Where's The Godparents For Eldsters Manual

GodparentsForElderstersManual

Where’s the Godparents For Eldsters Manual?  That what a harsh critic asked.

There isn’t one, I replied. Here are 4 things, yea 5, on which to concentrate--and a plan.

Why? Remember the paradigm of a godparent/sponsor for a youngster.  They step in to help when the parents of the youngster aren’t there to help.  Something similar might happen with eldsters.

Because the main thing to know is that something new is needed.  The system must be improved. A new element needs to be added.  Search: Nursing Home Problems. Search: Eldercare Issues.  Search: Elders In Poverty.  Etc.

How can a Godparent For Eldster help, then?

1—A Godparent is that new element.  When Mom was in trouble, and we called around to various agencies, we heard the remark ‘It’s always the daughter-in-law that calls’. This may not always be true, but it is true that there is a distance from the loved one that allows the daughter-in-law to be the one to act, to not deny.

2—A Godparent’s chief first action is prayer.

3—‘First, Do No Harm’ is a Godparent emphasis.  This should prevent much doping up.

4—Concentrate on what the loved one CAN do, not what the loved one CAN NO LONGER do. [That’s a good way to treat everyone, it seems to me].

OK, those are 4 things, what’s the plan.  The plan is, in part, to have a central source of history and information, a website for example, on which Godparents can post situations encountered, actions taken, suggestions for the future.

What’s the ‘yea, 5’?  The 5^th is to act BEFORE the crisis.  Prevention, preparation…

O Lord be with (Exodus 3:12)

Charles Howard Hartman

edencity@aol.com