Shakespeare was not far off when he wrote his famous poem “The 7 Stages of Man” that ended with:

“Last scene of all,

That ends this strange eventful history,

Is second childishness and mere oblivion,

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.”

So, what exactly is second childishness?

In a nutshell, second childishness is old age, a time when man reverts back to his childhood days in his mannerisms and perhaps his physical and mental capabilities. You must have noticed that as people get older, their priorities change and they tend to forget things. They lose their hair, their teeth, and their mental faculties are slower than in their prime. If you think about it, as people become more senile, they sometimes tend to act like small children. 

And, as the small children they brought up into strong, capable individuals, it is our duty to take care of them in their old age - much like they took care of us when we were snotty-faced children in diapers.

Other than the chocolates and picnics and a good education, what did they lavish on us most? Love, of course. Love, care, and most importantly, attention. 

We live in a busy day and age, where it's sometimes impossible to even see the roses we pass by, let alone stop and smell them. And if you are a working professional in the United Arab Emirates, you will know exactly what I'm talking about. 

Our work, family, and life in general keeps us busy most of the time. In the midst of running around to grow our careers and at the same time make sure our children take healthy lunches to school, it seems like a big ask to also care for your ageing parents, grandparents, or any loved ones, for that matter. 

We'd have to make sure they take the right medication at the right times, that they are well fed and bathed, that they’re prompted to do regular light exercise, and we might even have to change the occasional adult diaper or two! What's more, our loved ones need something more than just medical care and materialistic attention - they need love and affection and most importantly, our time. 

Now, this is a given for most families. Our parents brought us up, painstakingly at times and after making many sacrifices. And in return, it is only expected of us to care for them in their old age, or rather, their second childhood. The same applies for our loved ones like grandparents, aunts and uncles who invested their youth and love in us so that we may grow up to be successful in our own ways. 

But, in the rat race that we are all inadvertently a part of these days, we might not be able to lavish the love and affection our loved ones deserve. After all, it is important to work hard to put the medicines and food on the table for the aged guardians of our childhood.  

So, what can we do, then? Neglect them in the name of making money to support their needs? Or console ourselves half-heartedly that we are at least providing for their immediate needs, if not their emotional needs? 

There is a third alternative, and a much more feasible one at that, thanks to hospitals in UAE like NMC that provide adult home care services. And, no, there is no shame in entrusting the physical and emotional well-being of your loved ones with some of the best doctors in Dubai who can give them the love and care you might be short on time for.