THE EDITOR, Sir:
RECENTLY, MY attention was drawn to a news report where an elderly lady was mauled to death by a pack of dogs on the grounds of an infirmary in Kingston. This has been the second of this type of killing of the aged in less than five years, and many other bizarre conditions exist and take place at infirmaries and old people's homes across the island many times before, and may continue to happen.
I later heard on another news that the inquest to be done on her body was postponed and had to be re-scheduled because her relatives were seeking the services of an independent doctor to watch the proceedings and did not yet secure one. Did I hear right relatives? Why was she there then?
Now, before anyone goes hopping on to my case, let me publicly declare that I know that some old people are sometimes extremely difficult to manage because of many and varied situations. Some of them did not establish a bond with relatives during their younger years; some did not take care of the children they created and brought into the world thus the total lack of interest and care by these siblings when they become helpless. Some develop mental conditions which make them defiant and unstable and because of the unsafe situation that comes with this, the family considers it unsafe to keep them at home; and the list goes on.
Care-givers should be more responsible; but if we find it so hard to attend to one of these patients, isn't it much harder on the care-giver who many times has several of them in her charge? What do these relatives hope to gain from this act? I hope they are not thinking of suing the dogs?
People, wake up, smell the coffee! Is this the way to treat old people? They may not have been kind and caring to you when they were younger, but they at least gave you life. Can't you be more forgiving and try to understand some of the circumstances? If you can find it in your heart to be more caring, you could probably change the life cycle to 'Baby to youth to adult to old to happy'.
I am, etc.,
ROSE DEWAR
Christiana P.O.
Manchester
