Travelling as an older person.

I love travelling. Always have. I love the different cultures, the scenery, the food and the people…especially the people. And as I’ve aged, it’s been an eye opener seeing how older people are respected and cared for by younger generations in virtually every country i visit.

Recently, I was in Vietnam. The tour guide insisted on helping me up and down the bus steps and carrying my luggage. I was shocked to see the hurt look on his face when I politely declined his assistance. After visiting a small village and hearing about how Vietnamese families live, I didn’t refuse his assistance again. My independence took a back seat to his tradition. He explained that it was his honour to assist me to ensure I was safe and able to enjoy the tour. He told me that even in death ancestors are buried on family ground and then after a few years are dug up, the bones washed, redressed and then reburied. Wow!

It got me thinking.

There are many cultures that are as caring to senior relatives: Chinese, Indian  Greek, Italian to name a few. Each have one thing in common: Older generations are treated as an important part of the family dynamics. They are included and in return are inclusive.

So why are we as South Australians so quick to ‘handball’ older relatives into care? (Now to be clear; Im not talking about medical care). We don’t seem to want the hassle of an oldie interrupting our busy lives, taking up space in increasingly smaller houses or having to taxi them around to shopping or appointments.

It’s so sad that our society doesn’t see the benefit of what an older person can bring into their lives. Just because someone has retired, or no longer fits into the ideal mould for a fast paced society doesn’t mean they can’t contribute to our lives. Wisdom, experience, advice, and even recipes can be passed through families. Maybe this is where respect is learned. Something that is more and more absent from today’s South Australia.

I don’t have answers, but I’m hoping to grow older far, far away from a nursing home. -Bel