Re:The staggering, exhausting, invisible costs of caring for...
by coldtea on Friday August 27, 2021 @05:40AM
(#28325853)
>In addition, taking care of these kinds of people is, in fact, a modern change--like within the last 100 years change. Before that, these people whose mind prevents them from meaningfully interacting with society ever again would have been left to die.
You'd be surprised. Families have tended to members with disabilities (body and/or mind), for millenia.
The "just put them in a hospice/asylum" and forget about them, is what's quite novel.
There is a VAST difference in taking care of someone whose body is the problem vs their mind being the problem.
In addition, taking care of these kinds of people is, in fact, a modern change--like within the last 100 years change.
Before that, these people whose mind prevents them from meaningfully interacting with society ever again would have been left to die.
And, to be blunt, if I had Alzheimer's, I would want to die rather than forcing my family to care for me. There is nothing to be gained prolonging your life if you have Alzheimer's.
I admire how Terry Pratchett dealt with his and went out on his own terms.
> It's a problem around how society is structured.
Agreed.