Filipino Nurses' Perspective

Sunday, July 7, 2013

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

Aging is the process of growing old, and growing old passes through a lot of events. Letty Kuan’s theory of graceful aging implies how we can get a graceful life when we are growing old. Her basis of this is when a person has a very nice root of influence from their parents and the people that surrounds them they are capable in developing of having a very nice childhood. The framework of the theory is the good acquisition and the struggle of bringing up your own legacy to others as you grow old. If you have this, this will make you equipped in times of struggles and crises as sister Letty Kuan said.

Legacy is when someone remembers what you have taught them. It is when you share everything you know and done good deeds for them. Aged people are very equipped to do this because they already have a lot to share and taught as base from what they have acquired and experience as they reach their age. As what Kuan said it is observed that some of aged people are demanding, sometime shows negative attitude it is because of their struggles in their past experiences and the acquisition they have acquired as they grow old. This also includes their retirement which is observed if when you are happy or contented of what you got and done after this.

For me being recognized by your contributions and accomplishments of improving oneself is a big form of appreciation and fulfillment. This Theory taught me to do what I can do for a change as my acquisition from my parents and the people that surrounds me is guiding me. As a nurse giving quality care without hesitation and with good attitude and values will prove that I have this good childhood upbringing and will leave a legacy to those people I help as I grow old.

Retirement is not an end. It doesn’t mean when you retire your role discontinues. It is a start of fruitful life even without in the service or position to gain something for yourself.

Prepared by:

EASTER JOY V. TRAVILLA, RN

In This Video:

The Theorist, Sister Letty G. Kuan, gives a message for Group I and other nurses. :)

It is very inspiring. Watch it.

Welcome to Our Blog!

Our Blog: Filipino Nurses' Perspective

Our aim is to be able to share our knowledge and opinions to others who are as interested as us in learning more about the theories of Nursing. In line with this, we named it 'Filipino Nurses' Perspective' because we are proud to be part of an internationally known race that is considered top rank in providing health care. At the same time, we featured a Filipino Theorist, Sister Letty G. Kuan, that we are so happy to meet in our quest for facts about her theory. She obliged us with a video interview that we learned a lot from. We hope that you learn with us.

Our Theorist: Sister Letty G. Kuan

While thinking who we wanted to feature for this task, we all agreed that we will be leaning towards somebody who is influential in the nursing community, somebody who showed the practice of the theory in her life, and somebody who we can learn a lot from, someone who will make us proud to be Filipinos, and to our surprise, Sister Letty G. Kuan is more than what we have asked for! She is very down-to-earth for somebody who has achieved so much in her life, she is cool with so much passion for what she does, and her life is radiating what her theory is exactly: A Graceful Aging. We are so honored to have met her and actually see her explain her theory. Learn more about her in the videos we put up for you in this blog.

Our Group: Group Eye

We got lucky with our group letter: I, or maybe with our surnames having the last letters of the alphabet as the first letters of our last names, because Group I is the last group we have in our subject. Anyway, we call ourselves the Group Eye, because aside from its exact same pronunciation to our actual group letter (I), at some point, we found ourselves seeking and searching while doing this task. We felt like we were eyes, looking towards knowledge, prying over people, events and things that increase what we already know, and correct those that we think we were right about but actually not. And to our amazement, we were happy to have laid eyes on a theorist that was thought to have a theory about 'Retirement and Role Discontinuities', which was actually not the real case. Sister Letty G. Kuan's Theory is 'A Graceful Aging' but most people don't really know that. Even if you search the entirety of the world wide web, you won't be able to find this correct information. And because of finding the truth that we sought (and filmed it), we feel like we have served the purpose of our group's name. We have seen a truth and it may not be a big deal for others, but for us, it is one of the most fulfilling things in the world.

- Grace Mae P. Yanson

The Interview Team

Surviving Cancer

By: Dr. Reynaldo O. Joson

Ms. Letty Kuan, is a nurse. She was my school nurse in Xavier School when I was grade V in this school, in 1960. We met again in University of the Philippines Manila when I was already a professor in the Department of Surgery, UP College of Medicine while she was a professor at the UP College of Nursing. In 1991, I operated on her thyroid papillary carcinoma in the Philippine General Hospital. I did a total thyroidectomy. Postoperatively, she received thyroid hormones. I saw her today in Manila Doctors Hospital while she was visiting one of my patients, CN. She is now 75 years old with no clinical evidence of recurrence - 21 years in remission. We both thank God for this long remission.