Visiting those in aged care

has been made more difficult by the Covid19 situation but even before that it seems it is a problem. 

Apparently the research shows that around seventy percent of people in aged care do not get visitors. Research also suggests that people who enter such places either have dementia in some degree or start to lose their intellectual abilities.

We are conscious of this. The Senior Cat is conscious of this. I went in to see him just as the residents had been put together for "newspaper reading". It is a once a week activity.

Now the Senior Cat is perfectly capable of reading the paper for himself. He will read the parts he wants to read. He reads the editorial and the Letters to the Editor. He ignores the sport. 

"They read the sport and ignore the letters," he told me. We agreed it was what we expected. 

The staff have compromised by letting him have the paper when they have finished with it. He is the only person able to read it for himself although one or two others will try.

When I went to see him I had printed off the National Church Life Survey results for the local parish. It is something that interests him greatly. He grew up going to church twice on Sundays. The Presbyterian Fellowship was his youth group, the "gang"(and the marriage bureau). Their activities were harmless. To entertain themselves they did things like folk dancing and put on Gilbert and Sullivan operas. Today's teens "dance" at night clubs and get entertained by other people. More than once the Senior Cat has wondered what they will do to entertain themselves as they get older. Will people visit them?

I wonder about the visiting too. I often envy those who attended the same school for long enough to make lasting friendships, especially in their teens.  It may not provide visitors if you end up in aged care but one of your friends may end up there with you. 

Middle Cat provided the Senior Cat with her mobile phone so that he could talk to one of his three surviving first cousins. 

    "They had a wow of a chat," she told me, "It was all "remember this...and remember that". I'll get him to call M... as well." (M... is another cousin.) 

We know we need to do it more often, that the Senior Cat needs to talk to other people too. He has had more visitors than anyone else but not everyone can visit. Even without the need for a 'flu vaccination certificate and the Covid19 restrictions it is difficult. People don't want to "make an appointment". When an older person is at home they can simply phone and ask if it is convenient to drop in - or even just drop in.  Middle Cat could call and say, "It's a nice day. I am going to take him out." Now that needs to be arranged in advance. 

This is a culture which needs to change. Looking after the physical needs of the elderly isn't enough. We need to look after their mental needs as well. 

The idea that I might end up in one of these places terrifies me.