**SEC17 WK:#5: caring for aged and dependent relatives in the family

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Every human being passes through one stage of life to another. For instance, growing from a suckling at the point of infancy to a toddler, from toddler to mid-childhood to childhood, then childhood to adolescent, from adolescent to youthful age, then adulthood. From being an adult comes the last and very vulnerable stage. I use the word "vulnerable". Yes, at this stage, coupled with weakness and some ailments that come with age, it makes a person helpless and vulnerable to the point of depending on others for survival.

It is generally believed that children from age 0 to adolescent at some points are dependents as they don't work to earn a living. But for the sake of this contest, I'd like to dwell on discussion about the aged.

Yes, my grandma (my mother's mother), and my parents-in-laws. They're dependent due to age factor. Though they have their own businesses, they still look up to us for help.

In the last two weeks, I had a knock on my gate. I didn't want to respond but was just mumbling to myself who that was and couldn't call to inform whoever they wanted to see. As the knock got harder, I decided to check who that was. Lo, it was my mother-in-law. I was surprised. I asked mma (mother), are you OK? From her looks, I could sense she wasn't feeling well.

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So she had to come to us, so my husband could take her to the hospital. I quickly put a call to my husband to inform him. He said he was on his way, which he eventually arrived after sometime. She was taken to an eye clinic first. She complained bitterly about her eyes. To me, I thought it was the eye that caused other pains, but no.

So, when she was taken to the hospital, tests were conducted, and then she got medication. She slept over and returned home the following day. By the next time I called her, she said she was better.

Caring for the aged in our own way, we make sure we respond quickly to their health conditions and my husband used to place his parents on a monthly salary, while we all give to our grandmother to support her.

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I also remember when my grandfather was still alive, we used to take cooked food to him at least twice a week. My mother though was living a bit far from her father, she was always sending food stuffs food to her her father. So, we can choose to be of help financially, taking care of their health, giving food and even visiting them if you live apart means a lot.

My mother is not dependent due to age but because of her health condition. My siblings and I have tried our best to make sure she's feeling well. Last year, I was practically going in and out of the hospital due to my mother's health because she had been passing through very excruciating pains and numbness that has prevented her from her normal daily business and routines. For that, we usually go help her with some stuff at home. Currently, my brother is with my mother to support her with some house chores and the rest.

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Absolutely, we all help our parents out with love and joy. We are not forced to do so and we also do it with joy. I mean, at some point, we will be old and will need other people's help too. That's why I do everything with joy and happiness knowing my children would be there to help me too.

I invite @realitytrend @chilaw and @ogechukwu-martha