The "We Need To All Grow Old Together" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading yet another story written by Mr. Robert Olsen who is a pastoral counselor and family therapist who specializes in geriatric issues.  Perfect for an old guy like me.  I read his stories since we both share some of the same ideas and philosophies about life in general.  A story published in the Lancaster Newspaper a few weeks ago featured one of his stories titled "Elders need voice to care for each other."  

Mr. Robert Olsen - Pastoral Counselor and Family Therapist

As I read it I kept telling myself that this guy thinks the same thoughts that I do about the same topics.  He began his column telling about the respect shown for elders in tribes from the past.  The tribal council was usually made up of elders who consulted with each other and then with the tribe at large.  The older you were, the more you were respected in the tribe, since it was thought that the oldest were the most wise.  God had intended for the elders to set the example for the remainder of the tribe.  And, you would think that as life went on, attitudes towards the elderly would only bear more respect.  In most countries today that still holds true, but it doesn't seem to be that way in the United States.  More and more elder abuse is being reported as elderly are being subjected to physical trauma and being cheated out of property and money.  Then, two years ago, along comes a professor on the West Coast who says that people over the age of 75 need to be euthanized because they were of no benefit to society any longer.  He believes that the longer people survive, the more they drain the Social Security  and health care systems.  He more than likely forgot that we old people worked hard all our lives to put money into these systems and spent great sums of money filling our homes and garages with the latest technology.  And, its not only him that feels that way.  Other critics feel the elderly have become a burden and should become invisible.  Do you realize that about 80% of the 600,000 U.S. deaths from COVID-19 were over the age of 65.  As Mr. Olsen writes, most were warehoused in nursing homes or stuck in a large single-family dwelling previously owned by themselves and their spouse who was deceased.  Many more than likely suffered from substandard care or perhaps from families that were unequipped to provide adequate care.  You know what?  It's only going to grow worse.  Medical science is allowing older generations to live longer and longer.  Today there are almost 100,000 centenarians in the United States and this number is going to increase in the future.  So, where are all us old folks going to go?  Perhaps the elders of the community should use their wisdom and gain control once again.  Now, I should tell you that Mr. Olsen didn't suggest that...I did!  Mr. Olson reports that he has pondered these issues for the past eight years and has come to the conclusion that there are three major aspects that can be addressed by the elderly community and those who care for them.  These aspects are the educational, emotional and spiritual dimensions of the elderly community.  They were probably the same issues that were addressed by the tribe long ago.   Back then, the young in the tribe grew up watching their elders make long-lasting decisions that would help the tribe in general.  They got to observe the necessary wisdom needed to provide healing for the troubled souls; the elders.  Mr. Olsen believes that there needs to be a grassroots effort to establish a professional and educational business to teach elders how to care for and support each other.  He believes it needs to be modeled on the life and teachings of Jesus; where love is taught as being unconditional, where nonviolence is practiced, were physical care along with ongoing emotional and spiritual support are taught and demonstrated.  This would all be part of "The School For Elders."  At present, Lancaster has a sizable elderly community as shown by the many retirement communities in Lancaster County.  Every year several magazines vote Lancaster, Pennsylvania as one of the best places in which to retire.  We have the old people here...now all we have to do is get them organized so they can lead the rest of the tribe as well all grow old together.  His one final thought was: Who in society teaches us what it really means to grow old?  He believes that should be the task of us elders.  Amen!  I volunteer to help!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.