I Love Working With the Elderly
I used to work as a housekeeper at a nursing home, and it turned out to be one of the most important and life-changing jobs I have ever had.
At first, I was hesitant to talk to the patients, because I had fallen victim to several stereotypes of elderly people- that they are crazy and senile, or grumpy, or violent, or sick and contagious or smelly or whatever. I had heard all of the above. But the longer I worked there, I started to get to know the patients, and they became some of my dearest friends and people I most looked up to.
The most important thing I learned while working with the elderly was that they are NOT anything like the way society portrays them. They are intelligent, observant, wise, and they have been through everything you have ever been through. They had the same life experiences as you- school, first job, love, marriage, sex, kids, first house, etc. They aren't all the same. They don't all like to sit around playing Bingo. They still have individual unique personalities and hobbies and opinions about everything. They still have senses of humor. They still have sexual feelings. *gasp*
I just think that the media today paints a picture of the elderly that isn't accurate. It almost de-humanizes them. I don't like it. I believe the elderly should be treated with the utmost respect, and never be patronized or belittled. It irritates me to see grown people talking to their elderly parents like they're 3 years old.
I'll stop now, but that's a subject I'm very sensitive about!
At first, I was hesitant to talk to the patients, because I had fallen victim to several stereotypes of elderly people- that they are crazy and senile, or grumpy, or violent, or sick and contagious or smelly or whatever. I had heard all of the above. But the longer I worked there, I started to get to know the patients, and they became some of my dearest friends and people I most looked up to.
The most important thing I learned while working with the elderly was that they are NOT anything like the way society portrays them. They are intelligent, observant, wise, and they have been through everything you have ever been through. They had the same life experiences as you- school, first job, love, marriage, sex, kids, first house, etc. They aren't all the same. They don't all like to sit around playing Bingo. They still have individual unique personalities and hobbies and opinions about everything. They still have senses of humor. They still have sexual feelings. *gasp*
I just think that the media today paints a picture of the elderly that isn't accurate. It almost de-humanizes them. I don't like it. I believe the elderly should be treated with the utmost respect, and never be patronized or belittled. It irritates me to see grown people talking to their elderly parents like they're 3 years old.
I'll stop now, but that's a subject I'm very sensitive about!
Age:
31-35
,
Female
