Ken Health Care’s Lyn Kennedy-McKenzie on Honouring Our Fathers (and Mothers)
This week, I had cause to review an article in the Gleaner on the plight of the nation’s seniors, some of whom are simply dumped by relatives in nursing homes. Written just two years ago in 2008, the article brought into stark focus the fact that many elders are regarded as surplus to requirement by family members and are consequently deprived of loving care and attention by their own kin.
Avia Collinder wrote in the article: ‘Many of the nation’s elderly, placed in the care of nursing homes, are living very lonely lives. In many cases their relatives have completely passed on the burden of care to others. The monthly fees are paid, but there are no visits, letters, cards or phone calls. In fact, the less money the home costs, the less the care and interest shown by relatives.’
What a sad indictment on our society that while we honour active and good fathers, there is a pervasive attitude of forgetfulness and dismissiveness towards the seniors of the nation – the elder generation of fathers and mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers, many of whom have been the cornerstones of our extended family units, upon whose shoulders we stand.
At Ken Health Care, I’m glad to say that most of our residents have loving families who do all they can to let their relative know that they are not alone, even if visitation is not possible because of distance and time. We also ensure that our home is sociable, with fun, stimulating and social activities and visits from members of our surrounding community and of course, our clients have the loving care and 1-2-1 attention from our staff team. The interaction is invaluable – daily socialisation is a necessary antidote to combat loneliness but nothing beats the glow of satisfaction on a client’s face when he or she receives a birthday telephone greeting, a Father’s or Mother’s Day card or a letter from a family member. It’s heartbreaking when this doesn’t happen.
As Father’s Day 2010 is marked in Jamaica and throughout the world, we at Ken Health Care salute those fathers who have made contributions and in many cases sacrifices for the benefit of their families and or society. It is a blessing and a privilege to be able to care for our senior male residents, some of whom are fathers. But even if they are not, we still regard them as respected elders and we wish them a ‘Happy Father’s Day!’
