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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 7, 2012 at 11:40am

Dale I was sorry to read that Olive passed away. Was she the athlete or the one who did drama? It was the 100+ show that inspired me to to develop this Discussion Topic.

Thanks for including the two links above.

Kind regards

Caroline

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 7, 2012 at 8:50pm

A study on Ageism in Australia undertaken by Deacon University found that respect for older people varied with Generation X and Y viewing older people as being fragile, unproductive and a burden on society. They were seen as having little or no ambition and the majority of the sample said that older people were excluded from society.

Geography plays a role in the isolation of older people and this is further compounded if older people are unable to use modern technology to stay in touch with friends and family.

The LNP will be revising its aged care policy in the lead up to the next election.

Kind regards

Caroline

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 7, 2012 at 10:09pm

Please substitute Deakin University above (I must have been in a Church mood when I wrote the above).

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Permalink Reply by Donald Woods on July 8, 2012 at 3:52pm

Hello Bob  and Dr C.  I'm with you both as a Cancerian.

I like the hypothesis 82 on the 28th. Hope it works for me ie that I'll live to see 92 on the 29th although it seems a long way off as I have just clicked over 65. I am patient and in no hurry to check out the hypothesis. LOL

Cheers

Don
 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Stewart on July 8, 2012 at 4:13pm

Stranger things have happened but our stars this week do not appear to be in harmony with Venus. But I don't know if that matters or is just a distraction

Bob

Donald Woods said:

Hello Bob  and Dr C.  I'm with you both as a Cancerian.

I like the hypothesis 82 on the 28th. Hope it works for me ie that I'll live to see 92 on the 29th although it seems a long way off as I have just clicked over 65. I am patient and in no hurry to check out the hypothesis. LOL

Cheers

Don
 

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 8, 2012 at 7:20pm

Well Don you are still a youngster at 65 was it is good to have another Cancerian in the Group. Perhaps we should start a Cancerian Group on Just Grounds with Bob as the Chairperson as he is the most experienced and has the greatest sense of humour.

Kind regards

Caroline

Donald Woods said:

Hello Bob  and Dr C.  I'm with you both as a Cancerian.

I like the hypothesis 82 on the 28th. Hope it works for me ie that I'll live to see 92 on the 29th although it seems a long way off as I have just clicked over 65. I am patient and in no hurry to check out the hypothesis. LOL

Cheers

Don
 

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 8, 2012 at 7:23pm

In my opinion it is Venus that is out of sync as it could not be us. See response to Don re Cancerian Club with you in the Chair for the reasons stated above....

Kind regards

Caroline

Bob Stewart said:

Stranger things have happened but our stars this week do not appear to be in harmony with Venus. But I don't know if that matters or is just a distraction

Bob

Donald Woods said:

Hello Bob  and Dr C.  I'm with you both as a Cancerian.

I like the hypothesis 82 on the 28th. Hope it works for me ie that I'll live to see 92 on the 29th although it seems a long way off as I have just clicked over 65. I am patient and in no hurry to check out the hypothesis. LOL

Cheers

Don
 

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Permalink Reply by Stephen Cox on July 10, 2012 at 10:50pm

Gee Bob reminds me of when a similar arrogant Bitch proceeded to park across my driveway some years back when unfortunately my neighbour was a local liquor shop,When said woman was appraised politely but firmly that I was attempting to leave my driveway and she had looked directly at me and ignored me and tried to proceed into the Liquor shop .

Well the verbal tirade and  Chauvenist Pig Bastard etc that came out  of her foul mouth when called out on her Ignorance,I decided to retaliate by pointing out her arrogant manner and foul mouth and attitude of stuff everyone else I do what I want whenever I want and did it purposely so loud that some 100 meters of shopping centre turned around to see what was happening.

When all realised what was really going on a very red faced and angry cow soon beat a hasty retreat as others joined in the cat calls against her,No doubt they had at some time experienced another ignorant pig possibly in a parking lot at a major shopping centre car park.

 

Age is neither a barrier nor a Burden depending on the approach of the individual,The very young can also be downtrodden and various peoples of different ethnicity can be either victims or oppressors.

The main areas where ageism is prevalent seems to be in either employment or when dealing with big companies or Government departments,and as always it can swing both ways depending on the individuals involved,We just need to remember when older that the younger generation expects instant gratification in everything they do for the most part and adapt to and beat them at their own game.

 

After all never forget the old truism,"Old Age and Treachery will always beat Youth and exhuberance"

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 11, 2012 at 12:13am

I will have to remember that old truism Stephen.

Fond regards

Caroline

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 11, 2012 at 1:37pm

I was listening to Ita Butrose's talk on Dementia to the National Press Club of Australia today. She spoke about the sense of shame and further isolation aged people experience when they are diagnosed with Dementia.

My father who died at the age of 94 still had an excellent memory up until the time of his death. My mother on the other hand is now 91 years old and like her mother before her she is also showing signs of Dementia.

When I visited my father a month before he died I was talking to him about these necklaces he had a soldier make for us girls while he was in New Guinea. My mother at that time had no memory of them but dad remembered them. They were made of some transparent material in the shape of hearts and each girl's name was engraved into them. He told me that they were made from the windscreens of the Japanese aircraft that had been shot down over New Guinea. Mum used to keep them in a special draw of her dressing table with lots of other goodies and when I was a little older we used to go through her draw and that was where my memory was formed of these necklaces. That is a special memory I have because if I had not raised this memory for him the last time I saw him in his home I would never have know what they were made from.

Ita's talk to the Press Club raised another memory for me. It was in 1986 when I was supervising some of our students during their placement in a Nursing Home. There was an older lady with dementia that was confused and agitated and the way the staff coped with her was to tie her to a chair.

Each morning and afternoon I would untie her and take her for a walk along the hallway and stop at each of the paintings on the wall. It would take me some time to get her to raise her eyes to the level of the painting. I would pick out an animal in the painting and tell her what it was and I made sure her eyes were actually looking at that animal. Then we would move onto the next painting and I would find something in that painting, for example a little girl, and go through the same process. By the end of the 1st week she would raise a small smile when I pointed out the particular object in that particular painting. By the end of the 2nd week I was able to ask her were the bird was and she would look at it immediately. i can remember how elated I felt at the progress she had made of that two week period.

I admit that nurses in Nursing Homes are very busy people and probably would not have time to do this on a daily basis. But that little lady was always much more settled after that memory exercise each day. 

It is for this reason that I believe that older people with dementia are and do better in their own home environment for as long as is possible.

kind regards

Caroline 

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Permalink Reply by Jan Courtney on July 12, 2012 at 10:29pm

It is my opinion that many people with dementia (as distinct from Alzheimers) do not have dementia,  but are depressed.  Most of their friends have passed on,  they spend much of their time alone and often when carers or even relatives visit, they are patronising and talk down to them,  so the oldies just retreat.  I think we would all do well to take the following to heart :

 

What do you see, nurse, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with far away eyes.

 

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try?"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe.

 

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will.
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill,
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse, you're not looking at me.

 

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I use at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

 

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.
A bride soon at twenty, my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

 

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide, and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.

 

At forty my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.
At fifty once more babies play around my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.

 

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead,
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

 

I'm now an old woman and nature is cruel,
'Tis just to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living life over again.

 

I think of the years, all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, nurses, open and see,
Not a crabby old woman, look closer - see ME!!

 

There is also a version of the same poem about men,  nor do I think it applies only to nurses,  but each and every one of us.

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Permalink Reply by Dr Caroline Wright on July 12, 2012 at 10:37pm

Thanks for that Jan. I remember reading it many years ago and it made a great impression on me then and it is good to have it here where I can come and read it at will.

Kind regards

Caroline

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