There is a stereotype that people get grumpier as they get older, that their patience has gone so they tend to grow a short fuse. Nothing further away from reality: it is us who treat older people with less patience, so they become frustrated at us in turn. We think that they are old and “should know better”, but they are doing their best.
Instead, we should treat our elders with the same patience and tenderness we give to a child: their mobility is not great, and much of what they’ve learned, they have forgotten. Imagine finding yourself in such a situation!
If you care for an elderly person, treat them with kindness and tenderness, be patient but firm and give them help but don’t do everything for them.
They will feel much more confident and self-assured that way. Make sure to give them words of encouragement as well: people tend to react much better to positive reinforcement than to negative ones!
