The silent suffering of the elderly "abandoned" in retirement homes
As absurd as it might seem nowadays, the abandonment of the elderly by adult relatives or children who have raised a family is more frequent than it may appear at first glance. Whether they are left in their own homes without anyone visiting them or thy are placed in a retirement home, our elderly parents and grandparents are silently suffering from more and more loneliness due to a sense of complete abandonment.
Why do children, grandchildren and relatives tend to increasingly abandon their older parents or grandparents? What happens over time and over the passing years? What are the causes of this phenomenon? The reality is perhaps simpler than it appears: over time, children grow up, new families are created and new and ever greater responsibilities and duties arise. It goes without saying that free time becomes less and less, time passes much faster, it almost slips away without us noticing it.
Timeis also passing, however, for our parents, who are growing ever older, with more and more problems, with more and more ailments. A burden that often children with a family and a career do not have the courage to take on and to support those who brought them into the world, which is a big mistake.
It is a mistake because the abandonment of an elderly parent is a cause of great (and often very silent) suffering on the part of the father or mother; whether they remain at home without receiving visits from children or grandchildren or they are transferred to a retirement home because they cannot be looked after by their relatives, abandonment is the same, although it can take various forms.
To alleviate this enforced distance, even just a frequent phone call, a surprise visit, a trip together, a lunch or a dinner shared throughout the year, and not just during the holidays may be enough. If you still have a grandfather or an elderly parent alive, visit them more often, you have no idea of the suffering in feeling abandoned by your relatives. Give them a caress, hug them, chat with them: you won't regret it!
