it was just a normal day really me going downstairs to do my laundry in the
downstairs to do my laundry in the
downstairs to do my laundry in the middle of the night as usual on the way
middle of the night as usual on the way
middle of the night as usual on the way down I ran into a nurse working in the
down I ran into a nurse working in the
down I ran into a nurse working in the building and we started chit-chatting
building and we started chit-chatting
building and we started chit-chatting and she asked me who have I spent time
and she asked me who have I spent time
and she asked me who have I spent time with lately who might be my favorite
with lately who might be my favorite
with lately who might be my favorite neighbor etc then suddenly just like
neighbor etc then suddenly just like
neighbor etc then suddenly just like that I found out that one of my
that I found out that one of my
that I found out that one of my neighbors someone I used to watch TV in
neighbors someone I used to watch TV in
neighbors someone I used to watch TV in the corridor had died few days back this
the corridor had died few days back this
the corridor had died few days back this is just one example from day-to-day life
is just one example from day-to-day life
is just one example from day-to-day life while living in an old folks home in
while living in an old folks home in
while living in an old folks home in Helsinki
Helsinki
Helsinki of course I’ve happier memories from
of course I’ve happier memories from
of course I’ve happier memories from that time that happens like this but you
that time that happens like this but you
that time that happens like this but you might say that death is always present
might say that death is always present
might say that death is always present in places like my former home and
in places like my former home and
in places like my former home and naturally people died in all kinds of
naturally people died in all kinds of
naturally people died in all kinds of apartment buildings but the possibility
apartment buildings but the possibility
apartment buildings but the possibility to face death in old folks home is much
to face death in old folks home is much
to face death in old folks home is much higher than in place someone like me
higher than in place someone like me
higher than in place someone like me would normally live for always think is
would normally live for always think is
would normally live for always think is like me I think death the shadow like
like me I think death the shadow like
like me I think death the shadow like figure wearing a black cape usually
figure wearing a black cape usually
figure wearing a black cape usually appears to be a distant and a scary
appears to be a distant and a scary
appears to be a distant and a scary thing I dare to say that most people of
thing I dare to say that most people of
thing I dare to say that most people of my own age are afraid of death since it
my own age are afraid of death since it
my own age are afraid of death since it follows us and our loved ones up when we
follows us and our loved ones up when we
follows us and our loved ones up when we least expected just as it did for my
least expected just as it did for my
least expected just as it did for my older friend who always greeted me so
older friend who always greeted me so
older friend who always greeted me so happily when I sat next to her to watch
happily when I sat next to her to watch
happily when I sat next to her to watch on TV anyway we have a system in Finland
on TV anyway we have a system in Finland
on TV anyway we have a system in Finland where we have the elderly people to live
where we have the elderly people to live
where we have the elderly people to live in their own homes and we throw them
in their own homes and we throw them
in their own homes and we throw them into facilities where they’re never seen
into facilities where they’re never seen
into facilities where they’re never seen again before they’re placed on the crown
again before they’re placed on the crown
again before they’re placed on the crown but they used to be a time when the
but they used to be a time when the
but they used to be a time when the concept of family was much broader the
concept of family was much broader the
concept of family was much broader the grandparents also belong to the family
grandparents also belong to the family
grandparents also belong to the family and they usually leave it under the same
and they usually leave it under the same
and they usually leave it under the same roof with their children grandchildren
roof with their children grandchildren
roof with their children grandchildren and so on and people also died at home
and so on and people also died at home
and so on and people also died at home surrounded by the family which i think
surrounded by the family which i think
surrounded by the family which i think is one reason why people face death more
is one reason why people face death more
is one reason why people face death more often in their lives but nowadays it
often in their lives but nowadays it
often in their lives but nowadays it seems to be a very different story
seems to be a very different story
seems to be a very different story last autumn I moved into a building with
last autumn I moved into a building with
last autumn I moved into a building with around 120 elderly people and to people
around 120 elderly people and to people
around 120 elderly people and to people of my knowledge and the day went like
of my knowledge and the day went like
of my knowledge and the day went like this my rent was much cheaper than the
this my rent was much cheaper than the
this my rent was much cheaper than the normal market price and in return I was
normal market price and in return I was
normal market price and in return I was expected to spend three to five hours a
expected to spend three to five hours a
expected to spend three to five hours a week with my elderly neighbors this the
week with my elderly neighbors this the
week with my elderly neighbors this the way I spent time with them was
way I spent time with them was
way I spent time with them was completely up to me so as you can
completely up to me so as you can
completely up to me so as you can imagine I ended up here in the same most
imagine I ended up here in the same most
imagine I ended up here in the same most stories of the second world war over and
stories of the second world war over and
stories of the second world war over and over again but I also heard the most
over again but I also heard the most
over again but I also heard the most interesting stories the happy ones and
interesting stories the happy ones and
interesting stories the happy ones and the sad ones with my neighbors I went to
the sad ones with my neighbors I went to
the sad ones with my neighbors I went to the museum different restaurants and
the museum different restaurants and
the museum different restaurants and even drank a glass to sparking wine on
even drank a glass to sparking wine on
even drank a glass to sparking wine on the top of hotel at the railway station
the top of hotel at the railway station
the top of hotel at the railway station normally I would just go knock one of my
normally I would just go knock one of my
normally I would just go knock one of my neighbours door and ask do you wanna
neighbours door and ask do you wanna
neighbours door and ask do you wanna hang out and the response was usually
hang out and the response was usually
hang out and the response was usually yes come on in but I know that there are
yes come on in but I know that there are
yes come on in but I know that there are many valid reasons why these days we
many valid reasons why these days we
many valid reasons why these days we delivered our parents after we become
delivered our parents after we become
delivered our parents after we become adults but at the same time loneliness
adults but at the same time loneliness
adults but at the same time loneliness isolation and exclusion are growing
isolation and exclusion are growing
isolation and exclusion are growing problems in our society both for young
problems in our society both for young
problems in our society both for young and old and that’s why I think we need
and old and that’s why I think we need
and old and that’s why I think we need new ways of thinking new ideas how to
new ways of thinking new ideas how to
new ways of thinking new ideas how to bring people who would normally have
bring people who would normally have
bring people who would normally have opportunities to interact together and
opportunities to interact together and
opportunities to interact together and the project I was part of is one way to
the project I was part of is one way to
the project I was part of is one way to do it but definitely not the only one
do it but definitely not the only one
do it but definitely not the only one often when I told someone that I live in
often when I told someone that I live in
often when I told someone that I live in our folks home
our folks home
our folks home the response was usually something like
the response was usually something like
the response was usually something like oh that’s great philosophy does paint
oh that’s great philosophy does paint
oh that’s great philosophy does paint Omikron is that such an important work
Omikron is that such an important work
Omikron is that such an important work you do but then it got me thinking if it
you do but then it got me thinking if it
you do but then it got me thinking if it is so great and such an important thing
is so great and such an important thing
is so great and such an important thing why can it more people do the same and
why can it more people do the same and
why can it more people do the same and I’m not saying that everyone should run
I’m not saying that everyone should run
I’m not saying that everyone should run out now and call their parents or
out now and call their parents or
out now and call their parents or grandparents or parents elope perhaps
grandparents or parents elope perhaps
grandparents or parents elope perhaps and move back in with them because that
and move back in with them because that
and move back in with them because that could be tough right I just want
could be tough right I just want
could be tough right I just want everyone to think why things are like
everyone to think why things are like
everyone to think why things are like they are and consider that it had to be
they are and consider that it had to be
they are and consider that it had to be like this this nowadays in Finland the
like this this nowadays in Finland the
like this this nowadays in Finland the government wants the elderly people to
government wants the elderly people to
government wants the elderly people to live in their own homes as long as
live in their own homes as long as
live in their own homes as long as possible
possible
possible would it be possible for a young adult
would it be possible for a young adult
would it be possible for a young adult and a brownie to become roommates for
and a brownie to become roommates for
and a brownie to become roommates for instance or could there be more
instance or could there be more
instance or could there be more apartments available in all folks homes
apartments available in all folks homes
apartments available in all folks homes for students so that they could be more
for students so that they could be more
for students so that they could be more interaction between the old and young
interaction between the old and young
interaction between the old and young and maybe one new solution for the
and maybe one new solution for the
and maybe one new solution for the student and youth housing problems one
student and youth housing problems one
student and youth housing problems one of my neighbors put him Birds really
of my neighbors put him Birds really
of my neighbors put him Birds really nicely she wished that the young people
nicely she wished that the young people
nicely she wished that the young people like me could be like the son for them
like me could be like the son for them
like me could be like the son for them to being enjoy and passion for living
to being enjoy and passion for living
to being enjoy and passion for living back to their lives
back to their lives
back to their lives another neighbor enjoy talking about
another neighbor enjoy talking about
another neighbor enjoy talking about something else turn Till’s and aching
something else turn Till’s and aching
something else turn Till’s and aching body parts all day long but all in all I
body parts all day long but all in all I
body parts all day long but all in all I think young can bring change in
think young can bring change in
think young can bring change in perspective for the old people
perspective for the old people
perspective for the old people but my experience tell me that works the
but my experience tell me that works the
but my experience tell me that works the other way around as well so the young
other way around as well so the young
other way around as well so the young can bring a new kind of life that
can bring a new kind of life that
can bring a new kind of life that wouldn’t normally exist in our folks
wouldn’t normally exist in our folks
wouldn’t normally exist in our folks home for instance and the only return
home for instance and the only return
home for instance and the only return can teach us about a very different kind
can teach us about a very different kind
can teach us about a very different kind of life and what it means to become old
of life and what it means to become old
of life and what it means to become old and also to die however some might
and also to die however some might
and also to die however some might wonder if young enough people have
wonder if young enough people have
wonder if young enough people have anything in common but I dare to say
anything in common but I dare to say
anything in common but I dare to say that yes we do of course we come from
that yes we do of course we come from
that yes we do of course we come from different times we might have different
different times we might have different
different times we might have different opinions but eventually I think
opinions but eventually I think
opinions but eventually I think everybody is young from the inside and
everybody is young from the inside and
everybody is young from the inside and in some ways nobody really feels
in some ways nobody really feels
in some ways nobody really feels themselves to be old with my other
themselves to be old with my other
themselves to be old with my other friends I have many conversations about
friends I have many conversations about
friends I have many conversations about TV shows politics drinking sex and of
TV shows politics drinking sex and of
TV shows politics drinking sex and of course this one of the lessons I learned
course this one of the lessons I learned
course this one of the lessons I learned from my neighbors is that death isn’t
from my neighbors is that death isn’t
from my neighbors is that death isn’t always about an available thing as your
always about an available thing as your
always about an available thing as your firsthand how death is natural and
firsthand how death is natural and
firsthand how death is natural and sometimes it can also be merciful I
sometimes it can also be merciful I
sometimes it can also be merciful I heard many times elderly people saying
heard many times elderly people saying
heard many times elderly people saying how they wish they could finally leave
how they wish they could finally leave
how they wish they could finally leave this place and talking about not going
this place and talking about not going
this place and talking about not going to live alone anymore
to live alone anymore
to live alone anymore hearing such things can be shocking at
hearing such things can be shocking at
hearing such things can be shocking at first but then you realized that there
first but then you realized that there
first but then you realized that there comes a time for most of us when our
comes a time for most of us when our
comes a time for most of us when our lives aren’t anymore what they used to
lives aren’t anymore what they used to
lives aren’t anymore what they used to be on top of that spending almost a
be on top of that spending almost a
be on top of that spending almost a century on this planet might be quite
century on this planet might be quite
century on this planet might be quite trying for anyone and that point the one
trying for anyone and that point the one
trying for anyone and that point the one scary figure might appear to be quite
scary figure might appear to be quite
scary figure might appear to be quite friendly and you might be able to face
friendly and you might be able to face
friendly and you might be able to face death as equals so to speak and that
death as equals so to speak and that
death as equals so to speak and that attitude she was this may be the most
attitude she was this may be the most
attitude she was this may be the most important lesson I learned from my
important lesson I learned from my
important lesson I learned from my neighbors thank you
”
Be First to Comment