WHY

WHY

The burning question that torments the mind of the elderly is the word WHY.  In the vulnerability of their age and heaven knows their illnesses and disabilities their lives are stacked on a mountain of uncertainties.  The WHY to this is fathom in the forgetful minds of their children and families.  They need to feel safe and secure not living on the edge of feeling disaster will strike and no one cares.

The wide spread of mental and physical abuse can only be measured by the coldness of the heart that feels empowered to exercise these evil deeds.  Money foremost drives the power of rejection and abuse.  If the elderly have money, property etc. the abuse is shadowed by the lurking hearts of wanting it all by inheritance and many use every opportunity to cease the moments in the weakness of the elderly to deceive, while giving them little or no true heart of love and caring.  These evil doers have to make sure some semblance of decent care is given not to raise a red flag however, abuse continues in ways less obtrusive to others

The elderly’s slowness and forgetfulness makes it easy to have them put away in nursing homes and other care give communities.  These elders are not seen by the family for the most part and the care they are receiving at many places is demeaning and a disgrace to digest to a compassionate heart. Their WHY is seen in their look of sorrow and tear drained furrow of the face.  Most developed countries provide this dumping pool for the unwanted elderly, however, not all places are demeaning and do provide loving care for those who must be treated in this environment. 

It seems to be a practice in some countries by some families to kick the mentally ill, sickly, out of the elderly’s home as they are taken over by their children.  In the village I stay at, the stories are horrendous to physical abuse of pouring acid on a broken man’s elderly back, which is hunched over and he is also blind while commandeering his home he is not allowed to sleep in let alone being provided with food.  He has to beg for his food.  His WHY is in every unspoken word and written all over his facial expressions.  

There is one elderly woman who works cleaning yards, collecting plastic and glass bottles to give to her family so that she has a small nook to stay at night and a morsel of food.  As she works she is suffers from dust allergies, and syncope.  She is often seen working while being sick with a cold or flu.  She tells stories of the demands of her daughters who live in her house with their children.  She goes from one local festival of any religion just to get food for herself.  She can be seen begging for a cup of tea.  Her WHY is seen in the gruffness of her nature, angry face, and sorrow in her eyes.

I do know families who treasure their elderly but the line of demarcation is in those who have money or can be forced to earn it out of fear and those who do not however, sad but true.

The WHYS of the elderly can never be fully explained to them for where there is abuse of power over the weak, minus compassion, divorced of love can never justify the treatment of hate piled on their physical and emotional weaknesses.  WHATEVER EXCUSES ARE HAD, PITIFULLY FALL SHORT BECAUSE THERE IS NONE!  

 

©Linda Mary Liotino ME A SERVANT OF CHRIST MISSION 2015