7
6
WESTERN PEARLS
On January 14th TTARP Western Pearls (Diego
Martin Zone) held their Annual General Meeting
and election of Officers.
The New Executive Members elected were:
Mr. Derek Paty
Chairman
Mrs. Marlene Griffith
Vice Chairman
Mrs. Barbara Andall- Francis
Secretary
Mr. David Hoyte
Asst. Secretary
Mrs. Veronica Kathleen Nelson
Treasurer
Ms. Donna Sidney- Murray
Asst. Treasurer
Mr. Neville Smith
Trustee
Mr. George Padia
Trustee
by Barbara Andall Francis
ANNUAL GENERAL
MEETING
I
t took three words to
make a 62-year-old
retired teacher go into
major depression. It all
started while she was
vacationing in Barbados.
The hotel was offering
timeshares and as she
went into the conference
room she saw a lot of
“gray haired’ people. Her
thoughts were ‘Am I in a
geriatric meeting?’ Her
thoughts were to get out
and go to the beach.
She never saw herself
belonging to this category.
She never felt herself
aged, in fact she simply
carried on as she did when
she was 35 years, not
thinking about age and just
carrying on with life.
As she hurriedly left the
room a young man almost
collided with her and said,
‘excuse me granny’. She
was taken aback, was the
person speaking to her?
She felt insulted, angry,
and shocked.
It could have ended there
but she went into her hotel
room and looked in the
mirror, examining each
wrinkle, thinking to herself
“do I look old?” Her mind
kept repeating his words.
She had problems sleeping
that night and her appetite
had diminished .This
continued for more than 3
months, resulting with her
having to seek medical
treatment at a clinic.
Gerontophobia is a fear
of aging. This phobia can
exists at any age, even
in young persons who
fear getting old. In this
case it was the underlying
fears that exist in normal
individuals, which was
allowed to fester thereby
creating mental distress.
The Anxiety about
Aging Scale (AAS) is a
psychological test used
to measure such fears or
anxiety, it was found that
men were significantly
more anxious about aging
than women.
The most common fears
encountered are:-
1. Loss of independence
The fear that other people
will control your life and
make decisions for you.
2. Loss of memory
The inability to recognize
people and self, and to
lose who you are.
3. Safety fears (vulnerability)
Safety and security are
concerns many ordinary
citizens face, imagine
when you are older and
physically weaker, you
may not be able to fend off
bandits or have the speed
to escape.
4. Falling and getting hurt
Brittle bones and poor
balance contribute to this.
5. Declining Health
Ailing health leads to
a lower quality of life,
cataracts, frailty, hearing
loss, lifestyle diseases.
6. Poverty
Rising prices, loss of
earning potential, and
medical expenses.
Wondering if CDAP drugs
will be available, or if the
old age grant would be
taken away.
7. Loss of familiar environment
(not living at home )
A familiar environment
like home, work, social
affiliations and family is a
source of comfort for many.
FEAR OF
Aging
8. Not being able to drive
Having the freedom and
independence to take
yourself places.
9. Stranger care
Debilitating diseases
like stroke and paralysis,
and having a stranger to
change your adult diapers
can be a frightening loss
of dignity.
10. Loneliness
The death of a spouse or
a beloved family member.
These facts should be
considered when planning
health polices of the nation,
preparing the future of our
parents, as well as for our
own future.
The presence of fear is
normal and experiencing
fear about aging is natural.
It is our response that
matters.
by Dr. Varma Deyalsingh
Secretary of Association of
Psychiatrist of
Trinidad and Tobago
