By Marie Brousseau
The elderly are immense gifts to society, yet too often today we see that our culture focuses on personal fulfillment, which can then lead to the neglect of people who are no longer deemed necessary or productive. This includes the sick and the elderly, who may feel lonely, abandoned, and isolated from their own families. While working in residences for the elderly, I often saw the loneliness of those left to themselves, and it reminded me of my mother and the time I spent ministering to her needs. I thank God that I was able to care for her and that she was not alone.
Caring for my mother
My mom raised me by herself after my father left us. She instilled in me a sense of sacrificial love, in imitation of Christ’s love for mankind. She believed in the teachings of the Catholic Church and adhered to its precepts, including those regarding the inherent dignity of each person, made in the image of God, from the moment of creation to the moment of natural death. This would never be more evident than in the hardships she endured in her final years.
My mother was in very bad health for the last decade of her life; she suffered from diabetes, kidney failure, cardiovascular disease, retinopathy, neuropathy, and cancer that eventually spread throughout her body. She lived with constant pain, yet she never lost hope in God. She even kept her sense of humor, often making me laugh despite what was happening to her body.
During those 10 years of physical hardship, I became my mother’s primary caregiver. I put my life on hold to care for the woman who had sacrificed so much during her lifetime to care for me. Three days before she died in my arms, my mom spoke her last words to me, telling me how much she loved me. She smiled and found the strength to stroke my hair. She was so beautiful and looked like an angel. I sang her favorite hymns while cradling her in my arms. I will hold these memories in my heart for the rest of my life.
Love, not euthanasia, is the answer to suffering
Years of taking my mom to appointments with various doctors, sitting with her daily while she lay in the hospital room, administering her medications, going through treatments, and staying up nights to tend to her needs have all strengthened my convictions that the sick and the elderly need loving care. We must never abandon them or make them feel like burdens. And, most importantly, we must offer spiritual care. Belief in God, hope in His promises, and prayer go a long way in managing the depression and feelings of despair that can accompany physical suffering.
Sadly, in our throwaway culture, many sick and elderly persons never receive this care. Instead, they are abandoned, causing further spiritual, mental, and physical suffering. Feeling unwanted and depressed can deplete their motivation and their strength to take good care of themselves, thus affecting their overall health and willingness to live. Indeed, the CDC shares that loneliness and isolation can increase the risk of anxiety, depression, dementia, diabetes, heart disease, self-harm, stroke, and suicidality.
To read the remainder of this article, visit the Celebrate Life Magazine site at clmagazine.org/topic/end-of-life/compassion-and-love-can-prevent-euthanasia.
To read additional articles that will inspire and educate, visit clmagazine.org.