I've always had an interest in the older person and our society. Sometimes our society lacks the courage or conviction to change people's circumstances, we as people make up that society and may deny the older generation a distinctive voice by our preoccupation with our own busy lives.
I can only speak for myself and today I was not preoccupied. I witnessed an incident which made me stop and reflect on the hardships our elderly have to endure. Walking this morning on my way to work, I saw a very sad older gentleman walking fast past a gambling casino with a bag in his hand. His pace quickened as he walked by, ever watchful of his surroundings. He was then approached by a very irate worker from the premises stating the old man stole milk from the doorway. I shouted back obviously the elder gentleman needed to steal because he had a need - a need to survive.
Trust me, I do not advocate stealing no matter how small the item but it's a sign of our times, that our older generation have to resort to do this. In his mind this was his only option. My quick intervention meant the old man was able to walk away maybe with a little more pride than before and as I passed him he gave me a wink and a gracious smile of gratitude. I'll never forget that look but his grin does not take away from the problem and it poses a question - Are we looking after our elderly and are we providing better care in the community and nursing homes or are we leaving it up the next person to make a difference?
How do we treat our elderly and as nurses do we still have the passion to make a difference? Gerontology /care of the elderly has always been considered the poor man's nursing. It was not exciting or rewarding enough, but that image or stereotype is quickly disappearing but if you have lost passion for your field you should not be involved.
Are we still willing to try and make a difference to peoples lives or are we too busy with our own lives to see what's happening even on our own doorstop?
If you are a nurse working in nursing home or hospital please take the time to get to know your patients / residents. No matter where you come from or where you have trained, take time away from your nursing tasks and hold their hand and let them know that you are their named nurse and you still care. No matter how stressed you are and how long your day is remember you can go home anytime but your patients/ residents can not. You're their lifeline not only for all their nursing needs but also as a contact from the outside world. You are their source of all knowledge.
Never be afraid as nurses to give just that little bit more of acceptance because no matter what small action you do, it could mean so much to someone else. If you are that nurse who is still passionate on what they do I say well done. Be proud of yourselves and in a small way do something to celebrate the difference to people's lives - to have the power to make and change.
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