"As we grow older we grow both more foolish and wiser at the same time." — Francois de la Rochefoucauld
Are you wondering, like me, what old age holds for you? With so many aged care places closing and so few people to care for the elderly I often wonder what it will be like in the next 30 years. So many of us will get to that time in life when we would be considered elderly. That time when the French author of maxims and memoirs, the Prince of de Marcillac suggests "we grow both more foolish and wiser at the same time". It is certainly a time when our world view changes, along with our bodies and our minds.
My angels remind me that just because we get older, we don't lose all those other life experiences we have had. We don't lose being a teenager, a young married or a new grandparent. We are still these things and more.
I wonder what is happening to the NZ Carers' Strategy Action Plan for 2014-2018 which was launched by the Minister for Senior Citizens in 2014. The Strategy recognised the contribution of whanau, aiga and spoke of commitment to support carers. My experience of this was practically nil as I cared for my Mum till her death.
With more of places for the elderly closing down some small centres have no facilities at all, leaving families great distances apart. There was going to be individualised funding for respite, offering greater choice, control and flexibility over respite allocations, a National Carer Matching Service enabling carers to find suitable relief care. I wonder where it has all gone. Note to self…must follow this up.
