Adjusting to illness & old age

by dozy 24 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Hiding Questioner

  "I think the WTBTS are extremely reprehensible in encouraging a “short term – everything is going to be all right” mindset which renders their followers incapable of making emotional adjustments to the inevitable on-set of middle and old age."

  ...its not just the WTBTS. In my case it was my WTBTS brainwashed parents who encouraged and instilled in me this life damaging concept, repeating it over and over and over again over my 40 years with them and me in the "Truth". Now, they have both passed away. With a life-time of "short term" thinking I am now among the sad bunch nearing 60 who has planned little for a retirement future...and as we all know, if we complain, it's all our fault.
• 

  cantleave

  Dozy, I think you are absolutely correct. A number of my close freinds are now entering their 60's and nearing retirement. They thought it was never going to happen to them. You can detect their confusion, see their disappointment and feel the fear as they build strategies as to what they need to do now. Not only are they unprepared for the financial changes af retirement, but they see their kids and grand children still struggling with this system and their expectation was, as you point out, that they and their kids would be living in Paradise. I think many of them are no longer deluded, they can see through it all, but make the decision to stay as it is easier to do nothing than to start over.
• 

  Heaven

  This is so true Dozy, I've seen it in my own family.

  Same here.
• 

  ssn587

  I believe many of the older ones stay becasue they have nothing else around to calm their fears of whats coming. i.e. death, and there ain't going to be any resurrection, so religion is their opium to help them cope, They ignore the lies, and hope for the best while knowing deep down inside its all nonsense. They knowl they have been lied too and the just ignore it. Thinking that the asshole GB will really give a crap about them. They would realize if they just looked that their is no help for the aged, sick, destitute, the hungry thel poor or anyone else in this organization.
• 

  jaguarbass

  When I was in my 30's a coworker in his 60's told me, "Old age aint for sissies.
• 

  Decided

  That is so true. Oldage is hard to deal with. Almost everyweek some relative or someone you know dies. Money is scrace and debt is almost impossible to pay. I'm 73 now and I'm feeling my body go weak. I can't lift things that used to be light to me. My joints are going bad but I'm still in good health, at least I think I am. My wife thinks I should be able to fix everything I used to work on but I don't want to do those things. My mind is going bad, I can't remember the names of people or things most of the time like I could a few years ago.

  I'm really lucky to be in as good of shape as I am. Most people think I'm 60 or younger. I don't take any medicine and my blood pressure is OK. I've gotten some depression lately and that bugs me. Enjoy your youth while you have it.

  Ken P.
• 

  nelly136

  in the old days angel there used to be rotas arranged at the meetings for the sick elderly and hospitalised, it ensured

  they had a steady stream of visitors popping in elders and drones. the elderly were not considered to be just elder calls.

  regular daily meals were rotared for those who needed it (your average elderly jw didnt have to depend on apetito or some other meals on wheels for their daily dose of fly by company ), lifts were rotared for those who couldnt manage get there by themselves

  it was great for those who needed it and great for PR, when volunteer visitors were tailoring off everyone was reminded at the meeting

  that it was a great witnessing to the world opportunity, be it neighbours hospital staff etc that jws really do look after each other.

  perhaps as you go to the hall you could fill us in on how many rotas they do now?

  how many old ones being visited by the drones these days?
• 

  angel eyes

  hi nelly136, well a sister from my cong said that a rota exists and that housebound ones have an elder assigned to them, who keeps them informed of spiritual things etc. I visit elderly ones but then ive always loved being around the older ones :)
• 

  nelly136

  dont announce it from the platform to keep everyone informed and who needs what?
• 

  angel eyes

  sadly no :( even when my hubby had a serious accident and we didnt know if he would walk again (was in a diff cong then) no one came by, no get well cards nothing, that was a real eye opener.