As a nursing assistant, I am frequently assigned to work with dementia patients. Each assignment is a challenge but there is one that is burnt in my memory. The dementia patient was 83 years old and had been suffering from dementia for almost three years. Her cognitive powers were declining, and her family was finding it…
By Aavesh Anand My neighbour was around 75. He was well-built and full of life. I was therefore surprised to get a hysterical call from his wife one day. Her husband had collapsed in the living room. He was still breathing but clearly in trouble. She pleaded for medical help. Sensing the urgency in her…
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 Sunil Saxena There is little doubt that old age is a curse. But have you realised that it is a bigger curse for women than men. The first reason is widowhood. Women live longer than men, and this adds to their old age woes. According to the projections in The India Ageing Report, 2023…
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 Siddharth Pandey Naman Nath (name changed) spent the last decade of his life sitting on a couch in his room. His children would beg him, implore him to come out of his room. But Naman would only smile and go back to watching TV. It was not that Naman was always like this. He…
By Mitali Annigeri “What I miss dearly are my old friends who have all passed away,” says Dr. B V Joshi, his words echoing the bittersweet reality of aging, where cherished companions become cherished memories. Dr Joshi, who is 81 now, says he is no longer interested in making new friends. “I don’t mind talking…
By Sakshi Kulkarni Meet my grandmother, Ms Lata Kulkarni, a kind-hearted soul in her mid-sixties, whose world was turned upside down by the sudden loss of her son, Anand. It’s been a year and a half since that fateful day when our family’s joy turned to sorrow, but my grandmother’s unwavering love and resilience have…
By Ananya Katti We are all busy finding the purpose of our lives, but somewhere in the process we may be losing ourselves. Our hectic lifestyle is affecting our physical and mental health. How do we find a balance? Mr Vijendra Hungund and Ms Laxmi Hungund, a Kolhapur couple in their 70s, have three mantras…