It is a privilege to be a parent and to raise that child and help him learn and discover the wonders of life. Likewise, when our parents reach the last years of their lives, it can seem that they become very childish.
It can be a great privilege to take care of them in the same way that we were taken care of when we came into the world and we were so helpless.
As we grow and shape our lives and character, they continue to age, they may have age-related dementia or full-blown Alzheimer’s. They may have a debilitating illness or physical limitations that prevent them from doing the things they were used to.
“We do not owe our parents the favor of having brought us into the world and educated and cared for us, it was their responsibility to take care of us, but when the roles are reversed, it is our right to give them love and respect, helping them when they need us most. »
For some people, it is an honor and their responsibility to look after the welfare of their parents. This allows them to bond in a way that they otherwise would not have. For a child it is a strong experience to see her mother or father, someone who had once been so powerful and strong, now so dependent on all her children and others.
When you are young, it is difficult to imagine your parents old and unable to do everything.
A part of us seems to think that our parents will be strong and live forever. But, our elderly parents, if we are lucky, may give us the opportunity to care for them as gently as they cared for us when we depended 100% on them. If you get the chance, I hope you appreciate it for the privilege that it is.
Caring for parents can become incredibly overwhelming, particularly when we have a job, a family of our own, and all the responsibilities of modern life. And yet, they are our parents and deserve the best possible care. They deserve to age with dignity and grace, have a say in how they live their later years, and be surrounded by the things that make them happy.
