A Family Member

So many of the baby boomer generation are watching aging parents go into Palliative Care. I have had a mother and a father in law in palliative care and will be sitting by the bedside of my mother in law very soon.

The kind and generous hearts of those who work in the industry are the back bone to the care. My mom had decided to go through the assisted suicide route as she was suffering terribly. She died before that action could be taken. Thank you to the kindness and compassion of the caregivers who surrounded her last days.

I am not in the medical field and do not know the answers, but one thing I do feel strongly on is the physical buildings and institutions we are putting our sick, helpless and dying people are shameful.

These are the last days of many people and having to share dark, dingy, smelly rooms (that are too small, not private and have shared bathroom facilities) is incomprehensible. The government spends so much of their budget on wasteful costs (look at middle management in any health care facility) and turns a blind eye to the approved facilities of the senior, sick and dying. I think we need to find the money to build modern facilities to house this need.

It is not the care, it is where the care is that is a problem.