By Aparna Srinivas The old woman, Meena, ninety years old, was sprightly and alert. She came from a well-to-do family and had nurtured the wealth well. She did not have to wonder about her wants. After Covid she had slowed down. She was restricted to her bed, needing nursing care. She lived with her daughter,…
By Prisha K I have been tending to my Uncle for almost three years now. He moved in when my aunt died. Initially, he was sweet and accommodating though he had mood swings. But these were short-lived. Gradually, his behaviour started changing. The mood swings became more pronounced. Obduracy crept in, and at times he…
By Sunil Saxena Are you feeling tired, anxious, irritable or even depressed? Especially when you are taking care of a loved elder who is suffering from dementia, Alzheimer’s or a terminal illness. If yes, then you are heading for what is known as a caregiver burnout. You may not realise it, but the stress has…
By Ranjana Sunil Whether you’re taking care of your ageing parents, grandparents, or other loved ones who need your help, showing empathy is the best way to make them feel happy and wanted. Here are 11 thoughtful ways to show that you care: # 1. Listen actively: When they want to talk to you about…
By William D’Souza My mother was unfortunately bedridden for the last 12 years of her life – since end-2010 till her death in end-2022. During this time, my family was forced to learn a lot of new things to ensure the best possible care for her. Now, I and my wife, Zarine D’Souza, have been…
By Sunil Saxena “A fall is the last event in the life of an elderly person.” My father’s doctor was not trying to scare me or my father. He was talking from experience. My biggest nightmare is my father taking a hard fall and breaking his hip bone. How is he going to live after…
By P. Ramesh Kumar “It’s over… she’s gone,” said a female voice on the phone. I froze with moist eyes for several moments that brought my life to a standstill, as I felt a twitch in my navel. My mother had just died in the intensive care unit of Apollo Hospital in Chennai and her…
By Gurpreet Chawla I’m a member of an FB group on travel. One of its members recently posted: “Need someone to be with my father on his birthday in New Delhi. I can pay 5–8$ per hour for the time spent.” The FB post didn’t receive a positive response but sarcastic comments. Three days later,…
By Jasmit Khurana I had heard of psychotic disorders from my friends but I did not know how scary it is to experience one. Last night, I experienced one and it has left me shaken and scarred. I had come to India after eight years, and I was very excited to visit my childhood friend…