The Elderly: Lemons Do Give Life

Perhaps I think about the elderly more these days because my parents have reached that point when society considers them "elderly." They're both retired and have different health issues that often come with older age. Although they don't look the same as they did years ago and they can no longer do some things they once did, to me they are still my parents, and I can see past the outer facade to the people who loved and raised me. 

Unfortunately, in the U.S. and other western cultures that put more value on youth, so many look at the elderly and see only the facade--people who have become more of a burden rather than a contributor to society, people who need our help and care. This is why I'm so glad that Anna Johnston, an up-and-coming Australian writer, came out with her second book (which I recommend) about the elderly and the nursing home experience.

When Lemons Give You Life addresses the importance of treating our elderly (whether family or not) with dignity and respect, and how the little things, like good food, make such a difference mentally as well as physically. Griff, the main character who is a Michelin-starred chef, feels alive when he cooks and sees the impact food (like a homemade lemon tart) can have on others, especially those considered hopeless cases in a nursing home. The book shows that beyond age, Alzheimer's, blindness, sexual orientation, and other conditions, we all are human and have a need to be truly seen. We have a need for love and connection with others.

My co-worker recently told me that she and her teenaged daughter "adopted" a nonagenarian woman in a local assisted living facility who has no visitors (her children don't live nearby). Once a week they visit her for about an hour just to say hello, talk, and keep her company; they've noticed how the spirits of their "adoptee" have picked up since they started visiting. If you don't have elderly parents or relatives to help, consider the example of my co-worker and "adopt" your own elderly person--it can be someone in a nursing home, a hospital, or a neighbor. It will mean the world to them (and to you as well). Treat the elderly the way you would want to be treated, because one day, if you are fortunate, you will also become elderly.

Wishing you warm human connections and good reads from the perch.