" The simple act of caring is heroic."
Ask Greta
Dear Greta,
My grandparents celebrated their 60th anniversary last year, and a few months later, my grandfather died of a heart attack. While everyone was very sad and upset by the news, my grandmother went into shock and just hasn ' t been the same since. She doesn ' t take care of herself anymore, and basically, she just doesn ' t care about anything. I ' m the only grandson living in the same area as she does, as the rest of my family are in different parts of the country. My mother asked her to live with them but she refused to leave the house she shared with her husband all those years. I want to help her, and I try to visit often and get her out of the house, but she prefers to sit at home and do nothing. What should I do? I love her a lot, and it ' s hard to sit idly by and watch her fall apart.
- Concerned Grandson
Dear Grandson,
Depression is a big problem in the elderly population, especially when a spouse is widowed. However, there is help available. Do you have a family doctor? If so, make an appointment with him or her to discuss the problem. I ' m sure you ' ll get some very concrete, helpful suggestions on how your grandmother can be helped so she ' ll once again live a purposeful and rewarding life. You could also discuss the situation with your clergyperson, if you or she have one, and they will probably have some good suggestions, too. It is most important for your grandmother to realize that she is not alone, although I ' m sure that ' s how she ' s feeling right now. If you know of a friend or neighbor who ' s been through what your gram ' s experiencing, perhaps they ' d be willing to speak to her. My hat ' s off to you for being so devoted. I have seen too many elderly people callously discarded by their families, and it ' s refreshing to hear from someone like you.
Mail your questions to Greta at:“ Good News” P. O. Box 99, Avis PA 17721, or email them to: goodnews @ kcnet. org.
Thought For The Day
" The simple act of caring is heroic."
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