by Brenda Lee Chew

Created on: June 22, 2007

Many years ago there was not such thing as Social Security. People did not think about how soon they could stop working. It was assumed that the elderly would work up until they could do it no longer. Then they would turn to helping around the house. Families lived in extended families.
They didn't have to consider paying for the heat or electric bills. They just did not have these bills. As they grew older and had to be cared for, they were not placed into a nursing home. They were taken care of by a family member.

Many years ago, when someone needed something that a family member could not provide, they would turn to the church. Churches had funds set aside for these needs. If they didn't have the funds available, the need was made known and an offering was taken up for the person.
Society has become lazy and neglectful towards the needs of the elderly. People placed their focus on having time in their life to just enjoy relaxing. That is what we call retirement. This was never thought of years ago. Haven't you ever seen a picture of a grandmother snapping beans on the porch as the smaller children ran around playing and the mother was hanging up the clothes. The elderly never focused upon having days with no need to work. It was just an assumed thing that when you eat, you work.
A lot of things would change for the best if we would do our part to teach some of the old ways. Those values our Great Grandparents had are also a foundation for us to build upon and not become a lazy generation.

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