Recently, one of the gentleman we have been working with, an 84-year-old, lovely man, called to ask for help in finding a place to live. He sold his home and found himself with nowhere to stay. Other relatives owned the house with him, and they planned to split the profits. He was the only one living in the house, however, and so he was the only one directly affected by the loss of a roof over his head. We did a quick search of low-rent apartments and provided the man a short list of possibilities, with no guarantees of openings. Hopefully, one of them will have just what he needs and in the time frame he needs it. Otherwise, he is headed for a homeless shelter. That’s just not right, not at 84 – probably not at any age, but certainly not at 84. None of his relatives, including the ones who owned the home with him, have offered to let him live with them, even temporarily.
Since when have we become a society that allows our elderly to fend for themselves? What happened to the family unit that extends beyond mom, dad, and their kids to include grandma and grandpa? The very good news is that many, many children still do take care of their parents as they age. We at Flourish in Place meet them every day.
Our clients usually have loving family members advocating for them at every step of their future. Daughters, sons, daughters-in-law, and spouses work with us closely to find the best route for their loved ones to flourish at home. These advocates meet with us to help us understand the specific needs of their loved ones. They work with us closely during all phases of care to ensure that their loved ones’ needs are being met. If no relatives step up to the plate, we take on that role as advocates for appropriate care. Every client has specific needs, and we work hard to fulfill those needs.
Every person deserves dignity and respect, especially in their twilight years. They deserve to have a life filled with purpose also. Even those with the least abilities can use their energies to create a more engaging life for themselves. Many can also give some of their time and resources to contribute to others. How wonderful and freeing to focus on others instead of yourself, especially when you are in pain or feeling sorry for your situation! Giving outwardly can be the best way to heal inwardly. It’s all part of Flourishing in Place!
