Active Ageing

active ageing and elderly care

The Malta Independent on Sunday 19 May 2019

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STAYING

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nd with that cheerful metaphor you would probably like to know how to delay what may still only be early morning stiffness from becoming a tiresome disability, for as long as possible. Especially, since such changes can affect muscle tone, posture, movement, even height and body shape.

Without going into advanced anatomy, basically the skeleton provides the body’s structure and support, and the joints, where the bones meet, allow for flexibility. The area between the bones is cushioned by cartilage in the joint, surrounded by synovial membranes and fluid.

There are, we all know, a number of diseases that affect the efficiency of joints and diagnosis and treatment for these is available. But there is plenty we can do to lessen, even avoid, the more common problems that can arise from the simple act of ageing. The important thing is not to wait until everyday bending and stretching becomes awkward, but to start anticipating it; ideally, as from today.

Along with the many inconveniences of growing older are one or two structural ones, involving our scaffolding. As with buildings’ foundations and supports, our bones and joints shrink and dry out A lifetime’s healthy eating is the best way to shore up our bodies for the future. But not everyone thinks that far ahead, so what can be done from the time the first twinges are felt? If they are bothersome enough to prevent you enjoying getting out and about, or keep you awake at night, you should find out what’s causing them.

Otherwise, here are some ways to continue looking after them.

Exercise

They all say that. But this need not mean a boring regime or a costly gym membership.

We are lucky enough to have the sea all around us and swimming is an especially good example of the sort of exercise that helps. It can also be a fun family activity. So too can walking, at your own pace, in your own time. If there are no decent ‘walks’ near you, take a

bus to somewhere pleasant and wander around. Make it a treat, go with a companion, the dog or just on your own. It doesn’t have to feel like a chore.

Although it’s not obvious, pottering around doing odd jobs is a form of exercise.

Housework, for example, some simple plastering and paint jobs, smartening up the garden or yard, reviving the outdoor furniture and several really

good clearing out sessions, will not only loosen up the knuckles and joints, but also give you a real sense of achievement.

Then, there’s always sport.

Don’t think the date on your birth certificate is an indication of when you should ditch your kit.

Naturally the level and pace will change but play on when you can. There’s always coaching and supporting others as a way of keeping your hand in too.

All this will also help with other important way of taking the strain off joints, maintaining good posture and keeping the weight off. It is all too easy to blame age for any weight gain, but any metabolic changes it brings need not lead to being overweight. At this time in life the burden of only one or two extra kilos is asking for trouble.

Eat well

Being overweight puts enormous extra stress on weight-bearing joints such as spine, hips, knees, ankles, and feet. Losing weight, and keeping it down, will reduce further damage in the future and improve your flexibility, making it easier to move and carry out daily functions.

But avoid very low-calorie

MENTAL WELL-BEING under the Spotlight Mental Well-being as we age was the chosen theme for the 4th Edition of the CareMalta Forum held recently.

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s the leaders in care, CareMalta through this platform brings to the table various subjects related to the elderly which need to be discussed by stakeholders, and the necessary action to take, with all those involved in the field.

Dr John Cachia, Commissioner for Mental Health kicked off the forum with an introductory speech where he stated that ‘ageing is a reality we must take care of’. He also stressed the importance of our care processes being mental health and wellbeing friendly with two very

important words, Respect & Dignity at the forefront of what we do.

Clinical Chairman of Psychiatry Dr Anton Grech tackled Dementia, Depression, Pseudodementia and Bereavement as well as the differences between mental illness in old persons as opposed to the young.

Another speaker Ms Stephanie D. Sant, CEO of the Richmond Foundation spoke about the need to support persons with mental health issues. She discussed the importance of determining that persons are

suffering with mental health issues in the first place, and guiding them to speak to a professional who can inform them about the services available in the community.

However, she also spoke about the concern of gaps in the system which do not allow us to offer enough support, and the lack of services available. She also announced that her Foundation is collaborating with Learning Works, a company within the Vassallo Group, to launch a course on mental health care in the coming months.

The Dean of the Faculty for

Social Well-being at the University of Malta Profs.

Andrew Azzopardi delivered the final speech where he spoke about the stigmas of mental health and the need to fight this stigma so individuals can get the treatment they need. He spoke about the need for more awareness about mental health and he quotes ‘I believe facilities should be avantgarde.’

An open discussion followed

the speeches where interesting points were raised and questions put to the guest speakers present.

In her closing speech CareMalta CEO, Mrs Natalie Briffa Farrugia expressed her willingness to foster further collaboration between all those involved in the sector in order to make a difference in people’s lives and constantly improve on current systems and services.

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flexible

diets and go for lots of vegetables, protein, eggs, and dairy foods, for their calcium content. Choose oily fish and foods containing omega three fatty acids which help to reduce joint stiffness and pain. Fortified fat spreads, breakfast cereals and soya drinks, as a source of Vitamin D, are strongly recommended, as are apples and onions which contain quercetin, a type of powerful antioxidant that helps to decrease some of the symptoms related to cartilage and joint deterioration.

Top ups

Just as children are supplied with extra vitamins and minerals whenever necessary, so should their grandparents be. Calcium and

vitamins K and D are especially important. It is also worth considering a collagen supplement.

We may not be able to halt the ravages of time, but taking control of the ways we delay them is always beneficial from both a physical and psychological point of view.

Some causes of joint pain

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ny unexplained discomfort in a joint should always be investigated. The sooner it is diagnosed and treated the better, since the right medication and treatment could make a difference in how well the symptoms are controlled. Below are eight common conditions which cause joint pain.

Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis, which occurs when the cartilage, which protects the joints, breaks down and the bones rub against each other, triggering pain and swelling.

You are at risk if you are obese, have over used joints, through heavy physical work or sport. Psoriatic arthritis sometimes affects people with the skin condition psoriasis and is caused by an autoimmune reaction where the immune system mistakenly attacks the joints, causing inflammation. It can be managed with drugs and lifestyle changes.

Rheumatoid arthritis is also a chronic autoimmune

disease affecting the small joints in the hand and wrist and sometimes causing bumps, or nodules, under the skin.

Lupus, another autoimmune disease, can cause joint pain, swelling and stiffness in the body’s extremities, such as ankles toes, fingers, wrists, and elbows.

Treatment can help prevent flare up and reduce symptoms.

Gout is another form of arthritis, caused by high levels of uric acid in the blood. Uricacid is found in foods like liver, red meat, scallops, turkey and alcohol.

Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness and one of the symptoms is joint pain, which usually appears in the weeks or months following a tick bite. One or two joints are usually affected together, with symptoms decreasing in time. But if you think it is possible you have Lyme disease an early diagnosis very important to get the right medical care.

Hypothyroidism, the result of an underactive thyroid gland, sometimes causes joint pain, stiffness

and swelling in certain joints.

Fibromyalgia, a chronic pain disorder affecting millions of people often has symptoms including aches and pain in the joints.

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RETIREMENT From behind a desk, or during the daily commutes, retirement seems like a distant dream. But what exactly does it bring?

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hatever retirement meant to previous generations the concept has changed radically. It was once seen as a stretch of endless days just waiting to be filled with all the things you vowed to do, if only you had the time. It was when you would move to the summer residence that was always meant to be a home for the future, or take cruises and travel to places you had always longed to visit. Rarely did it mean a second crack at extensive childcare, staying in your job extra years to top up a

pension pot, or commencing an entirely new career to fulfill a life-long ambition or vocation, as is rapidly becoming the norm in the 21st century.

Worldwide, the number of people reaching retirement age is expected to double by 2050; too far away for many of us to contemplate. But in the years to come retirement as we know it might not even exist. As more and more countries are raising the age of retirement, and life expectancy is increasing steadily this is only to be expected.

But it is not all bad news.

Judging by the current trend for choosing jobs that allow for lifestyle flexibility and provide plenty of personal job satisfaction, plus the freedom of movement digital technology has given workers, more people are likely to be happy to work on longer than our predecessors did.

Opportunities for taking early retirement need careful consideration; they may not be as attractive as they look.

Working fewer hours, changing your job to one with a better work/life balance, or with a vocational attraction, are all ways to stay on in employment and still spend a happy ‘retirement’, just as you planned.

And how should that be?

There’s no real answer to this but, in homage to the years you

Dealing with LOSS FOR A LIVING Charmaine Attard – General Manager at AX Care

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e often take those who take care of the elderly for granted. We assume that these people come to work every morning with a smile on their face, a willingness to care and never ending patience; all attributes we consciously look for in staff working with the elderly.

However do we ever stop to think how staff, who come to work day in day out, feel when residents they have cared for, sometimes for years, pass away?

Having worked in long term care for many years, I myself, still cannot get used to a resident passing away and I always feel a sense of loss. Some residents build stronger bonds with staff than others, but all of them are missed once they are gone. Carers and nurses in long term care will tell you stories about being at their bedsides during their last hours and most remember every detail. Relatives look to them for strength and consolation. It is not always easy to separate the emotional from the professional and I have seen, many times, a nurse or carer cry when a resident passes away.

We are all human after all.

We can often, as managers, take our staff for granted in this regard and not appreciate that they too are grieving.

We expect them to go on with their work with a smile.

Not many stop to ask if they are OK. Often in healthcare we speak about support being given to nurses in an ICU setting, or A & E where the stressors are considered to be great. However, little is discussed or given importance to staff working with the elderly, who are faced with death day in day out and are expected to go on with the job, even after having lost someone they spent years caring for. We expect them to deal with seeing someone slowly approaching their end of life, or getting more and more debilitated, without batting an eyelid. They too are coping with losses.

I feel that there should be more awareness about this

subject if we truly want our staff to keep on caring and not become immune to pain and suffering, be it physical or emotional. We have to recognise that they have their own experiences of loss and give it due significance. As managers, we have to find the time to debrief staff after a death, and also to show care and understanding by asking them how they are, especially when they are caring for someone who is palliative or at the end stages of life.

If this does not happen, we might, unwittingly be cultivating a culture of indifference which will ultimately reflect itself in how carers take care of residents. They will seek to remain detached in order not to have to cope with the feelings that caring brings with, it especially after a loss. The onus to avoid this from happening stands with us as managers.

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realities put in at the grind stone, it should be your choice. Family is often a priority but to ensure happy years ahead, don’t allow yourself to become a parent all over again. You’ve been there, done that and grown out of the T-shirt. A little extra grandchild minding, outings and treats are fine. But they should always be on your terms.

Making a move is high on many retirees‘ agenda. The house is too big, it has equity tied up in it, the neighbourhood has become unbearable, we want to live near the children/abroad are all good reasons to look for another home. But be prepared for the feelings this change will create.

You will be leaving a place full of years of memories and associations; most of the occupants will feel a particular bond with it that they never imagined would break.

Sentiments will run high.

Downsizing to somewhere more convenient is sensible, but the required sale or re-homing of any contents you will no longer need will be no easy task. Instead, consider having a great clear out and then decorating and repurposing the spare space. It could lead to no end of possibilities and make the difference between being able to stay in your home or having to leave.

The number of people who have upped sticks to retire somewhere they know vaguely, or loved to visit regularly, but who end up regretting their decision is larger than you’d think. A monumental move on retirement really does need honest and realistic thought and planning before any final decisions are made.

Have a realistic approach to the signs of ageing and be sure to look after both mind and body. Respect any understandable limitations, without ignoring them to a point where they will become an extra burden. And, finding ways to stay mentally healthy without the discipline and demands of a regular working day is especially necessary. The saying use it or lose it has a definite ring of truth Harness technology as a way of enhancing retirement and not just a working tool. Whatever those who grew up with computers and technology say, lots of us know that in so many situations it is quicker, better and more satisfying to use pretech ways. However, it can keep us in touch with all the aspects of life that we want to embrace.

It is brilliant for researching and archiving the projects, family trees, collections and so on that we planned to do. It can make tasks easier. And, providing you know where to draw the line with shared information and our every movement being logged as data, we can make it work on our terms.

In fact, many current retirees consider themselves very lucky to be from a generation who really do have the best of both worlds. Apart from the temporary inconvenience of great chunks of the internet going down for a week, we could probably manage quite happily. The only worry is that

as more and more of our lives become dependent on such cyber-tech operations we will end up living in a brave new world that we certainly never dreamt of.

Which could be why each older generation shares a timeless belief that so much was better in the past, and that retirement is just a time to live for today.

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oving house is one of the top 10 most stressful things a person can do, in any number of ways.

Tackling it reluctantly, in the later years of life, having lived in the settled, familiar surroundings of a house that is also your home, can be heartbreaking.

Not such a long time ago sheltered accommodation and care homes for older people hardly existed. The elderly stayed in the family home, with another member of their family, or in one of the rare centres such as St Vincent de Paul, or those run by religious orders, which were more in the way of nursing homes.

The enthusiastic acceptance of sheltered housing homes and villages in recent decades is confirmation that there has been a huge shake-up of tradition and aspirations in what older people look for in the way of alternative, independent living these days.

But, there are still many logical reasons why people would choose to remain in their own homes. Independence is one of the most obvious; the ability to live free from the terms and conditions, however minimal these may be, that go

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STAYING on

Once we find our permanent house and home most of us plan to stay there for the rest of our lives. And this is how it should be for those who make that choice.

with any community housing.

Keeping a home that will become an inheritance in the way it has always been, for children and grandchildren to call a base, is very important to many house holders; as is being surrounded by the home's ambience, memories and treasures that become more and more valuable with each year.

The established routines and lifestyles of their home are important to people who may be living alone for the first time, or who have memory problems which are not too serious, and could be helped by staying where they know they belong and feel safe.

Home help Many countries, realising that their ageing population may be soon need residential care they will not be able to provide, are having the sense to look at improving assistance for elderly people who wish to remain in their own homes and who are quite capable of doing so with simple, practical support.

Local councils run various schemes such as night shelters for those who would rather not sleep alone at home, lifts for pensioners, around their local area, a contact base for finding qualified and trustworthy tradesmen to do the odd

jobs and repairs that are necessary to keep all pensioners' homes in good order.

Remember some councils are more elderly-friendly than others. And it is disgraceful that so many do not consider such basic issues as insuring that otherwise healthy, independent, elderly residents, who struggle with serious mobility problems, are always able to access their own homes by car.

If you or a relative are determined to remain at home there are several things you can do to make sure this continues as long as possible.

Have a way of keeping in contact with a neighbour or family member. Be sure all important contact numbers are up to date and somewhere safe, near a phone.

Explore Non-government Organisations and local centres that offer company and any services you may need.

Be prepared to have whatever alterations you need, such as modifying your home with stair lifts or special furniture, to ensure safety and make getting about and the place easier. And think twice about doing some of the

tasks and DIY you always used to do.

Painting and plastering may have been an annual task not so long ago, but there comes a time when it is easier and safer to employ someone else to it. After all, we can only enjoy living in a home that is not a constant strain to maintain.

Keeping well Among the many reasons people want to stay in their own homes is the association of accommodation for the elderly with God’s waiting room. This is so far removed from the truth these days as to be laughable, but old sentiments are hard to shift.

So, when someone who has medical issues wishes to remain in their own home arrangements need to be made.

Even if you are physically able to manage with little or no help, explore the community care and services you may be entitled to. Find out which shops deliver orders, for heavy shopping trips and on days when you are unable to get out.

Create a good social life, based on the things you like to do and the people whose company you enjoy. One of the advantages of living in your own home is that you can have your friends over whenever you want to, or invite people to stay as and when it's convenient. You can also make the same kind of changes you used to the dĂŠcor and furnishings, keep a pet and decide on your own meal times.

And it is all these things and more that make living independently in later years such an enjoyable and rewarding way of life.

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AGE before BEAUTY Louis Gatt is far from nostalgic for his lost youth.

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ge before beauty eh? Oh yes, it’s eminently preferable to callow youth, however beautiful the teens and 20s may seem to be.

Not that I personally ever claim to have been anything like gorgeous. Handsome I ain’t, nor ever have been. In fact, I have it on very good authority (my mother’s) that when I arrived in the world and was revealed to my father for the first time, he apparently exclaimed: “Good God. It looks just like (expletive deleted) Mussolini!”

And I’m afraid it’s been downhill all the way from there. So no, as I crawl through my 60s, I don’t reminisce soulfully about my lost looks; I never had any to lose. It may well have something to do with the fact that I actually love being old. Well not too old, I have to admit I’m not looking forward to the unpleasant bits… you know, dementia and other slippery slopes that lead inexorably to the Adolorata.

But even stuff like dementia needn’t be all bad.

I had an aunt, Vicky, who lived into her mid 90s and, for the last years of her life, which she spent in a retirement home, she was totally away ‘with the fairies’. And, although I can’t prove it, she seemed to enjoy every minute of it.

She lived in a little world of her own and reality never, if ever intruded. A cousin of mine relates the story of one occasion when Aunty Vicky went to lunch with my cousin and her husband. After the meal the thin mints were circulated. Aunty Vicky immediately said: “Ooh Daddy absolutely loves these. Do you mind if I take a few back for him?” A laudable gesture right?

Well yes it would have been, had ‘Daddy’, our

grandfather, not have shuffled off his mortal coil more than 40 previously. Aunty did take a few mints back to her carehome. I often wonder who she gave them to.

And when I might get a bit maudling about my, so called, lost youth I just have to remind myself about all the advantages of being a trainee geriatric. For a start, I no longer feel any peer pressure; I don’t have to have the very latest mobile phone or over-priced trainers.

My suit – just one – only ever comes out of the wardrobe on formal occasions, I have no idea who or what music tops the charts anymore, and I am sure that whoever it is they won’t be a patch on the bands plying their trade 50 odd years ago.

A very, very old lady once said to me: “I love being old, ’cos nothing that hasn’t already touched me can touch me now. All I’ve got to do now is die. And I’m in no hurry right now.” She lived to be 101, bless her.

No, I’m not expecting to attain three figures. If I stick to the plot, the men in my family usually slip off the shovel in their mid eighties. It’s the women that go on forever.

An article of this nature is bound to be somewhat anecdotal, so here are a couple on the subject of ageing gracefully and not so gracefully.

I used to know an old lady who lived in Sliema, and had the most serene attitude to ageing of anyone I’ve ever known. Her daughter (no spring chicken herself) was a very good tennis player and could be seen doing her Navratilova impression at the Marsa Club most weekends. She used to take her mother with her and the old lady would sit at the side of the court watching the tennis, knitting and chatting to friends. On one occasion her daughter won a singles competition, after which she received the trophy, showered and drove home, in great excitement.

Only as she reached her house did she realise she had left her mother behind, still courtside. She jumped back into the car and returned, wondering what had happened to Mum. She discovered her, still sitting

where she had left her, all alone, as dusk was settling.

She began to apologise profusely for forgetting to take her mother home. The old lady, who incidentally was completely unfazed at being left alone and unattended, cut in with: “It wasn’t a problem dearie, I knew you’d come for me eventually.” That sort of stoicism only comes with age.

On the other hand, I had a very close relative who aged very badly. Just after he retired he and I were taking a beer, again in the Marsa Club as it happens, when he announced: “That’s it, I’m retired – and that means I’m not going to do another thing, daqsekk! And he meant it. He had been a very keen golfer and as a retirement gift his staff had given him a spanking new set of very expensive clubs. I think he may have used them twice, before complaining that he had hurt his foot and was giving up golf.

He turned, in retirement, into a cantankerous, b****yminded old so-and-so who did absolutely no exercise.

Actually his wife once said to me: “The only exercise he ever gets is that of his thumb on the TV remote.” And that was true.

When I was a young man I just simply could not conceive of a time when I would not want to exercise and do the stuff I did back then. I had fondly assumed that in my dotage I would still be able to play football and boogie all night long at the disco. But, do you know, I don’t actually miss doing all that physical stuff.

I have a fairly short daily early morning stretching session and I do enjoy walking… when I can be bothered to get off my butt to do so.

Passing into my 60s I was, like every other person who reaches retirement age… officially old. The trouble is, I still think like a 20 year old and, sometimes, still behave like one… an immature one. Well so what? If I’m going to become a decrepit old git I will do so on my terms.

So yes, so far I am truly enjoying every minute of being ancient and long may I continue to do so.

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A SOCIAL PULSE for our elderly The allocation of funds exposes any government’s priorities. In Malta, approximately one third of the Government’s budget is assigned to social services and projects. Meanwhile the budget for elderly care has tripled in recent years.

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ith such substantial funds, the Parliamentary Secretariat for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing is investing wholeheartedly in the sector, delivering results that prove its commitment on improving long-term care and promoting active ageing for our elderly.

Ensuring that the elderly are

supported and that their environment is sustainable for them to enjoy a good quality of life is central to our work. Therefore, addressing their basic and social needs is sought after through the provision of more community and residential services for the elderly.

Our approach to elderly care is primarily concerned with community services. This goes handin-hand, with empowering individuals, be it elderly citizens

or persons with disability, to enjoy an active lifestyle in their community.

Community services such as the Silver T project, which has been extended from three to 10 localities, have been received very well by the elderly population. In the six months that the service has been operating for, around 3,000 trips, bringing elderly closer to their local services to run their own errands, were made.

To further address the concerns of the elderly residing in the community and their families, mostly pertaining to security. More investment has been put in night shelter and respite services, so that the total number of beds available across Malta and Gozo, adds up to 37 and 39 respectively.

Recently, we have announced a new elderly residence in Birkirkara – which has been promised over and over by previous Governments – as well as the 500-bed project in St Vincent de Paul. Moreover, the longterm care facility catering for the increasing demands of dementia, as more wards are being designed in specific manners, improves the well-being of persons with dementia.

Educational and informative measures are also essential to reach out to the community. One upcoming initiative to strengthen society’s knowledge on dementia is Frammenti, a street drama, that exposes the reality of a family who has experienced dementia. Frammenti, which is being held on the 31st May in Mosta, the 6th June in Paola, and 13th July in Gozo, will be followed by a discussion between professionals in the field.

Further to this, we strongly believe in the importance of intergenerational dialogue. The Senior Passport is one positive example through which intergenerational dialogue, as well as

knowledge on Malta’s history, can be enhanced. Throughout these past few weeks, our Prime Minister spoke immensely of the importance of enabling our families to spend more quality time with their loved ones.

More is being done to encourage older persons to remain active, whether through their continuous engagement in the labour market, participation in society and independent living.

The life, in our 27 active ageing centres, across Malta and Gozo, activities held in residential homes as part of the initiative Making Homes Fun, and the newly launched Silver Hub at St Vincent de Paul, is evidence of the elderlies’ eagerness to continue contributing and participating in their community.

Obviously, we do not simply speak of political ideals, but transpose our beliefs, the proposals included in our electoral manifesto into actions that leave a positive impact on the well-being of Maltese society.

The social pulses of this Government have been clearly determined. It is through such prioritisation and the substantial surplus that our country has been enjoying, that the Parliamentary Sercetariat for Persons with Disability and Active Ageing is driven and empowered to strengthen the services to our older persons and persons with disability.

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GENERATING understanding There will always be an issue between different generations, the best thing is accept this is and try and get round it.

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everal theories exist as to the time span that separates each generation, but most of us simply define it by whether we are old enough to be the grandparent, parent or contemporary of the people we relate to.

Each generation is influenced according to circumstances, and the events and sentiments of the one before it, so it's hardly surprising that they often view each other from a skewed perspective.

Because of many, probably

self-motivated, instincts we are prone to generalise about those older or younger than ourselves to a point where young and old regard each other as aliens. This has become an excuse for the bias and bigotry that has marred each generation.

The simple fact is that each generation is different; with its own values, wants and needs.

And if they would sometimes stop to remember what life was like, or imagine what it will be like, based on both personal experience and a skill which is in seriously short supply, empathy for each other, the

generation gap could be easily be bridged.

But, this only happens in certain environments, situations and sections of society. In plenty of happy states and conditions, different generations get on in harmony by acknowledging, tolerating and, in many cases, benefiting from their differences.

The main reasons for this are mutual respect and an atmosphere where no one feels compelled to use their knowledge and experience of life, as far as they have lived it, in a superior or belittling way.

The younger generations find

this particularly gruelling and patronising. And the older ones should remember all the things they could do perfectly well 20, 40 or even 60 years ago, and accept that those of the equivalent age today are no less able, even if their methods are not the same.

This is bound to be hard on those who have lived and experienced a lot over several decades. There are so many things that were safer and easier to do; travel being an obvious example. Getting a job for life was an ambition, and a work ethos that embraces working from home, start-ups

CASA ANTONIA celebrates MOTHER’S DAY in a meaningful way

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o honour all the mothers, Casa Antonia Nursing and Residential Home in Balzan hosted a special Mother’s Day celebration in a meaningful way for the residents and their families.

The day kicked off with a sumptuous morning party in the beautiful landscaped gardens. As usual Casa Antonia’s garden was transformed into a fairy-like setting, with flowery plants dotted around the pool, while classic pop revivals, sung by soprano Ruth Sammut Casingena, made the atmosphere even more special.

As beauty has no age, female residents were treated to hair and beauty treatments. Casa Antonia’s resident hairdressers Maria Gatt and Maria Zammit gave the ladies some lovely elegant hairdos, while students from

Dr Sarah Cassar distributing a Mother’s Day gift to all female residents

On the occasion of Mother’s Day celebration, Casa Antonia’s female residents were treated to hair and beauty treatments. Picture shows Dr Sarah Cassar overseeing the beauty treatments the International School of Beauty Therapy, led by Sharon Warrington, applied facial treatments.

The Mother’s Day spirit was reflected on the smiles on the residents’ faces. They enjoyed the bright sun-lit environment, the party and more so their family members around them. Every female resident received a beautiful gift as a memento.

Casa Antonia General Manager Dr Sarah Cassar said: “We ensure that each senior resident is well cared for with love and that they receive our full attention. We enjoy organising such traditional family occasions that give our residents a sense of home. They really appreciate it.”

Casa Antonia’s resident hairdressers styled the female residents’ hair for the occasion Overlooking San Anton Gardens and nestled in a quiet cul-de-sac, Casa Antonia Nursing and Residential Home is a distinguished yet affordable home for the elderly.

Employing over 120 well trained staff enables the home to offer a holistic services and truly personalised care for residents. The 150-bed facility offers long-term care, short-stay convalescence, rehabilitation and respite care, and extra services such as social and physical activities, craft sessions, hairdressing and beauty treatments, and catering for private parties amongst others.

For enquiries at Casa Antonia, one can call on 2149 6277 or send an email to info@casa-antonia.com.mt

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and jobs totally unrelated to a hard-won university degree is incomprehendable to the pensioner who, in his or her time, had no such opportunities.

Then there's money and possessions. How is a generation who worked hard, sometimes in a job they hated, and saved even harder for the things we take for granted today, supposed to have much respect for one that wants something and expects to get it, 'like now'. Money won't be a problem. What are credit cards for? And there are all those indulgent parents with a mistaken idea that giving their children 'all the things they never had' will make everyone happy. The younger generations have little or no incentive to save, and they do not look very favourably on those before, who were far less materialistic and also planned

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ahead.

In fact, comparatively few of today's oldies are a drain on society, as they will have invested in their home and saved for the future, before spending on the good things in life. That their pensions and investments may sometimes prove inadequate for a lifestyle they may have expected is often not down to them, considering the mishandling and changes made to all types of pension schemes over the years, by those who should know better.

We are living in a time when so much of what was expected of a person and their family members has simply been re booted. Parental authority once undisputed is expected to be gained through negotiation rather than by punishment.

Children are always a huge indication of generation gaps.

Once they were taught and

expected to show basic good manners: respecting other people's personal space and property, moving to let someone older or carrying shopping go by, not pushing and shoving to get what they want, showing polite gratitude for gifts, offering their help with certain jobs, and actually being concerned about how their behaviour looked to other people.

Not any more, by and large, parents can hardly be bothered half the time. They may be determined not to repeat the heavy-handed methods used on them, or so adept at ignoring their children’s noise and disruption that they have no idea how it affects everyone else. As two working parents, they may feel they have to compensate for their absence by letting their children run riot wherever they go. They are already rearing future

generations who, with the attraction of social media as the major means of communicating, are easily on the way to being the least happily interactive generation ever.

We are living at a time when changes in every sphere, happen faster than any other.

And it's not only the ‘older’ generations who are disturbed by some of the changes. But as human beings we are supposed to be in charge. Members of every generation should experience the same rights and privileges, relevant to age, life experiences and individual abilities.

Every generation has a responsibility to the members that came before, and the ones that will follow. Each member of each generation must get over the presumption that their needs and rights are more important than the others. We

should be beyond blaming past generations and be grateful to those whose achievements worked to our advantage. In fact, blaming the young and past generations is ridiculous.

People of all age groups were responsible for decisions that were made throughout history, not specific age groups.

And yet, we now have everything from Baby Boomers to Generations X (Millenials) Y and Z; labels which were doubtless generated as a way of boxing us all up for commercial and economic reasons. All those different lifestyles, aspirations and expectations to target are catnip to data and media selling companies.

And every age group would benefit profoundly from forgetting all that, and relating to and showing respect to, and consideration for, each other as individuals, not just as members of certain generation.