Nurse Off Duty: Young Eyes

Graceful Aging: In The Eyes of A Young Nurse

In this age, generation, or whatever we can call this time, it is rare to find people who are concerned about old people. Sometimes even family, loved ones, sons and daughters of the old person care less about them. And that is a very sad truth of the world. Everybody doesn't care, until they are the ones that are there. At that point - wrinkled, cold, unhappy, unheard of, old.

When I got to know of Sister Letty G. Kuan, while we were still deciding who to feature in this blog, her dissertation (which everybody thought was her theory back then) caught my attention. It was titled "Retirement and Role Discontinuities". I have never heard of a theory focusing on old people before. I had a feeling back then that she will be our featured theorist. And when we got to the point of inviting her for interview and realized that we need to tell a truth to the whole world, I was happy to know that my gut was right.

'A Graceful Aging' opened my eyes more on the causes of what seems to be a pandemic nowadays - 'Unhappy Old Person Disease'. And in a way, prepared me for my old age as well. The theory confirmed something that I have been thinking over my adult years of life. I know I am happy, but I also know people who are not, I know the reasons as well why they are not happy, and most of the reasons are from something that has happened to them before in their lives, "Acquisition" as what the theory will call it. I have thought about it before, but never got to the point of exploring these thoughts, but now, I am happy that those thoughts have been addressed to, and confirmed as well. At the same time, I was inspired that I should dig more on what I am thinking, who knows, I can be a theorist too someday. 

The theory aside from stating the reasons of the 'disease' as well provides the specific role of the nurse in this situation. Sister Letty G. Kuan expressed that as nurses, we should be the ones to fill in or replace what had been missed by the person who doesn't have a good acquisition. We need to show our patients respect, care, attention, understanding, the things that they maybe can't find in their homes.

At some point, I can say that this theory doesn't only apply to old people, but to all patients, described only in different terms. So to prevent unhappiness of old people, we need to start young. This is where my part comes in for myself, while I am young, I need to be sure that I have good acquisition, that I will succeed in my struggles, so that in the end I can leave a legacy even if I am old, and wrinkly, but not grumpy. 

You reading this is already good acquisition in your part. It's up to you what to do with it. 

Good luck.

Let us all grow old and happy.



Article By: - Grace Mae P. Yanson