Elder Care Spotlight: Offering Comfort, Dignity, and Humanity For The Last Years of Life...

Caregiving is such a deep experience on so many levels. We are not only taking care of someone we Love that can no longer take care of themselves, but we also observe how life responds to a person who can no longer offer anything material to their Loved ones or the world except for the Love in their hearts. One of the most painful things to see is how someone who gave all of themselves to so many people in their lives can be abandoned and deserted in their most vulnerable time of life. When a soul is honored at the end of their life, the grace that comes from that Loving care leaves an imprint that can never be erased, and is understood on the deepest of soul levels.

What is really important when all of our faculties have faded away and we no longer create or produce anything for anyone? We still have value, even though the physical world may not define it as that. Our lives are rich with wisdom, knowledge and understanding from a journey filled with amazing experiences. The body and mind catch up with the soul, and before we know it, old age sets in and causes a major shift in reality. Whatever the issue may be, each of us eventually gets to a state where we can no longer be the person that friends and family can rely on for support. Instead, we become the ones who need the support and Love to help anchor in a transition out of the physical plane with grace. We all go through it and it is unavoidable - it just looks a little different for each of us.

Getting older is not easy. We have to put ourselves in the shoes of our elderly family member or friend. Instead of asking our elderly Loved ones to adjust to our lives as they age, we can offer our own support by entering their worlds, and by simply being present with them. This is a time where arguments, explanations, lectures, or other overstimulating reactions toward them can retire. Instead, just the act of "BEing" is what is needed the most. Whether this looks like sitting quietly, touching their hand, watching a movie or show together, reading to them, playing them their favorite music, or simply offering friendly companionship, these are the most sacred and honored gifts that we can share.

Helping someone to feel secure, cared for, comfortable, and accepted at any phase of life is a true honor. There may be an environment present where people attempting to caregive can get overwhelmed and disappear, and the elderly family member is left alone. No matter what choices other people make, life goes on. By rising above the drama and just staying present with our elderly Loved ones, we can make the choice to step in and be a force of Love that helps anchor in peace and comfort for the rest of their lives. Whether or not they recognize the help, say thank you, or offer anything in return, the patience, gentleness, and Love that is shared is the only thing that matters. In the late stages of life, dignity is found during the quiet moments, deep relationships we develop, and practical service we offer to those we Love the most. They are honored, protected, and stood up for so that they never have to feel worried, fearful, or in need of anything. This is the greatest offering we can share with the ones we Love the most.

For the lives we have lived, the impact we have made, the hearts we have touched, and the creations we have shared, we all deserve dignity and Love at the end of our lives. It is an enormous blessing to have the people closest to us take care of us and share their hearts and Loving services with us when we are the most vulnerable and fragile at the end of life. It doesn't always happen, but each of us deserves to leave the planet with grace. The way in which we have lived our lives sometimes defines how it ends, and sometimes it doesn't. The truth is, we never know what will happen to us at the end of our lives, but we can help to make the end of someone else's life be filled with Love, kindness, and compassion. That is all that we can truly "control", and it is a wonderful offering and a beautiful sentiment for the ones that are the nearest and dearest to our hearts.