Society’s Attitude Toward Older People

Society’s attitude toward older people “Never lose sight of the fact that old age needs so little but needs that little so much,” says Margaret Willour. Besides society needs to keep in mind that respect and attention towards elderly people is the golden rule of our universe: the way you treat others is the way you will be treated in the future.

Previous generation sacrificed the greatest part of their lives to take cake of their families. They worked hard not only to earn their living but to educate their youngsters and financially support their elderly relatives. The first years of Ukrainian independence were difficult and uncertain: people were losing their jobs, their savings, and life prospects. Baby-boomers, who are pensioners these days, were in real trap. But they survived and raised their children. So they are really worthy of being treated in the same way, to get their quantity of attention and love from those whom they helped so much in the preceding years.

The important issue about our elderly and their relationship with the golden rule of the universe reminds me about my grandfather’s deeds. There was a kind of a dark family story because his mother and his step-mother had the same husband, but his attitude and care towards his step-mother was unbelievably sincere. After the death of his parents during the World War II, she took care of him and ten other children whose parents died in the occupied town. My grandfather loved and respected his step-mother so much, he helped her a lot when she became old and weak; so, his children, my father and his younger brother, watched this attitude from the early age. And when it was my grandfather’s time to be taken care of he got the same quantity of regard and care.

Respect and attention to the earlier generations gives society opportunity to have a future. Children in the time of our childhood in Ukraine were brought up to help elderly. There was a pioneer organization and pioneers used to visit lonely pensioners and help them with their household. Nowadays there are similar traditions which are provided and organized in schools by different volunteer programs. Such programs teach children to be respectful and kind to those who need their protection becoming old and fragile. These programs help young generation to understand the importance of taking care of old people in the context of personal perception.

The attitudes and behavior of today will influence the life after getting old. Being attentive, careful and kind doesn’t take much time but teaches you to use the golden rule of the universe in real circumstances. Life is so quick that the next generation does not even notice that they are becoming old and weak. Moreover, only realizing elderly people dependence on the younger ones, an individual understands how wrong it was not to give a place in the bus to a nice old lady or not to help a disabled old gentleman in a wheel-chair to go up the stairs, or not to visit grandparents at weekend if they ask for help in their country house. A person must remember if you don’t show enough respect and attention to those who need them now it can influence your future and elderly age.