Caring for another human being is not only noble, it can provide a powerful source of inspiration for others. With regard to elderly care, its impact can be far-reaching, depending on the elder care provider, the patient, and their family.
A legacy is defined as “something (such as property or money) that is given to somebody such as in a will.”
A legacy is also a different kind of gift that someone can leave behind for another individual. This could be information, knowledge, or even experiences. How somebody is treated, especially through elderly care, can also be a legacy. For example, the elderly individual may have been isolated and lonely and disinterested in taking part in any variety of activities, assuming that he or she was unable to do anything anymore.
That the right elder care provider might be able to encourage the senior to get out and get involved in activities that they enjoy again.
How could this have a far-reaching impact on others?
Throughout the news on various days, there are usually stories of inspiration from every corner of the world. The stories might involve people with disabilities or challenges that are considered extreme by others. These people rise up above these challenges to do things that should not be possible or that others believe they wouldn’t be able to do.
For those individuals, they leave behind a legacy of inspiration that can impact others. The impact might not be felt right away, but in time when someone is faced with the challenge and also a choice about whether to give up or keep going, when they think about that inspirational individual, that is the legacy that was left behind.
For other elderly individuals who are facing a wide range of challenges, elderly care, when done well, can also inspire those men and women to continue living life to the fullest.
Just because someone reaches a certain age or has physical limitations, it doesn’t mean that life has to end for them. It’s too easy for an elder care provider, especially a family member or someone without experience, to assume that their elderly patient is no longer capable of doing much of anything. Yet that is completely not true. Take the reins and inspire the elderly patient to get out and experience all that life has to offer still.
This could include traveling, sightseeing, learning a new craft, playing games with friends, or anything else. When an elderly individual becomes more active again, that’s a great legacy to leave behind.
Ed Hayden’s life-long vocation in human services spans over 40 years.
