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Post by pawlo on Apr 7, 2005 14:20:28 GMT 1
Taken from the BBC web site. Early humans 'cared for elderly' Ancient humans from the Caucasus may have fed and cared for their elderly, a new fossil find has indicated. The 1.77 million-year-old specimen, which is described in Nature magazine, was completely toothless and well over 40; a grand old age at the time. This may suggest that the creature lived in a complex society which was capable of showing compassion. So just to summarise then, 1.8 million years ago we looked after our old people. Seems like we are going backwards slowly.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 7, 2005 14:25:07 GMT 1
We must be going backwards. After all they cared for their elderly and one of them managed to live to 40
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Post by wiganshrew2 on Apr 7, 2005 14:58:21 GMT 1
We must be going backwards. After all they cared for their elderly and one of them managed to live to 40 That WAS elderly then! You know what it is, Pab? It's families moving around the country and families splitting up. It's also the need for women to work. Or is it just that people are no longer content to live like they used to? Not a lot of people owned their own houses or had cars in my parent's generation. I looked after my mother for many years- I'd say since 1983 or thereabouts till she died in 2001. She lived in her own house, though. (They moved from Shropshire in the late 70's to be near us, and my Dad hated it and only lived 3 more years.) I had to work to help pay the mortgage- so I had to rely on my daughters helping me, and later my mother had Local Authority care staff coming in. I couldn't have coped on my own, anyway- she was so crippled she needed a "hoist" in the end, to get in and out of bed. It was hard to even get away on holiday. We had to rely on one of the girls going to visit in my place- and couldn't stay away for more than a few days. Even then- daughters did a lot more in former times. I say daughters- many sons do, as well- but it's more expected of daughters. My Mum could be difficult at times; so we fell out now and again! (The love was there, though, all the same!) My Dad was the quiet, reasonable one!! But there's times, now she's no longer with us, (she died in 2001) when I beat myself up and think I didn't do enough, because I had to stay working. My Mum wanted me to give up my work- but my husband didn't - and we'd have probably lost the house if I had done. Story of my life- trying to please everyone and ending up pleasing no-one!!! Yes, I DO think it's sad when old people are completely on their own. In ,my experience, though, most of my friends are very caring. I don't personally know of anyone who has abandoned an elderly parent. Some do a lot more than I did.
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Post by Impromptushrew on Apr 7, 2005 19:00:24 GMT 1
I too had to look after my dad who was disabled but he was far from old he was 56 when he died. I had 3 children but I stayed nights with him cleaned and fed him even so I never think you yourself feel as though you do enough. I think its gone awful today though I have had to fight tooth and nail to get good care for my great auntie whos 92 the care home £35,000 of her house money off her leaving her with not much left. They said that because it was a private home they could not care for her. So I have had meetings upon meetings just to get help with her funding for a new home. Now she says she doesnt want to live for all the trouble shes causing. With what shes had to put up with through the wars etc. Surely to god they should be owed more than this!
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Post by wiganshrew2 on Apr 7, 2005 19:12:03 GMT 1
I think its gone awful today though I have had to fight tooth and nail to get good care for my great auntie whos 92 the care home £35,000 of her house money off her leaving her with not much left. They said that because it was a private home they could not care for her. So I have had meetings upon meetings just to get help with her funding for a new home. Now she says she doesnt want to live for all the trouble shes causing. With what shes had to put up with through the wars etc. Surely to god they should be owed more than this! A friend of mine had that experience with her mother. She and her husband had looked after her in her own home, shared the care with her sister, until ALL of them were ill and could no longer cope. Both my friend and her husband had heart trouble. When her mother went in a care home nearby, they all the money from the sale of her house. It's not right. That's just TERRIBLE that your great auntie has said she doesn't want to live - because it's not her that's causing the trouble, it's the way the system is at the moment. Which political party said there should be free care for the elderly? It's a thought for the next election. I have an auntie in Telford who's over 80, now. Still very "young at heart" but she's really struggling, health-wise.
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Post by Tory Boy on Apr 7, 2005 20:16:19 GMT 1
People are living longer, in the next few years/decades there will be 100's of thousands of elderly people, The country simply cannot afford to care for them all for FREE, Invest in stocks and shares and other ventures, plan for your future.
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Post by The Shropshire Tenor on Apr 7, 2005 21:24:24 GMT 1
The moral of this story is spend your money and enjoy yourself while you have your health. When you are ill and broke the State will pay for your care.
In the next bed will be the prudent saver who has had their house and assets stolen by the State to pay for what they imagined their tax and NI would pay for.
This is the situation that drove my poor father-in-law to clinical depression and a premature death.
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Post by SeanBroseley on Apr 7, 2005 22:59:30 GMT 1
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