Commentary: Caribbean Hospital – The Needy Edelerly

CAYMAN ISLANDS – In 2024 I was confined to a hospital because of a serious ailment for ten long days. I was 65 years old and I was not enjoying retirement or divorce. The saving grace was my oldest daughter, Clarisse, who attended me every day, fed and cared for me as if I was the only person on the planet. Only my granddaughter was as earnest for a visit.

There were many family and friends, some a few minutes away, but I never received a visit or assistance, despite a lifetime of care, use of my talents, prior hospitality and frequent use of a Montego Bay vacation villa or financial aid.

I even helped a nephew avoid prison for bank theft. Unconnected others, not so lucky.

It was a useful exercise to have my geriatric head recognize the cold, hard reality of pretend relationships, fake family and the rule of no rules.

It is very similar to the feeling many suffer, the day after election day.

Nuttall Hospital in Kingston

I had only previously been under care at the Nuttall hospital in Kingston as a child which was equally unpleasant when my Norwegian sailor neighbour took an entire night to die in my scared presence. I had played cards the day before with him and won some coins with holes.

You are only useful, until you are no longer useful.

The patients of Caribbean hospitals face an uphill struggle with availability, cost of care and staff pay with many older patients abandoned by family. I feel for them after my experience. There needs to be an alternative to the recurring media release for relatives to collect their old mother or father, such as government providing sufficient care homes for the elderly.

Needy Edelerly

Before trips instead of Zoom calls, chauffeur driven SUV’s, yet another seminar, function, award ceremony or money grant, needy, elderly citizens must be provided with care if they are discarded by family, now, not later. Many of these people have contributed a life to society and later circumstances have handicapped them.

We need not follow the Shakespearean adage that the good is interred with your bones.

There are some in government who have displayed neither good or bad behaviour but simply walk out the clock to a cushy retirement. Many in that geriatric club have signalled an intention to leave politics while common sense would dictate an immediate succession from the pool of young leaders in waiting, who are not the beneficiaries of nepotistic promotion.

How many sons of prominent fathers or other connections in Jamaica have slid past the Fearful Four balance of power of the government, in waiting.

Perhaps the Fearful Four will act out their frustration.

As Clarisse likes to say, let people find their own way as they wander aimlessly and always bring something to the table.

It is more blessed to give than receive.

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