Anna Monica / L’Observateur / June 21, 2000

There is something I think about often. It’s older people; senior citizensas we have begun to tag them. Even if you are only over 55 years old youare still tagged a “senior,” and to me that is the silliest, most incriminating description of a person who has lived to be over 50. Withtoday’s advances in almost all areas of our lives and the increase in life expectancies, that tag is very misleading. It can make people believe theyare old before their time. That’s not good.Still, that is only part of what I am really thinking about. I am thinkingalso of how we view the older generation in general. We see them passingthrough our lives and out of our lives, but before they do we see them aging and changing. We forget to think that seniors were not alwaysseniors. They were once babies cuddled in their mothers’ arms who wentthrough puberty, were normal teen-agers, had first romances, married, became parents, then perhaps grandparents and grew older, all part of the natural life cycle.

It concerns me when I see older people not getting the respect they genuinely deserve. They get disrespect instead and in some ways are castaside because they have aged and we live in a nation that worships youth.

It is said our treatment of the elderly in this country is worse than anywhere else. It’s a pity because we owe everything to those who havegone before. They have put in their time and contributed to society and theworld. Then even our government repays them in times of financialconcern by cutting back benefits they need, especially medical benefits, when they really need it. It’s a pity!It was sad, too, when I remember a group of seniors at a home I know of who were waiting for their van to pick them up to go to a local store, a simple but much-anticipated outing. But the van broke down and theydidn’t get their day out. It certainly wasn’t deliberate, but isn’t it sad tohave that kind of disappointment when you don’t have a whole lot else in your life. I like to think that many of us would have loaded them in ourown vehicles to take them if possible. Sure we would have!I have met a number of young people who just love working or being with older people in some way. They have my admiration. That, like somevocations, seems to be a calling. Then, we have individuals we knowpersonally in our own lives and neighborhoods who expend much time and energy caring for their own aged love ones. Personally, I know several likemy neighbor, Ethel Waguespack, who cares diligently for her dad, Horace, Sr. at home. My good friends, Diane Tregre of Destrehan and Reah Bernard and Shirley Millet of Reserve, are just a few among many I know who provide good care for aging parents. In Garyville we have theSidney Matherne offspring very dedicated in taking turns every weekend to take their parents to church.

The list goes on and on and includes sons and daughters all over who must release care of their loved ones to other institutions but nonetheless diligently oversee this care, often making it a priority. Therefore, we dohave elders being loved, taken care of and respected. We need more of thatin all areas of their lives.

My training in growing up was to be in awe of older people and acknowledge their authority. It doesn’t seem to be that way so much now,unfortunately, but it’s never too late to start. I believe in wanting the bestfor older folk. It’s really a privilege to grow old, a privilege we won’t allhave but surely would like to…

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