If you have ever lived with your grandparent(s), you will agree that every time is not rosy around them. Yes, there will be times you wish they stay around you always. Those are the enjoyable times, but these do not last so long.
For statistical and public administrative purposes, old age is defined as age 60 years and above. 65 years and older are classified as aged, an older age class of “old age”.
It is no news that old people, especially the very aged, can be a significant cause of distress to caregivers. These age brackets are particularly more prone to end-of-life illnesses. The functions of organs and body systems begin to deteriorate leading to a myriad of medical conditions like stroke, organ failure, arthritis, urinary and faecal incontinence; psychiatric conditions like hallucinations, psychosis, dementia, etc.
Aside from these medical and psychiatric conditions, old people also manifest some behaviours that make living with them discomforting – Throwing temper tantrums over seemingly trivial matters, refusing to bathe, eat, or sleep for no obvious reasons or becoming angry when they feel they are being treated like a baby.
Due to these circumstances, hanging around with old people can be undesirable, not to talk of learning from them. It might seem like there is no need to be around old/aged people but in this post, you will see why you should draw closer to aged people and how you can learn the most from them.
Tales of Old People’s Blessings
Several stories, from different works of literature, have illustrated that old people seem to have some special powers of clairvoyance or soothsaying and that they can release lasting blessings or curses on anyone concerned.
Biblical accounts record several cases where an old father, grandfather and/or great grandfather releases blessings or curses on his children close at his dying state. Most, if not all, of these accounts, were recorded to have been fulfilled according to the verdict by the dying old man.
At this point, it may be difficult to refute the claims or support them fully. If for no other reason, the fact that aged people have lived far more than you have ever lived is enough to accept that they are physically, spiritually or otherwise, as you may believe, superior to those of us who are younger. They are a living legacy, the very reason we all must learn how to relate with them to get the most from them.
Old People Are Often Smarter
Old people have experienced life before you. They have passed through what you are currently passing through and they know the outcomes well enough and what to do to modify them to taste.
Many young people think the weak old fellas do not know as much as they do. In some specific areas like technological advancement, education and others, old people may seem to be lagging a little bit behind, but when it comes to general life’s lessons, they are often smarter.
This was demonstrated by a popular African quote;
“What an elderly sees when sitting down, a young person cannot see it even when standing”.
What Do Old People Have To Offer?
From my own little experience with old people, there is a lot you can learn from this category of individuals. Old people have spent over sixty years in the world, amounting to years of first-time and narrated experience. They are more knowledgeable and full of wisdom, especially in those aged people who do not have any neurological, cognitive or memory issues.
Here are some things you can get from old people:
- Life-lessons
- Guidance
- Free advice
- Elderly blessings
- Good stories/tales
- First-hand knowledge
Old people are by far some of the best people to hang out with but that’s if you know how to sustain lasting conversations with them without turning into a focus for their rage.
Most of the greatest lessons you will learn from old people will come when they are in a conversation with you. They rarely spew out life’s secrets to an unprepared, or undeserving ear. They always ensure that the person they are giving this advice and/or lessons is worth the energy of talking, thinking and anything in-between.
Specific Problems When Having Conversations With Them
Because of my special acquaintance with older people over many years of my life, I have learnt a lot of things about how to stay with them, get comfortable with them to the point when they begin to impact your life in ways you never imagined.
Being with older people made me wiser than my age, and many people my age. It taught me about managing relationships, financial accountability, finding a suitable partner, work ethics and dedication, and so much more. I’m not sure I would have learnt some of these things as fast as I did in my life if I have not been close to older people.
One subconscious habit of old people that you may find rather annoying is their extreme desire to be acknowledged as older. They want you to realise your place in the scene, that you are younger and they are older than you. They will therefore do the needful if you are doing anything that seems like you are undermining their authority, even if it means they are going to talk very harshly and condescendingly to you.
They Often Don’t Bully Younger People Intentionally
It sounds absurd that old frail people could bully young and vibrant blood who are ready for anything anyone throws at them. These are the same old people who depend on the younger ones for almost everything in their life, from the food they eat to other basic things of life.
Childhood and old age are the two extremes of ages in the human life cycle and these constitute the largest proportion of dependent individuals in every human population. The other group of dependent people are those in the active age brackets/ adulthood but have certain disabilities that limit their coping mechanisms and productivity.
Older people would not intentionally act rashly to you as a younger person if you are not already doing something wrong, or something they hate. A few of them would ignore you without showing it, while others may act out their displeasure to you if possible.
Old people are usually very objective in their judgment. As people enter old age, they begin to realise the vanity of some of their life-long ideas about life. By setting aside their sentiments about life, they offer some of the purest lessons and instructions ever.
Whenever they explode at you, one of the best ways to remedy the situation is by quickly withdrawing and listening to all they have to say. As they vent out their anger, they often will include a few lessons and advice if they see that you have withdrawn and submitted your attention to learning, so that you may understand how to improve your ways.
Why Old People Become Annoying
If we say they do not intentionally become annoying, it means there are some reasons or attitudes for you that may provoke them to act in annoying and condescending ways to you. Here are a few of those:
- When you ignore them as useless
- When you treat them as thrash or when they feel you do
- When you stop listening to everything they say, even when they have a sound mind and reasoning
- When you do things in clumsy and disorganized ways around them
- When you make them feel that they are out-of-date, even when that is already pretty obvious
- When you stop caring for them
Those are just a few reasons why they can act irrationally to you. The converse is true if you act well and normally to them. They would treat you with the same respect you accord them and would voluntarily teach you some life lessons you cannot otherwise learn from anywhere else.
Another important reason why some old people can manifest abnormal or annoying behaviours is if they are battling with some medical or psychiatric conditions that make them lose memory, after the mood and alters their behaviours altogether.
Virtues That Enable You to Learn The Most From Old People
Living through all life’s struggles from childhood to adulthood and then, to old age is an achievement in itself. It is not an easy task at all. When you find anyone who has made that achievement, you should feel entitled to them as much as you can. Also, appreciating their gift of old age also goes to show that you are willing to grow old too, as well as being appreciated when you get there.
Here are some virtues you will need to get along with old people.
- Respect
- Humility
- Care
- Listening capacity
- Patience
How To Learn The Most From Older People
The aim of this is for you to learn how to handle relationships and sustain conversations with older people in ways that enable you to learn the most from them without giving them an opportunity to remind you how young and stupid you are. We can consider the virtues above as the summary while we look a little deeper into a few practical ways to make that happen.
1. Respect Them no Matter How They Act
The number one rule in relating to older people is respect. They don’t joke with it and they sure deserve it. We have learnt that their actions and behaviours can be affected by a number of factors related to illness and ageing, but irrespective, you must give them their due respect as much as possible.
Here is another useful African proverb;
“A child that washes his hands clean enough is the one that will dine with the elders.”
This goes on to mean that old people do not wish to discriminate against people or block them from joining their discussions and relating with them but they would never allow someone who is not worthy of being with them to join them. They will first seek that you respect them adequately before they will give you access to their company and get the full conversation and lessons about life.
2. Recognise Your Place And Act Accordingly
Even when they have allowed you into their inner circle in terms of conversations and discussions, you should try not to forget your place as a young fellow. As a young person, it is important that you stay respectful even after you have earned their respect, or as the case may be, even if they depend on you for practically everything they need.
Never let what you do for them or their old age weakness make you feel too haughty or hateful towards them. Some of their actions and behaviours can sometimes pull your nerves to act unexpectedly but you must try to stay calm as much as possible, recognizing that you occupy a lesser position agewise.
If you inadvertently crossed your boundaries and they begin to react in some annoying ways, try to move past the negative feelings quickly because as I earlier mentioned, they do not always want to make you feel bad intentionally. Don’t let any of their behaviours make you turn away from them permanently. There is really a lot you can benefit from being around these old people.
3. Listen More Than You Speak
Active listening is the best way to show someone that you are interested in learning from them. And for being in that exalted position of experience, old people would not hesitate to teach any humble mind who is willing to learn.
Listening is also one way to show someone that you deserve to be heard too. Active listening is different from simply keeping quiet for the person to finish whatever jargon he is saying. When you do so, the speaker would often notice and would not listen to you when it’s your turn to speak as well.
In the case of older people, when you listen to them actively or you show them that you really want to understand what they are saying, it makes them feel respected and valued. They then go on to tell you some of their deepest life lessons no one could get ever get out of them. It’s more like a blessing to you.
Old people are not as arrogant as most of us think. They listen too, as a matter of fact, they are better listeners than many young people. However, before they listen to anyone, they must first ascertain that the person is worth listening to. By active listening and respecting them, you prove yourself to them.
4. Be Present Physically And Mentally to Their Needs
If you are their caregiver or a visitor who just comes around, the best you can do to make them comfortable with you is to be physically and mentally present. You don’t want to be insensitive to their needs. Actively lookout for what they might want to do at the moment because sometimes, they might not verbalise it openly.
Sometimes, they think they are being a burden to you and those around you. So, they want to keep things to themselves, try to do certain other things by themselves and end up making things worse for everyone. You will understand what I mean if you have had a grandpa who pooed right on their bed when he could have called.
You don’t want them to feel like they are a burden. Keep a smiling face, listen to them, watch out for their immediate needs and be patient with them. That way, you can learn the most from their teachings and instructions.
5. Make Them Feel How They Want to Feel
One way to make old people feel happy is by making them feel how they want to feel. Some old people are always proud to be referred to as old and frail. It’s their pride. While others would sometimes want to be seen as young and fit enough to do as much as they can when they were still youths.
Just the feeling that they are young can make some of them happier and more active in old age. When you deliberately or inadvertently make them feel outdated, these old people may not take it lightly with you. Thus, to be able to gain access to them and learn the most from old people, you are going to have to understand how that old person wants to be addressed and act accordingly.
6. Learn to Withdraw When They Get Angry
If you are someone with any iota of respect for elderly people, you will realize that withdrawal comes as a reflex when an old person is expressing anger. That’s not the time to shout back or query their actions, rather, you should just stay calm and let them express their pain and anger.
By calming down for them, you make them assume their position of being a forerunner, teacher and mentor to you. Such that, they will be more willing to teach you great lessons from their life’s experiences. It shows that you are mature, mature enough to be considered into their discussions.
One more thing, you need to ensure that you fully understand what makes them react that way so that you can avoid it next time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Close to Older People
As you may have already seen, relationships with old people, just like most other people have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see the advantages first.
Advantages
- Child prodigies result from a good relationship with older adults and aged people
- A better understanding of life
- Chance to save you from some of life’s most committed mistakes
- Teachings about what to expect from life and to be prepared to handle them
- Teachings about initiating, building and sustaining relationships with other people
Disadvantages
- Early exposure to wrong influences and habits like drugs, alcohol and women. Not common with the aged people (>60-65years), however.
- Negative ideologies about life
- Lack of faith that anyone can make it
- Lack of faith in hard work particularly in those who worked so hard without lasting results
Why Old People Need You Around Them Too
The entire picture we have been painting since is more about why we need the older folks and what we can learn from them. Even though this is very true, it will feel more complete to say that old people need you to be around them as well.
Old people enjoy the company of youngsters. If for no other reasons, for the fact that it keeps them busy and less idle, and also make them feel younger. Feeling younger is one feeling they always want to maintain because many of them wish they can go back to youthfulness when they had the energy to do anything they wanted.
It also gives them joy when they see you manifesting in your ignorance and to them, you are so predictable. How else will they use that ability to tell what happens next than to be with someone who is at the stage of life they have passed through before? That feeling of being a living oracle who knows almost everything young people knows is a godlike feeling and it can feel really good.
Final words
Learning great life lessons from old/aged people is one sure way to understand and navigate through life more easily but this comes at a small price. You are going to have to prove to them that you are teachable, caring and compassionate before they can let out their little big secrets to you.
Older people 60 years and above are some of the best people to receive advice from. They tell the truth without reservations because they really do not have anything to lose, not anymore. Younger people less than 60 may still give biased judgments about life-based on their own ideologies. But as people get older, everyone just begins to have the same ideology that life is vanity and no evil and immorality is worth it.
As a way to prevent some disadvantages associated with being close to older people, not necessarily the old or aged people, it is important that you learn to extract the positive lessons from them and discard the negative ones. That way, you become a better and wiser person.
They say “the way to a man’s heart is through the belly”. In the case of old people, the way to their heart is loyalty, humility and respect.
While there is yet so much to write about this topic, I’d like to conclude by saying that there is every need to establish a cordial relationship with old people. This relationship is often mutually beneficial, you benefit, they do too. Old people are not restricted to those in your family. It can be any old person out there and the same principles apply – respect, loyalty, humility and teachability.
If you have ever lived with your grandparent(s), you will agree that every time is not rosy around them. Yes, there will be times you wish they stay around you always. Those are the enjoyable times, but these do not last so long.
For statistical and public administrative purposes, old age is defined as age 60 years and above. 65 years and older are classified as aged, an older age class of “old age”.
It is no news that old people, especially the very aged, can be a significant cause of distress to caregivers. These age brackets are particularly more prone to end-of-life illnesses. The functions of organs and body systems begin to deteriorate leading to a myriad of medical conditions like stroke, organ failure, arthritis, urinary and faecal incontinence; psychiatric conditions like hallucinations, psychosis, dementia, etc.
Aside from these medical and psychiatric conditions, old people also manifest some behaviours that make living with them discomforting – Throwing temper tantrums over seemingly trivial matters, refusing to bathe, eat, or sleep for no obvious reasons or becoming angry when they feel they are being treated like a baby.
Due to these circumstances, hanging around with old people can be undesirable, not to talk of learning from them. It might seem like there is no need to be around old/aged people but in this post, you will see why you should draw closer to aged people and how you can learn the most from them.
Tales of Old People’s Blessings
Several stories, from different works of literature, have illustrated that old people seem to have some special powers of clairvoyance or soothsaying and that they can release lasting blessings or curses on anyone concerned.
Biblical accounts record several cases where an old father, grandfather and/or great grandfather releases blessings or curses on his children close at his dying state. Most, if not all, of these accounts, were recorded to have been fulfilled according to the verdict by the dying old man.
At this point, it may be difficult to refute the claims or support them fully. If for no other reason, the fact that aged people have lived far more than you have ever lived is enough to accept that they are physically, spiritually or otherwise, as you may believe, superior to those of us who are younger. They are a living legacy, the very reason we all must learn how to relate with them to get the most from them.
Old People Are Often Smarter
Old people have experienced life before you. They have passed through what you are currently passing through and they know the outcomes well enough and what to do to modify them to taste.
Many young people think the weak old fellas do not know as much as they do. In some specific areas like technological advancement, education and others, old people may seem to be lagging a little bit behind, but when it comes to general life’s lessons, they are often smarter.
This was demonstrated by a popular African quote;
“What an elderly sees when sitting down, a young person cannot see it even when standing”.
What Do Old People Have To Offer?
From my own little experience with old people, there is a lot you can learn from this category of individuals. Old people have spent over sixty years in the world, amounting to years of first-time and narrated experience. They are more knowledgeable and full of wisdom, especially in those aged people who do not have any neurological, cognitive or memory issues.
Here are some things you can get from old people:
- Life-lessons
- Guidance
- Free advice
- Elderly blessings
- Good stories/tales
- First-hand knowledge
Old people are by far some of the best people to hang out with but that’s if you know how to sustain lasting conversations with them without turning into a focus for their rage.
Most of the greatest lessons you will learn from old people will come when they are in a conversation with you. They rarely spew out life’s secrets to an unprepared, or undeserving ear. They always ensure that the person they are giving this advice and/or lessons is worth the energy of talking, thinking and anything in-between.
Specific Problems When Having Conversations With Them
Because of my special acquaintance with older people over many years of my life, I have learnt a lot of things about how to stay with them, get comfortable with them to the point when they begin to impact your life in ways you never imagined.
Being with older people made me wiser than my age, and many people my age. It taught me about managing relationships, financial accountability, finding a suitable partner, work ethics and dedication, and so much more. I’m not sure I would have learnt some of these things as fast as I did in my life if I have not been close to older people.
One subconscious habit of old people that you may find rather annoying is their extreme desire to be acknowledged as older. They want you to realise your place in the scene, that you are younger and they are older than you. They will therefore do the needful if you are doing anything that seems like you are undermining their authority, even if it means they are going to talk very harshly and condescendingly to you.
They Often Don’t Bully Younger People Intentionally
It sounds absurd that old frail people could bully young and vibrant blood who are ready for anything anyone throws at them. These are the same old people who depend on the younger ones for almost everything in their life, from the food they eat to other basic things of life.
Childhood and old age are the two extremes of ages in the human life cycle and these constitute the largest proportion of dependent individuals in every human population. The other group of dependent people are those in the active age brackets/ adulthood but have certain disabilities that limit their coping mechanisms and productivity.
Older people would not intentionally act rashly to you as a younger person if you are not already doing something wrong, or something they hate. A few of them would ignore you without showing it, while others may act out their displeasure to you if possible.
Old people are usually very objective in their judgment. As people enter old age, they begin to realise the vanity of some of their life-long ideas about life. By setting aside their sentiments about life, they offer some of the purest lessons and instructions ever.
Whenever they explode at you, one of the best ways to remedy the situation is by quickly withdrawing and listening to all they have to say. As they vent out their anger, they often will include a few lessons and advice if they see that you have withdrawn and submitted your attention to learning, so that you may understand how to improve your ways.
Why Old People Become Annoying
If we say they do not intentionally become annoying, it means there are some reasons or attitudes for you that may provoke them to act in annoying and condescending ways to you. Here are a few of those:
- When you ignore them as useless
- When you treat them as thrash or when they feel you do
- When you stop listening to everything they say, even when they have a sound mind and reasoning
- When you do things in clumsy and disorganized ways around them
- When you make them feel that they are out-of-date, even when that is already pretty obvious
- When you stop caring for them
Those are just a few reasons why they can act irrationally to you. The converse is true if you act well and normally to them. They would treat you with the same respect you accord them and would voluntarily teach you some life lessons you cannot otherwise learn from anywhere else.
Another important reason why some old people can manifest abnormal or annoying behaviours is if they are battling with some medical or psychiatric conditions that make them lose memory, after the mood and alters their behaviours altogether.
Virtues That Enable You to Learn The Most From Old People
Living through all life’s struggles from childhood to adulthood and then, to old age is an achievement in itself. It is not an easy task at all. When you find anyone who has made that achievement, you should feel entitled to them as much as you can. Also, appreciating their gift of old age also goes to show that you are willing to grow old too, as well as being appreciated when you get there.
Here are some virtues you will need to get along with old people.
- Respect
- Humility
- Care
- Listening capacity
- Patience
How To Learn The Most From Older People
The aim of this is for you to learn how to handle relationships and sustain conversations with older people in ways that enable you to learn the most from them without giving them an opportunity to remind you how young and stupid you are. We can consider the virtues above as the summary while we look a little deeper into a few practical ways to make that happen.
1. Respect Them no Matter How They Act
The number one rule in relating to older people is respect. They don’t joke with it and they sure deserve it. We have learnt that their actions and behaviours can be affected by a number of factors related to illness and ageing, but irrespective, you must give them their due respect as much as possible.
Here is another useful African proverb;
“A child that washes his hands clean enough is the one that will dine with the elders.”
This goes on to mean that old people do not wish to discriminate against people or block them from joining their discussions and relating with them but they would never allow someone who is not worthy of being with them to join them. They will first seek that you respect them adequately before they will give you access to their company and get the full conversation and lessons about life.
2. Recognise Your Place And Act Accordingly
Even when they have allowed you into their inner circle in terms of conversations and discussions, you should try not to forget your place as a young fellow. As a young person, it is important that you stay respectful even after you have earned their respect, or as the case may be, even if they depend on you for practically everything they need.
Never let what you do for them or their old age weakness make you feel too haughty or hateful towards them. Some of their actions and behaviours can sometimes pull your nerves to act unexpectedly but you must try to stay calm as much as possible, recognizing that you occupy a lesser position agewise.
If you inadvertently crossed your boundaries and they begin to react in some annoying ways, try to move past the negative feelings quickly because as I earlier mentioned, they do not always want to make you feel bad intentionally. Don’t let any of their behaviours make you turn away from them permanently. There is really a lot you can benefit from being around these old people.
3. Listen More Than You Speak
Active listening is the best way to show someone that you are interested in learning from them. And for being in that exalted position of experience, old people would not hesitate to teach any humble mind who is willing to learn.
Listening is also one way to show someone that you deserve to be heard too. Active listening is different from simply keeping quiet for the person to finish whatever jargon he is saying. When you do so, the speaker would often notice and would not listen to you when it’s your turn to speak as well.
In the case of older people, when you listen to them actively or you show them that you really want to understand what they are saying, it makes them feel respected and valued. They then go on to tell you some of their deepest life lessons no one could get ever get out of them. It’s more like a blessing to you.
Old people are not as arrogant as most of us think. They listen too, as a matter of fact, they are better listeners than many young people. However, before they listen to anyone, they must first ascertain that the person is worth listening to. By active listening and respecting them, you prove yourself to them.
4. Be Present Physically And Mentally to Their Needs
If you are their caregiver or a visitor who just comes around, the best you can do to make them comfortable with you is to be physically and mentally present. You don’t want to be insensitive to their needs. Actively lookout for what they might want to do at the moment because sometimes, they might not verbalise it openly.
Sometimes, they think they are being a burden to you and those around you. So, they want to keep things to themselves, try to do certain other things by themselves and end up making things worse for everyone. You will understand what I mean if you have had a grandpa who pooed right on their bed when he could have called.
You don’t want them to feel like they are a burden. Keep a smiling face, listen to them, watch out for their immediate needs and be patient with them. That way, you can learn the most from their teachings and instructions.
5. Make Them Feel How They Want to Feel
One way to make old people feel happy is by making them feel how they want to feel. Some old people are always proud to be referred to as old and frail. It’s their pride. While others would sometimes want to be seen as young and fit enough to do as much as they can when they were still youths.
Just the feeling that they are young can make some of them happier and more active in old age. When you deliberately or inadvertently make them feel outdated, these old people may not take it lightly with you. Thus, to be able to gain access to them and learn the most from old people, you are going to have to understand how that old person wants to be addressed and act accordingly.
6. Learn to Withdraw When They Get Angry
If you are someone with any iota of respect for elderly people, you will realize that withdrawal comes as a reflex when an old person is expressing anger. That’s not the time to shout back or query their actions, rather, you should just stay calm and let them express their pain and anger.
By calming down for them, you make them assume their position of being a forerunner, teacher and mentor to you. Such that, they will be more willing to teach you great lessons from their life’s experiences. It shows that you are mature, mature enough to be considered into their discussions.
One more thing, you need to ensure that you fully understand what makes them react that way so that you can avoid it next time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Close to Older People
As you may have already seen, relationships with old people, just like most other people have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see the advantages first.
Advantages
- Child prodigies result from a good relationship with older adults and aged people
- A better understanding of life
- Chance to save you from some of life’s most committed mistakes
- Teachings about what to expect from life and to be prepared to handle them
- Teachings about initiating, building and sustaining relationships with other people
Disadvantages
- Early exposure to wrong influences and habits like drugs, alcohol and women. Not common with the aged people (>60-65years), however.
- Negative ideologies about life
- Lack of faith that anyone can make it
- Lack of faith in hard work particularly in those who worked so hard without lasting results
Why Old People Need You Around Them Too
The entire picture we have been painting since is more about why we need the older folks and what we can learn from them. Even though this is very true, it will feel more complete to say that old people need you to be around them as well.
Old people enjoy the company of youngsters. If for no other reasons, for the fact that it keeps them busy and less idle, and also make them feel younger. Feeling younger is one feeling they always want to maintain because many of them wish they can go back to youthfulness when they had the energy to do anything they wanted.
It also gives them joy when they see you manifesting in your ignorance and to them, you are so predictable. How else will they use that ability to tell what happens next than to be with someone who is at the stage of life they have passed through before? That feeling of being a living oracle who knows almost everything young people knows is a godlike feeling and it can feel really good.
Final words
Learning great life lessons from old/aged people is one sure way to understand and navigate through life more easily but this comes at a small price. You are going to have to prove to them that you are teachable, caring and compassionate before they can let out their little big secrets to you.
Older people 60 years and above are some of the best people to receive advice from. They tell the truth without reservations because they really do not have anything to lose, not anymore. Younger people less than 60 may still give biased judgments about life-based on their own ideologies. But as people get older, everyone just begins to have the same ideology that life is vanity and no evil and immorality is worth it.
As a way to prevent some disadvantages associated with being close to older people, not necessarily the old or aged people, it is important that you learn to extract the positive lessons from them and discard the negative ones. That way, you become a better and wiser person.
They say “the way to a man’s heart is through the belly”. In the case of old people, the way to their heart is loyalty, humility and respect.
While there is yet so much to write about this topic, I’d like to conclude by saying that there is every need to establish a cordial relationship with old people. This relationship is often mutually beneficial, you benefit, they do too. Old people are not restricted to those in your family. It can be any old person out there and the same principles apply – respect, loyalty, humility and teachability.
If you have ever lived with your grandparent(s), you will agree that every time is not rosy around them. Yes, there will be times you wish they stay around you always. Those are the enjoyable times, but these do not last so long.
For statistical and public administrative purposes, old age is defined as age 60 years and above. 65 years and older are classified as aged, an older age class of “old age”.
It is no news that old people, especially the very aged, can be a significant cause of distress to caregivers. These age brackets are particularly more prone to end-of-life illnesses. The functions of organs and body systems begin to deteriorate leading to a myriad of medical conditions like stroke, organ failure, arthritis, urinary and faecal incontinence; psychiatric conditions like hallucinations, psychosis, dementia, etc.
Aside from these medical and psychiatric conditions, old people also manifest some behaviours that make living with them discomforting – Throwing temper tantrums over seemingly trivial matters, refusing to bathe, eat, or sleep for no obvious reasons or becoming angry when they feel they are being treated like a baby.
Due to these circumstances, hanging around with old people can be undesirable, not to talk of learning from them. It might seem like there is no need to be around old/aged people but in this post, you will see why you should draw closer to aged people and how you can learn the most from them.
Tales of Old People’s Blessings
Several stories, from different works of literature, have illustrated that old people seem to have some special powers of clairvoyance or soothsaying and that they can release lasting blessings or curses on anyone concerned.
Biblical accounts record several cases where an old father, grandfather and/or great grandfather releases blessings or curses on his children close at his dying state. Most, if not all, of these accounts, were recorded to have been fulfilled according to the verdict by the dying old man.
At this point, it may be difficult to refute the claims or support them fully. If for no other reason, the fact that aged people have lived far more than you have ever lived is enough to accept that they are physically, spiritually or otherwise, as you may believe, superior to those of us who are younger. They are a living legacy, the very reason we all must learn how to relate with them to get the most from them.
Old People Are Often Smarter
Old people have experienced life before you. They have passed through what you are currently passing through and they know the outcomes well enough and what to do to modify them to taste.
Many young people think the weak old fellas do not know as much as they do. In some specific areas like technological advancement, education and others, old people may seem to be lagging a little bit behind, but when it comes to general life’s lessons, they are often smarter.
This was demonstrated by a popular African quote;
“What an elderly sees when sitting down, a young person cannot see it even when standing”.
What Do Old People Have To Offer?
From my own little experience with old people, there is a lot you can learn from this category of individuals. Old people have spent over sixty years in the world, amounting to years of first-time and narrated experience. They are more knowledgeable and full of wisdom, especially in those aged people who do not have any neurological, cognitive or memory issues.
Here are some things you can get from old people:
- Life-lessons
- Guidance
- Free advice
- Elderly blessings
- Good stories/tales
- First-hand knowledge
Old people are by far some of the best people to hang out with but that’s if you know how to sustain lasting conversations with them without turning into a focus for their rage.
Most of the greatest lessons you will learn from old people will come when they are in a conversation with you. They rarely spew out life’s secrets to an unprepared, or undeserving ear. They always ensure that the person they are giving this advice and/or lessons is worth the energy of talking, thinking and anything in-between.
Specific Problems When Having Conversations With Them
Because of my special acquaintance with older people over many years of my life, I have learnt a lot of things about how to stay with them, get comfortable with them to the point when they begin to impact your life in ways you never imagined.
Being with older people made me wiser than my age, and many people my age. It taught me about managing relationships, financial accountability, finding a suitable partner, work ethics and dedication, and so much more. I’m not sure I would have learnt some of these things as fast as I did in my life if I have not been close to older people.
One subconscious habit of old people that you may find rather annoying is their extreme desire to be acknowledged as older. They want you to realise your place in the scene, that you are younger and they are older than you. They will therefore do the needful if you are doing anything that seems like you are undermining their authority, even if it means they are going to talk very harshly and condescendingly to you.
They Often Don’t Bully Younger People Intentionally
It sounds absurd that old frail people could bully young and vibrant blood who are ready for anything anyone throws at them. These are the same old people who depend on the younger ones for almost everything in their life, from the food they eat to other basic things of life.
Childhood and old age are the two extremes of ages in the human life cycle and these constitute the largest proportion of dependent individuals in every human population. The other group of dependent people are those in the active age brackets/ adulthood but have certain disabilities that limit their coping mechanisms and productivity.
Older people would not intentionally act rashly to you as a younger person if you are not already doing something wrong, or something they hate. A few of them would ignore you without showing it, while others may act out their displeasure to you if possible.
Old people are usually very objective in their judgment. As people enter old age, they begin to realise the vanity of some of their life-long ideas about life. By setting aside their sentiments about life, they offer some of the purest lessons and instructions ever.
Whenever they explode at you, one of the best ways to remedy the situation is by quickly withdrawing and listening to all they have to say. As they vent out their anger, they often will include a few lessons and advice if they see that you have withdrawn and submitted your attention to learning, so that you may understand how to improve your ways.
Why Old People Become Annoying
If we say they do not intentionally become annoying, it means there are some reasons or attitudes for you that may provoke them to act in annoying and condescending ways to you. Here are a few of those:
- When you ignore them as useless
- When you treat them as thrash or when they feel you do
- When you stop listening to everything they say, even when they have a sound mind and reasoning
- When you do things in clumsy and disorganized ways around them
- When you make them feel that they are out-of-date, even when that is already pretty obvious
- When you stop caring for them
Those are just a few reasons why they can act irrationally to you. The converse is true if you act well and normally to them. They would treat you with the same respect you accord them and would voluntarily teach you some life lessons you cannot otherwise learn from anywhere else.
Another important reason why some old people can manifest abnormal or annoying behaviours is if they are battling with some medical or psychiatric conditions that make them lose memory, after the mood and alters their behaviours altogether.
Virtues That Enable You to Learn The Most From Old People
Living through all life’s struggles from childhood to adulthood and then, to old age is an achievement in itself. It is not an easy task at all. When you find anyone who has made that achievement, you should feel entitled to them as much as you can. Also, appreciating their gift of old age also goes to show that you are willing to grow old too, as well as being appreciated when you get there.
Here are some virtues you will need to get along with old people.
- Respect
- Humility
- Care
- Listening capacity
- Patience
How To Learn The Most From Older People
The aim of this is for you to learn how to handle relationships and sustain conversations with older people in ways that enable you to learn the most from them without giving them an opportunity to remind you how young and stupid you are. We can consider the virtues above as the summary while we look a little deeper into a few practical ways to make that happen.
1. Respect Them no Matter How They Act
The number one rule in relating to older people is respect. They don’t joke with it and they sure deserve it. We have learnt that their actions and behaviours can be affected by a number of factors related to illness and ageing, but irrespective, you must give them their due respect as much as possible.
Here is another useful African proverb;
“A child that washes his hands clean enough is the one that will dine with the elders.”
This goes on to mean that old people do not wish to discriminate against people or block them from joining their discussions and relating with them but they would never allow someone who is not worthy of being with them to join them. They will first seek that you respect them adequately before they will give you access to their company and get the full conversation and lessons about life.
2. Recognise Your Place And Act Accordingly
Even when they have allowed you into their inner circle in terms of conversations and discussions, you should try not to forget your place as a young fellow. As a young person, it is important that you stay respectful even after you have earned their respect, or as the case may be, even if they depend on you for practically everything they need.
Never let what you do for them or their old age weakness make you feel too haughty or hateful towards them. Some of their actions and behaviours can sometimes pull your nerves to act unexpectedly but you must try to stay calm as much as possible, recognizing that you occupy a lesser position agewise.
If you inadvertently crossed your boundaries and they begin to react in some annoying ways, try to move past the negative feelings quickly because as I earlier mentioned, they do not always want to make you feel bad intentionally. Don’t let any of their behaviours make you turn away from them permanently. There is really a lot you can benefit from being around these old people.
3. Listen More Than You Speak
Active listening is the best way to show someone that you are interested in learning from them. And for being in that exalted position of experience, old people would not hesitate to teach any humble mind who is willing to learn.
Listening is also one way to show someone that you deserve to be heard too. Active listening is different from simply keeping quiet for the person to finish whatever jargon he is saying. When you do so, the speaker would often notice and would not listen to you when it’s your turn to speak as well.
In the case of older people, when you listen to them actively or you show them that you really want to understand what they are saying, it makes them feel respected and valued. They then go on to tell you some of their deepest life lessons no one could get ever get out of them. It’s more like a blessing to you.
Old people are not as arrogant as most of us think. They listen too, as a matter of fact, they are better listeners than many young people. However, before they listen to anyone, they must first ascertain that the person is worth listening to. By active listening and respecting them, you prove yourself to them.
4. Be Present Physically And Mentally to Their Needs
If you are their caregiver or a visitor who just comes around, the best you can do to make them comfortable with you is to be physically and mentally present. You don’t want to be insensitive to their needs. Actively lookout for what they might want to do at the moment because sometimes, they might not verbalise it openly.
Sometimes, they think they are being a burden to you and those around you. So, they want to keep things to themselves, try to do certain other things by themselves and end up making things worse for everyone. You will understand what I mean if you have had a grandpa who pooed right on their bed when he could have called.
You don’t want them to feel like they are a burden. Keep a smiling face, listen to them, watch out for their immediate needs and be patient with them. That way, you can learn the most from their teachings and instructions.
5. Make Them Feel How They Want to Feel
One way to make old people feel happy is by making them feel how they want to feel. Some old people are always proud to be referred to as old and frail. It’s their pride. While others would sometimes want to be seen as young and fit enough to do as much as they can when they were still youths.
Just the feeling that they are young can make some of them happier and more active in old age. When you deliberately or inadvertently make them feel outdated, these old people may not take it lightly with you. Thus, to be able to gain access to them and learn the most from old people, you are going to have to understand how that old person wants to be addressed and act accordingly.
6. Learn to Withdraw When They Get Angry
If you are someone with any iota of respect for elderly people, you will realize that withdrawal comes as a reflex when an old person is expressing anger. That’s not the time to shout back or query their actions, rather, you should just stay calm and let them express their pain and anger.
By calming down for them, you make them assume their position of being a forerunner, teacher and mentor to you. Such that, they will be more willing to teach you great lessons from their life’s experiences. It shows that you are mature, mature enough to be considered into their discussions.
One more thing, you need to ensure that you fully understand what makes them react that way so that you can avoid it next time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Close to Older People
As you may have already seen, relationships with old people, just like most other people have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see the advantages first.
Advantages
- Child prodigies result from a good relationship with older adults and aged people
- A better understanding of life
- Chance to save you from some of life’s most committed mistakes
- Teachings about what to expect from life and to be prepared to handle them
- Teachings about initiating, building and sustaining relationships with other people
Disadvantages
- Early exposure to wrong influences and habits like drugs, alcohol and women. Not common with the aged people (>60-65years), however.
- Negative ideologies about life
- Lack of faith that anyone can make it
- Lack of faith in hard work particularly in those who worked so hard without lasting results
Why Old People Need You Around Them Too
The entire picture we have been painting since is more about why we need the older folks and what we can learn from them. Even though this is very true, it will feel more complete to say that old people need you to be around them as well.
Old people enjoy the company of youngsters. If for no other reasons, for the fact that it keeps them busy and less idle, and also make them feel younger. Feeling younger is one feeling they always want to maintain because many of them wish they can go back to youthfulness when they had the energy to do anything they wanted.
It also gives them joy when they see you manifesting in your ignorance and to them, you are so predictable. How else will they use that ability to tell what happens next than to be with someone who is at the stage of life they have passed through before? That feeling of being a living oracle who knows almost everything young people knows is a godlike feeling and it can feel really good.
Final words
Learning great life lessons from old/aged people is one sure way to understand and navigate through life more easily but this comes at a small price. You are going to have to prove to them that you are teachable, caring and compassionate before they can let out their little big secrets to you.
Older people 60 years and above are some of the best people to receive advice from. They tell the truth without reservations because they really do not have anything to lose, not anymore. Younger people less than 60 may still give biased judgments about life-based on their own ideologies. But as people get older, everyone just begins to have the same ideology that life is vanity and no evil and immorality is worth it.
As a way to prevent some disadvantages associated with being close to older people, not necessarily the old or aged people, it is important that you learn to extract the positive lessons from them and discard the negative ones. That way, you become a better and wiser person.
They say “the way to a man’s heart is through the belly”. In the case of old people, the way to their heart is loyalty, humility and respect.
While there is yet so much to write about this topic, I’d like to conclude by saying that there is every need to establish a cordial relationship with old people. This relationship is often mutually beneficial, you benefit, they do too. Old people are not restricted to those in your family. It can be any old person out there and the same principles apply – respect, loyalty, humility and teachability.
If you have ever lived with your grandparent(s), you will agree that every time is not rosy around them. Yes, there will be times you wish they stay around you always. Those are the enjoyable times, but these do not last so long.
For statistical and public administrative purposes, old age is defined as age 60 years and above. 65 years and older are classified as aged, an older age class of “old age”.
It is no news that old people, especially the very aged, can be a significant cause of distress to caregivers. These age brackets are particularly more prone to end-of-life illnesses. The functions of organs and body systems begin to deteriorate leading to a myriad of medical conditions like stroke, organ failure, arthritis, urinary and faecal incontinence; psychiatric conditions like hallucinations, psychosis, dementia, etc.
Aside from these medical and psychiatric conditions, old people also manifest some behaviours that make living with them discomforting – Throwing temper tantrums over seemingly trivial matters, refusing to bathe, eat, or sleep for no obvious reasons or becoming angry when they feel they are being treated like a baby.
Due to these circumstances, hanging around with old people can be undesirable, not to talk of learning from them. It might seem like there is no need to be around old/aged people but in this post, you will see why you should draw closer to aged people and how you can learn the most from them.
Tales of Old People’s Blessings
Several stories, from different works of literature, have illustrated that old people seem to have some special powers of clairvoyance or soothsaying and that they can release lasting blessings or curses on anyone concerned.
Biblical accounts record several cases where an old father, grandfather and/or great grandfather releases blessings or curses on his children close at his dying state. Most, if not all, of these accounts, were recorded to have been fulfilled according to the verdict by the dying old man.
At this point, it may be difficult to refute the claims or support them fully. If for no other reason, the fact that aged people have lived far more than you have ever lived is enough to accept that they are physically, spiritually or otherwise, as you may believe, superior to those of us who are younger. They are a living legacy, the very reason we all must learn how to relate with them to get the most from them.
Old People Are Often Smarter
Old people have experienced life before you. They have passed through what you are currently passing through and they know the outcomes well enough and what to do to modify them to taste.
Many young people think the weak old fellas do not know as much as they do. In some specific areas like technological advancement, education and others, old people may seem to be lagging a little bit behind, but when it comes to general life’s lessons, they are often smarter.
This was demonstrated by a popular African quote;
“What an elderly sees when sitting down, a young person cannot see it even when standing”.
What Do Old People Have To Offer?
From my own little experience with old people, there is a lot you can learn from this category of individuals. Old people have spent over sixty years in the world, amounting to years of first-time and narrated experience. They are more knowledgeable and full of wisdom, especially in those aged people who do not have any neurological, cognitive or memory issues.
Here are some things you can get from old people:
- Life-lessons
- Guidance
- Free advice
- Elderly blessings
- Good stories/tales
- First-hand knowledge
Old people are by far some of the best people to hang out with but that’s if you know how to sustain lasting conversations with them without turning into a focus for their rage.
Most of the greatest lessons you will learn from old people will come when they are in a conversation with you. They rarely spew out life’s secrets to an unprepared, or undeserving ear. They always ensure that the person they are giving this advice and/or lessons is worth the energy of talking, thinking and anything in-between.
Specific Problems When Having Conversations With Them
Because of my special acquaintance with older people over many years of my life, I have learnt a lot of things about how to stay with them, get comfortable with them to the point when they begin to impact your life in ways you never imagined.
Being with older people made me wiser than my age, and many people my age. It taught me about managing relationships, financial accountability, finding a suitable partner, work ethics and dedication, and so much more. I’m not sure I would have learnt some of these things as fast as I did in my life if I have not been close to older people.
One subconscious habit of old people that you may find rather annoying is their extreme desire to be acknowledged as older. They want you to realise your place in the scene, that you are younger and they are older than you. They will therefore do the needful if you are doing anything that seems like you are undermining their authority, even if it means they are going to talk very harshly and condescendingly to you.
They Often Don’t Bully Younger People Intentionally
It sounds absurd that old frail people could bully young and vibrant blood who are ready for anything anyone throws at them. These are the same old people who depend on the younger ones for almost everything in their life, from the food they eat to other basic things of life.
Childhood and old age are the two extremes of ages in the human life cycle and these constitute the largest proportion of dependent individuals in every human population. The other group of dependent people are those in the active age brackets/ adulthood but have certain disabilities that limit their coping mechanisms and productivity.
Older people would not intentionally act rashly to you as a younger person if you are not already doing something wrong, or something they hate. A few of them would ignore you without showing it, while others may act out their displeasure to you if possible.
Old people are usually very objective in their judgment. As people enter old age, they begin to realise the vanity of some of their life-long ideas about life. By setting aside their sentiments about life, they offer some of the purest lessons and instructions ever.
Whenever they explode at you, one of the best ways to remedy the situation is by quickly withdrawing and listening to all they have to say. As they vent out their anger, they often will include a few lessons and advice if they see that you have withdrawn and submitted your attention to learning, so that you may understand how to improve your ways.
Why Old People Become Annoying
If we say they do not intentionally become annoying, it means there are some reasons or attitudes for you that may provoke them to act in annoying and condescending ways to you. Here are a few of those:
- When you ignore them as useless
- When you treat them as thrash or when they feel you do
- When you stop listening to everything they say, even when they have a sound mind and reasoning
- When you do things in clumsy and disorganized ways around them
- When you make them feel that they are out-of-date, even when that is already pretty obvious
- When you stop caring for them
Those are just a few reasons why they can act irrationally to you. The converse is true if you act well and normally to them. They would treat you with the same respect you accord them and would voluntarily teach you some life lessons you cannot otherwise learn from anywhere else.
Another important reason why some old people can manifest abnormal or annoying behaviours is if they are battling with some medical or psychiatric conditions that make them lose memory, after the mood and alters their behaviours altogether.
Virtues That Enable You to Learn The Most From Old People
Living through all life’s struggles from childhood to adulthood and then, to old age is an achievement in itself. It is not an easy task at all. When you find anyone who has made that achievement, you should feel entitled to them as much as you can. Also, appreciating their gift of old age also goes to show that you are willing to grow old too, as well as being appreciated when you get there.
Here are some virtues you will need to get along with old people.
- Respect
- Humility
- Care
- Listening capacity
- Patience
How To Learn The Most From Older People
The aim of this is for you to learn how to handle relationships and sustain conversations with older people in ways that enable you to learn the most from them without giving them an opportunity to remind you how young and stupid you are. We can consider the virtues above as the summary while we look a little deeper into a few practical ways to make that happen.
1. Respect Them no Matter How They Act
The number one rule in relating to older people is respect. They don’t joke with it and they sure deserve it. We have learnt that their actions and behaviours can be affected by a number of factors related to illness and ageing, but irrespective, you must give them their due respect as much as possible.
Here is another useful African proverb;
“A child that washes his hands clean enough is the one that will dine with the elders.”
This goes on to mean that old people do not wish to discriminate against people or block them from joining their discussions and relating with them but they would never allow someone who is not worthy of being with them to join them. They will first seek that you respect them adequately before they will give you access to their company and get the full conversation and lessons about life.
2. Recognise Your Place And Act Accordingly
Even when they have allowed you into their inner circle in terms of conversations and discussions, you should try not to forget your place as a young fellow. As a young person, it is important that you stay respectful even after you have earned their respect, or as the case may be, even if they depend on you for practically everything they need.
Never let what you do for them or their old age weakness make you feel too haughty or hateful towards them. Some of their actions and behaviours can sometimes pull your nerves to act unexpectedly but you must try to stay calm as much as possible, recognizing that you occupy a lesser position agewise.
If you inadvertently crossed your boundaries and they begin to react in some annoying ways, try to move past the negative feelings quickly because as I earlier mentioned, they do not always want to make you feel bad intentionally. Don’t let any of their behaviours make you turn away from them permanently. There is really a lot you can benefit from being around these old people.
3. Listen More Than You Speak
Active listening is the best way to show someone that you are interested in learning from them. And for being in that exalted position of experience, old people would not hesitate to teach any humble mind who is willing to learn.
Listening is also one way to show someone that you deserve to be heard too. Active listening is different from simply keeping quiet for the person to finish whatever jargon he is saying. When you do so, the speaker would often notice and would not listen to you when it’s your turn to speak as well.
In the case of older people, when you listen to them actively or you show them that you really want to understand what they are saying, it makes them feel respected and valued. They then go on to tell you some of their deepest life lessons no one could get ever get out of them. It’s more like a blessing to you.
Old people are not as arrogant as most of us think. They listen too, as a matter of fact, they are better listeners than many young people. However, before they listen to anyone, they must first ascertain that the person is worth listening to. By active listening and respecting them, you prove yourself to them.
4. Be Present Physically And Mentally to Their Needs
If you are their caregiver or a visitor who just comes around, the best you can do to make them comfortable with you is to be physically and mentally present. You don’t want to be insensitive to their needs. Actively lookout for what they might want to do at the moment because sometimes, they might not verbalise it openly.
Sometimes, they think they are being a burden to you and those around you. So, they want to keep things to themselves, try to do certain other things by themselves and end up making things worse for everyone. You will understand what I mean if you have had a grandpa who pooed right on their bed when he could have called.
You don’t want them to feel like they are a burden. Keep a smiling face, listen to them, watch out for their immediate needs and be patient with them. That way, you can learn the most from their teachings and instructions.
5. Make Them Feel How They Want to Feel
One way to make old people feel happy is by making them feel how they want to feel. Some old people are always proud to be referred to as old and frail. It’s their pride. While others would sometimes want to be seen as young and fit enough to do as much as they can when they were still youths.
Just the feeling that they are young can make some of them happier and more active in old age. When you deliberately or inadvertently make them feel outdated, these old people may not take it lightly with you. Thus, to be able to gain access to them and learn the most from old people, you are going to have to understand how that old person wants to be addressed and act accordingly.
6. Learn to Withdraw When They Get Angry
If you are someone with any iota of respect for elderly people, you will realize that withdrawal comes as a reflex when an old person is expressing anger. That’s not the time to shout back or query their actions, rather, you should just stay calm and let them express their pain and anger.
By calming down for them, you make them assume their position of being a forerunner, teacher and mentor to you. Such that, they will be more willing to teach you great lessons from their life’s experiences. It shows that you are mature, mature enough to be considered into their discussions.
One more thing, you need to ensure that you fully understand what makes them react that way so that you can avoid it next time.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Being Close to Older People
As you may have already seen, relationships with old people, just like most other people have both advantages and disadvantages. Let’s see the advantages first.
Advantages
- Child prodigies result from a good relationship with older adults and aged people
- A better understanding of life
- Chance to save you from some of life’s most committed mistakes
- Teachings about what to expect from life and to be prepared to handle them
- Teachings about initiating, building and sustaining relationships with other people
Disadvantages
- Early exposure to wrong influences and habits like drugs, alcohol and women. Not common with the aged people (>60-65years), however.
- Negative ideologies about life
- Lack of faith that anyone can make it
- Lack of faith in hard work particularly in those who worked so hard without lasting results
Why Old People Need You Around Them Too
The entire picture we have been painting since is more about why we need the older folks and what we can learn from them. Even though this is very true, it will feel more complete to say that old people need you to be around them as well.
Old people enjoy the company of youngsters. If for no other reasons, for the fact that it keeps them busy and less idle, and also make them feel younger. Feeling younger is one feeling they always want to maintain because many of them wish they can go back to youthfulness when they had the energy to do anything they wanted.
It also gives them joy when they see you manifesting in your ignorance and to them, you are so predictable. How else will they use that ability to tell what happens next than to be with someone who is at the stage of life they have passed through before? That feeling of being a living oracle who knows almost everything young people knows is a godlike feeling and it can feel really good.
Final words
Learning great life lessons from old/aged people is one sure way to understand and navigate through life more easily but this comes at a small price. You are going to have to prove to them that you are teachable, caring and compassionate before they can let out their little big secrets to you.
Older people 60 years and above are some of the best people to receive advice from. They tell the truth without reservations because they really do not have anything to lose, not anymore. Younger people less than 60 may still give biased judgments about life-based on their own ideologies. But as people get older, everyone just begins to have the same ideology that life is vanity and no evil and immorality is worth it.
As a way to prevent some disadvantages associated with being close to older people, not necessarily the old or aged people, it is important that you learn to extract the positive lessons from them and discard the negative ones. That way, you become a better and wiser person.
They say “the way to a man’s heart is through the belly”. In the case of old people, the way to their heart is loyalty, humility and respect.
While there is yet so much to write about this topic, I’d like to conclude by saying that there is every need to establish a cordial relationship with old people. This relationship is often mutually beneficial, you benefit, they do too. Old people are not restricted to those in your family. It can be any old person out there and the same principles apply – respect, loyalty, humility and teachability.
