advice.
I have recently started to like the work that I am doing. It’s becoming my project, and I

like devoting myself to it

Welcome to TLeC! Ramana was a wonderful interview subject. Thank you for your kind words.

Welcome to TLeC! Thank you for the many resources to check into. I really appreciate your pointing me to them. I find it sad that there is a stigma attached to seniors who don’t live with their children there. What works for one family, may not be the proper solution for another.

It sounds like Harmony Magazine writes stories about what I call “Golden Oldies” here. I will definitely visit their site. Thank you.

And yes, I think it’s interesting how husbands can’t mind the “little things” but when it comes to work everything is in its place. No cultural barrier here. I think of my husband as another son at times. LOL

Dear Social Care Issues,

Welcome to TLeC! I’m glad you found the interview interesting. I think it’s important for caregivers’ stories to be heard, since many of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives as people all live longer lives.

There is a lady in Pune who has written a Caregivers handbook for Indian homes. You can have a look at it. Its Your Life and Caregivers Handbook
http://www.stormpages.com/sbhagwat or http://sbhagwat.tripod.com/

Both the books are also reproduced in their entirety at http://healthlibrary.com/reading/general.html
“The Caregiver’s Manual” is also put up at p://www.support4change.com/stages/care/caregiving/caregivers-manual.html

I would like to share some of my friend’s thoughts. In their late sixties and seventies, when they seem to feel the need for ‘Caring’ they have to look after aging parent(s). This is a situation that is pretty difficult to cope with.

There is stigma in Indian middle class society about Senior Citizens moving to Old Age Homes. The common perception is that the older generation has been abandoned by their offspring. I visit some old age homes once in a way and try to interact with them–they are mostly stoic and defend their offspring for leaving them in such institutions.

However with many children living far away–abroad or within the country–the need for safe and hassle free accomodation for seniors is mushrooming.

I write regularly for a magazine called Harmony that targets Silvers above 55. We tend to showcase people who have achieved a great deal even as Senior Citizens. You may want to take a look at their website as well. The only thing is that this magazine does not address negative aspects of aging–they only show the better side of aging.
http://www.harmonyindia.org/hportal/home.jsp

Oh by the way would I be a caregiver for my husband who is 70, active like a steam engine, with a terrible memory for everyday stuff like keys, passbooks, chequebooks, papers etc. but sharp about politics, economics etc, a diabetic and a Consultant who is in great demand at Professional Conferences etc. No way I am sure! Was just asking!!

Regards
Padmini

Welcome to TLeC! I hope you catch my weekly “Funny Fridays” which I included from the start of this site to provide “comic relief” for caregivers. And yes, we all need to laugh heartily every day. I will be over to check out your blog shortly. Thanks for telling us about it.

Hi SpaceAgeSage Lori,

Sometimes curtailing our own hobbies and activities for caregiving duties feels like a difficult sacrifice, but in the long run I’ve found we get much more from doing so than we ever imagined. It is the precious “bonus time” we get with our Golden Oldies.

Hi Davina,

Thank you for your kind words. If only everyone could be as aware and sensitive as you are to our world’s elders.

Hi rummuser,

Thanks for replying to these comments and agreeing to tell me (us) your unique story. My questions are merely the canvas, and your words are the paints creating the beautiful picture on it.

Lori and Davina, thank you. Linda deserves all the credit for persuading me to share my story.