What do you think of when you hear the word "pride"? I think most of us are aware that pride can have either a positive or a negative
connotation. On the negative side,
pride can refer to the quality of being conceited, of thinking that one is
superior to other people. On the
positive side, Merriam-Webster online gives the following definitions: “a feeling that you respect yourself and deserve
to be respected by other people”; “a reasonable or justifiable
self-respect”. It seems apparent, then, that pride
is something one needs in order to maintain a healthy self-image, to stay well
and to be engaged with the world.
It appears that many individuals who are elderly or
disabled do not have the sense of pride that they need in order to remain
healthy and engaged. Of course, a
seeming lack of pride in a person’s appearance or outlook, or in the cleanliness of their home, can be due to the fact that he or she is not feeling well, or it can be a sign of mental decline. But sometimes, I think individuals who
are elderly or infirm lose their sense of pride and self-worth simply because
they become isolated and feel forgotten. When they spend most of their time alone and have little family or social support, it may seem to them not to matter how they look, what
they wear or, for that matter, what their opinions are on matters that could impact their quality of life.
As people who provide services for the ailing and the aging, how do we help them to maintain
their sense of pride in who they are? Personal caregivers can help individuals take pride in their appearance and find special ways to help them feel good about how they look. Something all of us can do is to include those we serve in decisions about their own care as much as possible. Sometimes it is easy to start taking steps to help someone without really finding out what that person needs or wants, and perhaps what may seem like stubbornness or resistance is because we have not really taken the time to do that. We can also keep our eyes open for the specific gifts of the individuals we are serving and encourage them to use those gifts in helping others, especially if we work in a housing community. Likewise, if we serve in such a community, we can make sure we let residents have a say in the activities and programs that are offered, rather than simply offering programs or events for the sake of doing so. I am sure there are many other ways we can foster a sense of pride as well.
Let us remember that each person's sense of pride and self-worth are an important part of their overall well-being, and do whatever we can to promote it.
