Families

1. We all age. Whether we like it or not, each year there are more candles on our birthday cake to blow out. But what happens when we reach the stage of life when we are classified as being elderly? Often we can’t cope on our own and need extra assistance, but where can we get the help we need?
2. We can either live with our families if they are nearby and it suits to have their elderly family member in the household – there is the possibility that we would drive each other mad - or we can choose to go into a retirement home or village. However, that also comes at a cost: a financial cost that we may not have prepared for. Traditionally, our families would have taken care of us. In this modern day and age, retirement homes and villages tend to be the preferred choice.
3. Throughout the centuries, the family has taken care of their elderly and this continues to be the case in many societies, particularly in Asian, East European and African countries. Traditional values respected the wisdom of the elderly and the sacrifices they had made for the family. In such societies, the family tends to have the males out at work and the females looking after the home. There is not the hustle and bustle that many families experience in the Western world today, and in some respects, the former family lifestyle made it easier to look after elderly family members.
4. However, younger generations do not stay at home for the length of time that they used to. Children are now going off to schools and universities, which means they won’t be at home to look after elderly parents and grandparents.
5. Today, in the Western world, both parent’s work and the children are in day-care, which means there is no one at home to look after an elderly family member. Life is fast paced and an extra person to look after in the house does not always seem easy. However, visiting an elderly family member in a retirement home or village on weekends does seem easy. Although retirement homes and villages may be concerning or confusing to those from more traditional societies, they are accepted in the modern, industrialized world.
6. Many of today’s elderly are also fiercely independent. They recognize that their attitudes and lifestyles are very different from those of their children and their grandchildren. They prefer to live independently so that they can have a freedom of choice. Their children usually have lives and homes of their own which are not necessarily close by. Communication can now be by telephone or email.
7. Retirement homes and villages offer this independence for the elderly but at the same time they offer help where needed. Retirement villages can provide a quality lifestyle for people who find looking after their family home and garden too difficult, as they get older. In retirement villages the elderly can have their own space in which they can look after themselves as long as they are able. Their neighbours are of a similar age, are likely to have similar attitudes and interests and can become a type of family. Many retirement villages have graduated stages of care. An individual can have assistance with cleaning and meals while they are still able to care for their personal needs, or they can receive 24 hour care by health professionals.
8. So the question is, which type of arrangement is best for the elderly? Care for the older generations in today’s society has become big business and there is a great choice of different retirement homes and villages, but they can be expensive. Or can today’s family offer better care? Many women are now in the workforce and are not able to look after the elderly. The type of care your elderly family member will be happy with will be what suits you and them the best. We are fortunate to have choices.

Families

1. We all age. Whether we like it or not, each year there are more candles on our birthday cake to blow out. But what happens when we reach the stage of life when we are classified as being elderly? Often we can’t cope on our own and need extra assistance, but where can we get the help we need?
2. We can either live with our families if they are nearby and it suits to have their elderly family member in the household – there is the possibility that we would drive each other mad - or we can choose to go into a retirement home or village. However, that also comes at a cost: a financial cost that we may not have prepared for. Traditionally, our families would have taken care of us. In this modern day and age, retirement homes and villages tend to be the preferred choice.
3. Throughout the centuries, the family has taken care of their elderly and this continues to be the case in many societies, particularly in Asian, East European and African countries. Traditional values respected the wisdom of the elderly and the sacrifices they had made for the family. In such societies, the family tends to have the males out at work and the females looking after the home. There is not the hustle and bustle that many families experience in the Western world today, and in some respects, the former family lifestyle made it easier to look after elderly family members.
4. However, younger generations do not stay at home for the length of time that they used to. Children are now going off to schools and universities, which means they won’t be at home to look after elderly parents and grandparents.
5. Today, in the Western world, both parent’s work and the children are in day-care, which means there is no one at home to look after an elderly family member. Life is fast paced and an extra person to look after in the house does not always seem easy. However, visiting an elderly family member in a retirement home or village on weekends does seem easy. Although retirement homes and villages may be concerning or confusing to those from more traditional societies, they are accepted in the modern, industrialized world.
6. Many of today’s elderly are also fiercely independent. They recognize that their attitudes and lifestyles are very different from those of their children and their grandchildren. They prefer to live independently so that they can have a freedom of choice. Their children usually have lives and homes of their own which are not necessarily close by. Communication can now be by telephone or email.
7. Retirement homes and villages offer this independence for the elderly but at the same time they offer help where needed. Retirement villages can provide a quality lifestyle for people who find looking after their family home and garden too difficult, as they get older. In retirement villages the elderly can have their own space in which they can look after themselves as long as they are able. Their neighbours are of a similar age, are likely to have similar attitudes and interests and can become a type of family. Many retirement villages have graduated stages of care. An individual can have assistance with cleaning and meals while they are still able to care for their personal needs, or they can receive 24 hour care by health professionals.
8. So the question is, which type of arrangement is best for the elderly? Care for the older generations in today’s society has become big business and there is a great choice of different retirement homes and villages, but they can be expensive. Or can today’s family offer better care? Many women are now in the workforce and are not able to look after the elderly. The type of care your elderly family member will be happy with will be what suits you and them the best. We are fortunate to have choices.

Families

1. We all age. Whether we like it or not, each year there are more candles on our birthday cake to blow out. But what happens when we reach the stage of life when we are classified as being elderly? Often we can’t cope on our own and need extra assistance, but where can we get the help we need?
2. We can either live with our families if they are nearby and it suits to have their elderly family member in the household – there is the possibility that we would drive each other mad - or we can choose to go into a retirement home or village. However, that also comes at a cost: a financial cost that we may not have prepared for. Traditionally, our families would have taken care of us. In this modern day and age, retirement homes and villages tend to be the preferred choice.
3. Throughout the centuries, the family has taken care of their elderly and this continues to be the case in many societies, particularly in Asian, East European and African countries. Traditional values respected the wisdom of the elderly and the sacrifices they had made for the family. In such societies, the family tends to have the males out at work and the females looking after the home. There is not the hustle and bustle that many families experience in the Western world today, and in some respects, the former family lifestyle made it easier to look after elderly family members.
4. However, younger generations do not stay at home for the length of time that they used to. Children are now going off to schools and universities, which means they won’t be at home to look after elderly parents and grandparents.
5. Today, in the Western world, both parent’s work and the children are in day-care, which means there is no one at home to look after an elderly family member. Life is fast paced and an extra person to look after in the house does not always seem easy. However, visiting an elderly family member in a retirement home or village on weekends does seem easy. Although retirement homes and villages may be concerning or confusing to those from more traditional societies, they are accepted in the modern, industrialized world.
6. Many of today’s elderly are also fiercely independent. They recognize that their attitudes and lifestyles are very different from those of their children and their grandchildren. They prefer to live independently so that they can have a freedom of choice. Their children usually have lives and homes of their own which are not necessarily close by. Communication can now be by telephone or email.
7. Retirement homes and villages offer this independence for the elderly but at the same time they offer help where needed. Retirement villages can provide a quality lifestyle for people who find looking after their family home and garden too difficult, as they get older. In retirement villages the elderly can have their own space in which they can look after themselves as long as they are able. Their neighbours are of a similar age, are likely to have similar attitudes and interests and can become a type of family. Many retirement villages have graduated stages of care. An individual can have assistance with cleaning and meals while they are still able to care for their personal needs, or they can receive 24 hour care by health professionals.
8. So the question is, which type of arrangement is best for the elderly? Care for the older generations in today’s society has become big business and there is a great choice of different retirement homes and villages, but they can be expensive. Or can today’s family offer better care? Many women are now in the workforce and are not able to look after the elderly. The type of care your elderly family member will be happy with will be what suits you and them the best. We are fortunate to have choices.