For the caregivers, and for myself, I've made a list of five of the most important lessons I've learned from my elders. Old people are people. If we can remember that our elders are people more like us than not, we can begin to address them with fellow feeling rather than sympathy. We can look them in the eye, ask questions, share insight, laugh together. And, perhaps best of all, we can stop fearing our own old age and embrace each new stage of our lives with joy and pride.
People have bodies.
Old people are people, so old people have bodies, too. Bodies wear out. This simple fact is probably the biggest source of fear, grief and shame for my clients and those who care for them. And yet it doesn't have to be this way. Yes, our bodies may weaken as we grow older.