The Elderly and their Psyche in Poland.

So, we have many elderly in Poland. Its not rare to find the lonely Granny with her cat ... living a life ... going through the remaining time in her life!

What do you think of them? Have you any experience with the Old man or the Old woman in Poland?

Haven't had the opportunity to meet with the elderly in Poland so far. I do enjoy chatting with Polish people at the retirement home, located next to the Polish church in Los Angeles.

The residents enjoy telling interesting, yet sometimes sad stories, pertaining to the good old days. In turn, I love hearing them share their cherished memories of days gone by. It's great to preserve the past and learn from those, who are more experienced in life, as opposed to the majority of us.

Yes... recently an elderly woman I knew died. She had problems with breathing always...

Her life's most interesting story was a romantic one. Of her love ... a person she never married, but had a child with him. Her daughter now lives in France with a Moroccan I think. Perhaps she got married with him. She came sometimes....but busy with her own life.

The lady had a very lovely heart ... and very fond stories... will miss her! God bless her sould.. and she had her cat 'Kot'. The cat still lives.

I do, my wifes Grand mother recently died. Rather than live with her daughter (wifes mum) she chose to live out her remaining days at her house of 60 odd years. Towards the end atleast two years she was bed ridden and for a total of four years she basically didnt say a word that made any sense. Respect to the Poles that they dont ship their elders off to elderly homes for them to rott in.

This particular lady did have a nice war pension and therefore was able to afford decent home care from a family friend.

Theres also a really sweet old lady living very near me, she an absolute cracker of a women, she comes round for coffee sometimes and again is living with her daughter who chose to never marry, instead to care for her mum.

In England most of these old ladies would be outta there in old peoples homes.

Very sad ...

True im afraid. Let me ask you, if a person is dead would you rather pay 1,000 PLN for an average funeral or 20,000 PLN for a grand one with tomb stone to match??

Depends on my financial status.

But I would like to take care of my parents till the last day of their lives.

So why all the fancy grave stones and candles year after year, thats a conn if you ask me. Poles go with tradition above all else even skint families take out mortgages on grave stones and then battle for every penny when it come to buying a KG of tomatoes, whats the deal?

When im dead i want to be cremated, done and dusted, up in smoke (Cheech and Chong) no candles no marble fancy expensive grave stone putting more financial strain on the family, thank you very much. I'll live in their memorys no need for a memorial every year around the grave yard.

There is no one who can tell so fascinating stories as old people. Sometimes sad, but still amazing, life-stories.

You can hear a 60-year-old love story, that is still as alive as it was 60 years ago. Amazing!

Booking a good place in heaven...?

the cheap one.......what do they care if they're dead?

Ahh so you need an expensive grave stone to book a place? Come on. Is it a commitment thing? the families ability to pay fopr a nice grave isa irrelevant or are you talking about the deceasts savings for aq grave, if so what happens if the POA takes the money and runs?

Maybe its because we care. Giving respect to the dead is something humans have been doing since the beggining of time.


It was a joke. But as I said above...its a display of human emotions....to bring the event into everyones memories...to make it more special...

Even if the dead person doesn't care about the stone on his/her grave, maybe his/her family who is still alive does care.

what a sucker


youve got it man

sure but if it involves bankrupting yourself it seems somewhat misplaced........maybe it's like "keeping up with the Joneses"......"oo look we could afford a bigger headstone than them next door".

Respect can be given without spending money u don't really have, a flower bed, a bench with a nameplate, whatever.

Exactly and thats not really the real point anyway, i know for a fact my Mother or Father would be turning in their graves if i put my hard earned cash into some fancy pointless gravestone as apposed the the grand daughters Doll fund.

Like all traditons, respect for ther dead in whatever form is a matter of prevailing convention. Someone who does not provide his loved one with what is generally regarded in a given community as a suitable tomb enclosure may be ostracised by his peers as disprespective or even downright mean. Many if not most people are concerned about what others think of them. That applies to most everything. How many younger folk pretend to like sushi, techno, certain clothes and pastimes because of peer pressure. It's not accpeted in many circles not to like something regarded as trendy and cutting egde.

With the life span expectancy increasing in many countries, it's of utmost importance to maintain programs which are beneficial, in aiding our aging population.

One thing I've come to realize, in 50+ years our retirement homes will be filled with people sporting tats and body piercings. Hint, hint... that may include some of us folks.

But I have certain doubts there...

Even in the 40's and the 70's ... there were those kind of people. As people age, a certain feeling occurs in them. Usually they become more spiritual, more conservative... more afraid ... something which brings them closer to a universal elderly culture.