's the best for them. The best one can do is to hire qualified carers who would be able to take care of them if the children aren't available to do that. At least this would allow them to come around to spend time with them just like we were doing before my grandma died.
The only time one would opt for a retirement home or professional care is when older people are neglected by their children because it happens a lot. Some of them abandon their oldies to live and survive alone, and it's so pitiful when you see these old people around you trying to survive. These are the kind of people who should be moved to a home where they would be watched and cared for since there's no family member to do that.
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