Question of the Week

When was the last time you called your grandparent(s) or your oldest living relative?

Recently I learned that one of my grandmothers was the almost-victim of a malicious telephone scam. This popular scam involves someone calling random elderly women and asking them to wire money to their supposed grandson, with the perpetrator pretending to be that grandson. Fortunately, my grandmother was suspicious and relayed the events to my uncle who came to her rescue.

Hearing about the uncomfortable position my grandmother found herself in, I thought about how sad it is that the elderly find themselves in such vulnerable positions as they age. It caused me to think about my grandmother's life, in general, and whether she feels happy and fulfilled, or perhaps sad and lonely.

I believe that all grandparents really want in their lives is a connection to their younger family - they prize this connection the most as they near the end of their lives. When I think about my grandmother picking up the phone and feeling confused about the circumstances she recently faced, it occurs to me that we should all probably agree to reach out to our grandparents or oldest living relatives a little more frequently.