Dear Son,

I am feeling a bit nervous today, can you please hold my hand for a few minutes …..

Can you please check my phone internet, it has not been working for a few days ….

Can you please write a short letter for me …..

Can you please check if there are any pending bills or taxes to be paid ….

Can you please get my car serviced ….. 

Can you please remove the gift box from the top cupboard …. 

Can you please take me to the hospital for my cancer test ….. 

These are real examples which family caregivers face everyday. 

On one hand we rarely thanked our parents for the small munde tasks they did for us when we were dependent upon them, but as our parents become dependent upon us, they tend to thank us for every small act of ours.

Caregiving is not only about giving personal care assistance, at times emotional assurance of simply being around for our parents is more important than providing physical support.

Since none of us can escape from the tentacles of Ageing, hence it’s better we embrace it and become empathetic towards older people. 

End of the day, what goes around comes around.

Pankaj Mehrotra