FROM
THE
EDITOR
ChangingTimes and Hopes I
t seems e v e r y o n e is clamoring for c h a n g e - change in the political system, change in the health care system, change in the financial system, change in the j u d i c i a l s y s t e m , change in the educational system. It is as if institutional change will be the answer to our problems. We seem to have reached a crisis in which the social structures we have relied on have faltered under the weight of adversarial demands and expectations. Our hopes and needs no longer fit well into the structures of our sociocultural institutions. As team players we are impatient for a leader to emerge who can cope with shortrange goals and long-range debts and the muddle of conflicting goals and expectations. There was a time when youth sought radical change, middle-aged individuals fought such (in order to protect heavily vested interests), and aged individuals were largely ignored. Now it appears that youth have developed in an atmosphere of doubt and cynicism and do not have a clear idea of what they would like changed; the middle-aged Spock generation continue to search for their identity in a society more diverse than they ever imagined possible; and the aged have become "biomedicalized" political pawns--to blame, to solicit, to cudgel, to be used in whatever manner suits the purposes of the system. The term " g r e e d y geezers," recently coined, demonstrates how the aged are being used as an excuse for inadequate assistance to young families. On a personal level, change and adaptation are really the only constants, even when occurring in less-thaneffective ways. From the time we are born each moment is change; ultimately we die, leaving a record of some of the changes we have made. Yet much is written about how we resist change, how stressful it is. But do we really expect to reach "happily ever after?" Or do we sincerely want to comfortably coast for awhile? Was there really a time when there were fewer changes necessary, and if so, were there fewer malcontents? A friend once said, "All of life is comprised of holding on and letting go, and learning when and how to do this best." Changes that are devastating are those that abruptly and significantly alter the patterns of each day or those
that markedly alter one's self-concept. These are the changes that stir the strongest resistance. These are the ones we so often observe among the aged: changes of residence, of body image and function, in status, in relationships. Change is frightening when it bodes ill for one's fut u r e - t h e loss of comfort, the erosion of joy, the impairment of function. It is depletion in the change, with no inkling of anything positive. Most important, we must resist change for the sake of change. It is easy, in desperation, to believe any change will improve a situation. In those situations it is wise to remember Virginia Satir's family system theory, visualized as a hanging mobile. The slightest movement in one part of the mobile is reflected throughout as each piece shifts to maintain a balance. Human homeostatic mechanisms beautifully demonstrate this. On a larger scale, the Federal Reserve monetary manipulation is an example. Our political system, unfortunately, encourages incumbents to make changes that temporarily look attractive but later prove disastrous. Often, those who must carry out the plans have not been on the scene to participate in the planning. It is easy to make decisions that others must carry out. Even worse, some changes are hardly planned but are emergency reactions. We are now harvesting the fruit of short-range thinking and patchwork planning. Patchwork is beautiful only in quilts. A remarkable quality of the elders in our time is their phenomenal capacity for change while maintaining balance and their long-range view. We should pay attention to aged survivors. Sometimes the changing facial contours, the hunched posture, or the slowed responses of the aged lead us to conclude that they are inflexible and hold tightly to the constants, digging in their heels. In this issue of GERIATRIC NORSING we look at only a few of the changes to which aged individuals must adapt and some ways in which they maintain their balance. On a national level, the educational and the health care systems are of particular concern. Women and nurses are claiming leadership positions and recognizing their influence in these arenas. Let us band together--not in our thinking, but in our strength--to express our ideas about the changes our system must plan to provide a coherent direction for our collective future. Let us seek the counsel of the elders as we contemplate the future and attempt to articulate long-range goals individually and nationally. • Priscilla Ebersole, RN, PhD, FAAN Editor
34/1/40406
Geriatric Nursing September/October1992 237
THE
EDITOR
ChangingTimes and Hopes I
t seems e v e r y o n e is clamoring for c h a n g e - change in the political system, change in the health care system, change in the financial system, change in the j u d i c i a l s y s t e m , change in the educational system. It is as if institutional change will be the answer to our problems. We seem to have reached a crisis in which the social structures we have relied on have faltered under the weight of adversarial demands and expectations. Our hopes and needs no longer fit well into the structures of our sociocultural institutions. As team players we are impatient for a leader to emerge who can cope with shortrange goals and long-range debts and the muddle of conflicting goals and expectations. There was a time when youth sought radical change, middle-aged individuals fought such (in order to protect heavily vested interests), and aged individuals were largely ignored. Now it appears that youth have developed in an atmosphere of doubt and cynicism and do not have a clear idea of what they would like changed; the middle-aged Spock generation continue to search for their identity in a society more diverse than they ever imagined possible; and the aged have become "biomedicalized" political pawns--to blame, to solicit, to cudgel, to be used in whatever manner suits the purposes of the system. The term " g r e e d y geezers," recently coined, demonstrates how the aged are being used as an excuse for inadequate assistance to young families. On a personal level, change and adaptation are really the only constants, even when occurring in less-thaneffective ways. From the time we are born each moment is change; ultimately we die, leaving a record of some of the changes we have made. Yet much is written about how we resist change, how stressful it is. But do we really expect to reach "happily ever after?" Or do we sincerely want to comfortably coast for awhile? Was there really a time when there were fewer changes necessary, and if so, were there fewer malcontents? A friend once said, "All of life is comprised of holding on and letting go, and learning when and how to do this best." Changes that are devastating are those that abruptly and significantly alter the patterns of each day or those
that markedly alter one's self-concept. These are the changes that stir the strongest resistance. These are the ones we so often observe among the aged: changes of residence, of body image and function, in status, in relationships. Change is frightening when it bodes ill for one's fut u r e - t h e loss of comfort, the erosion of joy, the impairment of function. It is depletion in the change, with no inkling of anything positive. Most important, we must resist change for the sake of change. It is easy, in desperation, to believe any change will improve a situation. In those situations it is wise to remember Virginia Satir's family system theory, visualized as a hanging mobile. The slightest movement in one part of the mobile is reflected throughout as each piece shifts to maintain a balance. Human homeostatic mechanisms beautifully demonstrate this. On a larger scale, the Federal Reserve monetary manipulation is an example. Our political system, unfortunately, encourages incumbents to make changes that temporarily look attractive but later prove disastrous. Often, those who must carry out the plans have not been on the scene to participate in the planning. It is easy to make decisions that others must carry out. Even worse, some changes are hardly planned but are emergency reactions. We are now harvesting the fruit of short-range thinking and patchwork planning. Patchwork is beautiful only in quilts. A remarkable quality of the elders in our time is their phenomenal capacity for change while maintaining balance and their long-range view. We should pay attention to aged survivors. Sometimes the changing facial contours, the hunched posture, or the slowed responses of the aged lead us to conclude that they are inflexible and hold tightly to the constants, digging in their heels. In this issue of GERIATRIC NORSING we look at only a few of the changes to which aged individuals must adapt and some ways in which they maintain their balance. On a national level, the educational and the health care systems are of particular concern. Women and nurses are claiming leadership positions and recognizing their influence in these arenas. Let us band together--not in our thinking, but in our strength--to express our ideas about the changes our system must plan to provide a coherent direction for our collective future. Let us seek the counsel of the elders as we contemplate the future and attempt to articulate long-range goals individually and nationally. • Priscilla Ebersole, RN, PhD, FAAN Editor
34/1/40406
Geriatric Nursing September/October1992 237
