The Diverse Writer Asks, Have We No Sense of Value?

In the news today, the World Monuments Fund released a watch list of places that will be threatened by neglect or overdevelopment.

Here’s one person’s opinion on the situation…

Over the years, there has always been talk about removing this piece of property or demolishing “old” buildings because it just didn’t fit the modern times.  That in the name of PROGRESS there should be a new and better building. Guess what!? The re-building and progress looked the same as the “old” and demolished thing that was standing there.

While being a fan of progress, the sprawling that has over taken the planet and venturing to new levels of demolishing, it is no wonder “cultural heritage sites” are coming under the gun.

Actions like this take time to develop and become problems. It will take a while to get a better action/resolution because things are done “in the name of progress.” It is also fair to say that the younger generations are not interested in knowing where culture first started.  Schools are more interested in memorization, than knowledge based subjects.

Here is a good quote, and the hope is to touch part of the mind that does realize it needs culture…

“People are willing to take these extraordinary chance to become writers, musicians or painters, and because of them, we have culture.  If this ever stops, our culture will die, because most of our culture, in fact, has been created by people that got paid nothing for it – people like Edgar Allan Poe, Vincent van Gogh or Mozart.” – Kurt Vonnegut (November 1985)

The Diverse Writer Explores A Little Longevity

When people get to understanding that the environment (everything around them) plays into their health and well being, people usually end up going on a different path.

The fight to stay fit/healthy and aware of what they consume, becomes an everyday awareness. The efforts, by a few seniors in the population, to maintain longevity are becoming well documented.  In a world where many are starting to be diagnosed with diseases, like cancer and other non-curable illnesses, the seniors that have made it to the age range of 90’s or 100’s are sharing valuable tips.

As we have all read the stories (which are below), did anyone else notice repeating tips?

Tip One: Exercise!  Tip Two: Mental Health!   Basically – STAY ACTIVE!

Living life has ups and downs, much like the stock market on the run right now.  The data is all jumbled and conflicts of reporting takes a toll.

The data for health is jumbled too – unless – we pay attention to our individual body.  Staying active for our body, increases our mental awareness of the things surrounding us. This is not uncommon knowledge, but we do forget that our body is just as organic as everything else in our environment. This is truly interesting.

Even at 95, Jack LaLanne is tough as he ever was, by Will Reisman – San Francisco September 26, 2009
(I purchased Mr. LaLanne’s juicer product, and have enjoyed it every day!)

NJ woman celebrates 100th birthday – at work, by Samantha Henry, Associated Press Writer – September 24, 2009

Va. Man, 107, Finds Blessings And Burdens In Longevity, by Emma Brown, Washington Post Staff Writer – July 2, 2009

The Diverse Writer, Comment and Observation About The Nursing Home

Growing up, I always wondered what would happen to me when I got older. I mean, you can’t be young forever. With age comes the stiff joints, wrinkles, and other health issues, that making living difficult. I got to see this first hand with my granny-granny.

I know (rather understand) the pain she was experiencing, but for the longest time it did not stop her; then she got really old. Eventually, she entered into a nursing home and cared for by the employees. Then after a few more years of care, by the nursing home and the employees, there were no more conversations, her body finally succumbed to age.

Yesterdays news, Waves of new fund cuts imperil US nursing homes, from the Associated Press, by Dave Collins (Associated Press Writer), really ticks me off.

At some point, each of us has known what it takes to care for our elderly parents or relatives. When the time comes to evaluate putting a loved one into a nursing home, the decision is hard. Not only is it hard, but the idea of them being abused or wronged, after having a decent life, weighs heavy on most individuals. The decision though, nine times out of ten, has been for the best. Every one (including the loved one) is happy.

One thing about the elderly, they know that they do not want to burden. I have heard this my entire life. I didn’t use to understand why they would say such things as a child. As an adult, I can see that the independence and strength of character is what brings on the statement. Years of being independent and providing, for their family, does this. The idea that they could be such a burden, the full grown adult version, is unthinkable. The humbling act (for most cases) of saying, “just do it,” has been something to see.

Why I am I so ticked off about the nursing home issue?

Government programs for funding nursing homes have been in place to keep my loved ones, your loved ones, and the elderly who have no children, off the streets. The streets, meaning, begging. Begging for money, food, shelter, or clothes.

At one point, here in the United States, there were no programs to ensure security of those items as a person aged. The government has the data from way back when and knows this to be a fact. (Or it is possible to review this in the history/reference books. The name escapes me now, but I think it is the Annuals of American, unknown volume. Sorry. I’m sure I will be corrected later.) Now, take those data figures and multiply that to the current population boom – the disaster of not having nursing homes is unthinkable. (Yet, it appears to be coming.)

There appears to be more than an accountability issue when it has come to the disbursements of government funds (our ever increasing taxes) to the state. As the article points out, the states that disburse the funds, have diverted them to state projects.

Well, I have to say that if that were the case, then most states are going to be under serious audit.

Why?

How much do our state officials get paid? How do we know that the budgets are, for lack of a better term(s) because I am rather upset, not peppered with those funds, to pay our elected officials? Why do they make the budgets so damn difficult to read by the average Joe….still working till 65? (Note: This is the part where most of the elderly will ring in the two cents of Medicare and Medicaid being hard to read and understand.)

Here is another question or rather observation….

Not too long ago, states came under fire about the use of the tobacco funds. The funds aimed at caring for those who are/were smokers, being a heavy burden on state run hospitals/care systems (if I remember correctly). The funds from the tobacco industry are not about a couple thousand dollars we are talking mega bucks. There was an alarm raised then about the awarded funds – diverted to state projects. Have we heard anymore about that lately? The answer is nope. So…it only makes sense that nursing homes are shutting down. A cycle of robbing Peter, to pay Paul, and screw the citizen is still in place.

So… yes, I am very upset with how “transparency” is to be sole placed on the government. How everyone is on this self-serving ego driven, hood winking path, when it comes to money and quality of life when we get older. (And yes, we are all going to get older and eventually die.) That is the realization of life.

You learn a few things along the way, have friends that come and go, but the realization is old age is for everyone. The unraveling realization now is – it does appear to matter if you were a good citizen, regular/on time tax payer, or anything else because that time and “usefulness” has/will apparently be good for nothing.

How horrible to know that when old age creeps up, or a disability happens, there will be no way (or place) to go, because our greed out weighs decent moral standings.

Thanks for listening.

About the Author
I am Rachel Breet Richmond. I am a freelance writer from Richmond, Virginia. My interests are in the environment, health, non-profit organizations and many more topics. You can view more of my work, leave comments, or contact me at Breet Report.