Growing old is a pest, especially in todays world, because instead of caring for old people, we barely touch or listen to them. Which is actually a shame, because I think as an older person myself, I think we have lots more to offer than sitting in a chair, waiting to die.
It gets also proven in Australia, where they made programs between toddlers and old age persioners, and recently also with teenagers and older folks. It shows once more, that the way we lived in the past was much better than the way we are living now!
I elaborate, in generations even before me, people took their grandparents in, because there were no facilities, no pensions, no care. So when you came home and your parents were busy, your grandparents taught you skills and listened to your stories, while they tild you about their history.
These days we pretend to have care facilities, but it is just a building full of very unhappy peoplewaiting for their death.
Oh, they have it all organised, but in the end of the day, everybody goes to their own room and sits there lonely staring at the tv. Realising they have fulfilled their raison d’etre and they are of no more use anymore.
And this is completely contrary to what is shown on those Australian shows, where very reluctant seniors and teenagers (or toddlers) are forced to join in activities. It shows that teenagers with very low esteem, or even in the brink of suicide, make a turn because of the interest of the senior(s). Because all of a sudden both parties realise they are worthy of attention and worthy of Love.
Because grandparents should be part of young lives, you see, we seniors have loads of time on our hands, a commodity no modern person has anymore, so instead of shutting us off, we should be invited in.
I believe that if you would build a construction where seniors could live with juniors, so if a youngster comes home from school, he can go to a senior for company, for a hug, to tell their story, right after it happened or do activities together!
It will help the seniors to stay alive and the Juniors to get the life, because they are supported in their growing up fase. If you ask anyone in my generation, they have fond memories of going to their grandparents, doing endless games, talking and taking the fears away from living, very much present in this time.
So why if this works even with tv cameras present, can we not try to make this work in our own society, espescially now, where loads of skills are rapidly disappearing, never to return.
I wish that someone dared to make part of the old age pensioners place, a meeting place for all generations, pick your own grandparent and/or change on a regular bases.
Instead of putting kids in an after school facility where they are obliged to play, get them into contact with seniors, so they can sit, talk, hang and perhaps learn an old skill while drinking tea.
I think that when the kids realise that older people still have a lot of potential their respect for them might hugely improve and I think that it will improve each and every ones life for the better.
Parents will be feeling less quilty because they have to work, kids feel less lonely because they have someone to talk to and seniors will feel less useless.
It might even improve teenage violence, because they will have a place where they can go and will be listened to and above all heard!
And I hope they exchanged loads of hugs among them, because I think that is really missing in our society!