Elderly romance is almost always met with a frown especially from sons and daughters and even relatives. Like medical ageism, it seems like the opposing side’s intentions are not too clear, it is just they don’t trust senior’s instinct and capabilities to decide for their own, even if their happiness is at stake.
I don’t know, but apparently, when you get older, younger people—people you’ve helped shape minds when they were younger—begin to assume the “adult” role and start deciding for you, no matter how clear your mind might be at the moment. Tables have indeed turned as seniors are most likely to find themselves sneaking out of the house to meet their “secret partners” somewhere far and secluded while enlisting friends’ help to cover up their tracks. The sad part of the story is, these interferences and resistance are sometimes not done out of their love for the concerned senior but mainly for the inheritance they are about to receive. Sad but true.
On the other hand, there are those who have genuine fears for the welfare of the seniors. These people tend to be overly protective of their senior just because they smell scam. Their fears are warranted since there were reports in which con artists victimized lonely, elderly widow. One example of which is the sweetheart scam—a heartless scam in which the con artist works his or her way into a lonely senior’s heart. Sometimes, it takes as little as gifts and personal favors, but there are those who are really after the senior’s financial reserves.
If you are one of the caregivers and you find yourself torn in such situation, please consider your parent’s or grandparent’s feelings before declaring an all out war against the blossoming relationship. Just think back when you were younger and you fight for someone you love even if everybody around you were clearly against it. It’s more or less the same. Instead of “belittling” your senior’s decisions, why not try to get to know the “partner” and see why your senior fell in love with this person, in the first place. By keeping an open mind, you’ll know what’s lacking in your senior’s life and what they wish to have. If it’s something you can give, then why not? If it’s not, then it is wise to just back off and wish them all the best, right? Bear in mind that not everything essential in life, you can provide so please give other people a chance to be happy.
Speaking for the caregivers and worried children who fearfully watch their parent go crazy in love, it is really weird to see a parent whom we considered as our champions, turning all giddy and mushy and even foolish. This sight is enough to alarm our hearts and minds if the senior is indeed in the right mind to tell whether or not the relationship is good for them so before you ward us off, please take a closer look on what apparently is amiss and ensure us that you got it all covered.