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The aged needs respect, not this type of evil branding by youth
A story published on page 3 of the state-owned Spectator newspaper of Saturday July 29, 2023, with the headline, “Aged not evil… Disrespecting them attracts curses – Catholic Priest” makes for interesting reading. The story written by Dzifa Tetteh Tay read in part: The youth have been advised to treat their parents with respect, especially in their old age. “Do not call your parents witches,” the Parish Priest of the Saint Augustine Catholic Church at Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Reverend Father Ignatius Ayivor (SVD), gave the caution at a church service on Sunday.
Accusing the aged as witches
He said it was appalling that persons who had been blessed to grow old were accused of being witches and being the cause of problems in their homes. Speaking at a joint First and Second Mass on Sunday, he said that persons who maltreated the aged only drew curses for themselves. He lamented that instead of children reciprocating the sacrifices made by their parents in appreciation of their care and love, some old persons were unfortunately, facing serious discrimination, stressing that the practice was becoming a common phenomenon which to him must be discouraged. Old age, he said “is a blessing which not everyone will enjoy”, adding that some old men and women were struggling because their children had neglected them. He said such act would not gounpunished by God, so all children must endeavour to take good care of their parents.
COUNSELING BY REV. MINISTER
Indeed, these are profound statements, words of exhortation and counselling from a reverend minister who have observed and done a research on bad and negative treatment being meted out to people who have one- time tasted life and are now in their advanced age. Some of them might be personalities possess¬ing enormous wisdom and intellectual abilities to advance the course of development in our society. Others have used their rich experience during their youthful age to shape our society and now they are being branded witches and wizards by the youth, some of whom happened to be their own biological parents. That is most painful and unfortunate scenario.
This article will not be complete if I fail to dilate on issues regarding the aged and why there is the need for the younger generation to revere and accord them the necessary and needed respect in the society since they are the repository of wisdom. An older person is defined by the United Nations as someone who is over 60 years of age. However, families and communities often use other socio-cultural factors to define age, including family status, physical appearance or age-related health conditions to determine who is an aged.
WHAT CONSTITUTES AGEING?
Ageing is a gradual, continuous process of natural change that begins in early adulthood. During early middle age, many bodily functions begin to gradually decline. Traditionally, age 65 years has been designated as beginning of old age. Common conditions in older age may include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors in the eye, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, diabetes, depression and dementia. As people aged, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time. It is generally accepted that damage to genetic materially cells and tissues that accumulate with age which cannot be repaired by the body is the cause of the loss of function associated with ageing.
AGEING IS OF ESSENCE
As humans created by the Almighty God, you cannot avoid getting old at some point in life and that is what we need to understand, recognise and appreciate. As a youth with enough strength, all things being equal without sickness or any ailment that can send you to your grave early or prematurely, you will by all means pass through the various stages of life’s cycle. You will be an infant, toddler, adolescent, adult, middle age and finally old age. The last stage of the life cycle is termed the end-end-of life period, that is when the body system shut down and death is eminent. You do not turn into a witch or wizard at this stage in life, since it is a normal routine that you will one day become old at a point in time. Therefore, for someone who is close to you, a family member, your old blood relation or your own child to brand you a witch or wizard means that person is inviting a curse to himself or herself as the Holy Bible preaches.
Attacks on the aged
It is most unfortunate that parents who have sacrificed to look after their children by ensuring their up-keep and spending a lot to give them better and sound education only turned out to be witches and wizards for the fact that they have grown old. As soon as one starts growing grey hair, he or she automatically becomes a nuisance and evil to the child or the family. Peer pressures from friends among the youth have been contributory factors to some of these negative inclinations.
Showing courtesy and respect to the aged often referred to as senior citizens may not only brighten their day but also yours and can earn you more blessings from the Almighty God. It is important for the youth to always respect our elders, help them in their work, spend some of their time with them, talk to them in a more polite manner, respect their wise counseling and above all show them your love and affection at all times. Sometimes, it can be difficult to relate to the generations that have come before us. Growing up in different circumstances can make us feel as if we have nothing common with them. But, let us not forget that older people have plenty and lots of wisdom and knowledge to share with younger generations and, therefore, treating them with respect should be an ideal thing to do by the youth.
How the aged are held in high esteem
In most jurisdictions across the world, especially in Europe, Asia and the Americas, the aged are held in high esteem, they are highly respected and accorded all the courtesies they deserved to have. Even in public transportation, such as buses and trains, special seats have been reserved to accommodate the aged. In most of their shopping centres, special places have been designated for the aged for their shopping activities. Food rations on daily basis, are provided to the aged to make them feel comfortable and happy. The aged enjoys the fruit of their labour and hard work because they are considered as people who have one time served their countries. Is that the case in Ghana? The answer is big no. We rather prefer to look down on them, vilify them and treat them with the contempt by brand¬ing them with all forms of negativities, such as witches and wizards.
Lukewarm attitudes by govern¬ments
While blaming the youth for various forms of negativities and cruel practices against the older generation and for that matter the aged, it is also important to at least criticise various past and present governments of Ghana for the lukewarm attitudes and also not giving the needed attention to the aged in the society, forgetting that most of them have sacrificed for the betterment of the country. Look at what happened recently when some of the aged have to picket at the Ministry of Finance headquarters in Accra, just to fight for their matured bonds which government was feeling reluctant to pay. Was it not a threat to their survival? Some of them have to trek from far and near to picket daily at the Finance Ministry. It was time subsequent governments in our country set good and shining examples concerning the aged for the youth to emulate.
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By Charles Neequaye
The driver stopped the vehicle at the gate of the large, fenced property along the Nsawam Highway, and Kakraba stepped out to meet the several workers who had gathered to wait for him.
He greeted them and went straight to the point.
“Gentlemen, I am glad to see that you have almost completed the clearing of the land. I’m happy to report that we have concluded all arrangements with Nana Serebour, and construction of the palace will start in a few days.
“I will need you to go and level the ground, and then come back to start this project. Some workers from a construction company will come and join us.
“My plan is to build twenty houses in four months. Then we will do twenty more until we reach two hundred.
“I am relying on you to help me deliver good-quality work to satisfy our clients and, as I have already indicated to you, I will reward you for your work.”
After an hour’s discussion, he closed the meeting and moved to drive away. Wofa Yaw drew closer.
“Director, can you please spare me five minutes? I would like to discuss a small issue.”
“Why, Wofa Yaw? Your wife has threatened to leave you?”
“No, Director. My wife will never leave me. This concerns a young niece of mine.”
“I hope it’s something I can help with. Please sit in the car and let me hear you.”
“Boss, my niece, Beesiwa, is a polytechnic graduate, very beautiful and with very good character.
“Unfortunately, her parents virtually forced her into a relationship with an idiot based in the US, which affected her badly. She has now recovered from that experience and, Boss, I am respectfully asking if you would find a job for her.
“I promise you that you will never regret it.”
“Well, Wofa Yaw, let me meet her and speak with her. I may be able to help, maybe not in the way you expect, but let me meet her.
“I will not be back here for another week, but I will be at the office throughout next week. You can come with her.”
On Monday morning, Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa were seated at the office by nine o’clock. Three young ladies welcomed them warmly, offered them soft drinks and assured them that Kakraba would be there shortly.
They then returned to their desks and sat behind computers with large screens displaying various building designs.
Kakraba walked in and greeted them warmly. After chatting briefly with the three ladies, he ushered Wofa Yaw and Beesiwa into his office.
“Director, this is my niece, Beesiwa. I mentioned her to you when you came to Nsawam.”
“Yes, indeed. Madam Beesiwa, you are very beautiful, just as your uncle said. Wofa Yaw is my colleague.
“We have just started a building project that will take about three to four years. He mentioned that you have a small problem, so I said I would like to meet you and see how I can help.
“So, Beesiwa, please tell me a little about yourself.”
Beesiwa described her childhood, her school experience, her brief work at the bank and the nasty episode with Sammy Abrokwa, which shattered her peaceful life. She also explained how she had been recovering from the experience.
“I am really sorry to hear this,” Kakraba said. “Now, here is what we are going to do.
“We are a small but very busy company. The three ladies out there spend most of the day on site and come back to report on their work in the morning.
“I have three main projects. The big one is an estate project in Nsawam, where your uncle is one of my main colleagues. I need a personal assistant who can take care of my activities, especially when I am not in town.
“Now, we will have to start with trust. Based on what I know about Wofa Yaw, and based on what you yourself have told me, I think we can start on a sound basis.
“So, Wofa Yaw will take you to my home. You can move into one of the four guest rooms.”
“Sir, I have taken some computer lessons, and I have even done graphics and web design,” Beesiwa said.
“Fantastic! I will give you a good phone and a laptop. I will also arrange computer lessons for you.”
“Now, Wofa Yaw, take her home. My sister, Kuukuwa, will meet you and show you around, and then you can return to Koforidua.
“When would you like to start work?”
“Sir, I would like to start today, but I would need to go and bring my things.”
“No problem. Take a taxi to my house, meet my sister, and let me know what you decide.”
Later that day, Kakraba and the three ladies met with some bank officials to conclude the sale of the three buildings at Adabraka.
They closed at five-thirty and, after rewarding the ladies for their hard work, Kakraba got home just after dark.
He was surprised to find Kuukuwa and Beesiwa sitting at the table enjoying supper.
“What’s happening here?” he asked. “Beesiwa, I thought you would return to Koforidua.”
“She changed her mind,” Kuukuwa said. “We went to the mall and bought a few things for her. Then we came back to cook. She has made some nice changes to your bedroom and cooked a couple of interesting dishes. Sit down; we will serve you.”
“Well, I certainly can’t refuse that. It’s been a busy day.
“So, what’s the plan now? Will Beesiwa go to Koforidua tomorrow, gather her things together and come down?”
“No, I will stay here for a while,” Beesiwa replied. “Kuukuwa bought me the things I need, so I may go back next week. I’m ready to start work. What would you like me to start with?”
“Well, you can come to the office tomorrow morning, meet the three girls and get a feel for what we do.
“Since you are living here, at least for now, we can discuss the plans for the next few weeks.
“Sometimes there are gaps when I travel up north. You can take care of things from now. I think the girls would like having someone like you around.”
By Ekow de Heer
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A frequent question following breast surgery is whether human tissue possesses the regenerative capacity to restore an excised organ.
From a strict physiological standpoint, a completely removed breast cannot regrow. Unlike certain organisms that can regenerate complex limbs or organs, adult human tissues—particularly specialised glandular structures—lack the cellular machinery required to rebuild an entire organ after its total surgical removal.
Instead, the body heals the surgical site through processes such as scar tissue formation and re-epithelialisation rather than complete cellular regeneration.
What a mastectomy actually removes
To understand why natural tissue regeneration does not occur, it is important to examine the surgical scope of a mastectomy.
Depending on the type of procedure and the medical reason for surgery, a mastectomy may involve the removal of:
Glandular architecture: The milk-producing lobules and ducts that form the functional core of the mammary gland.
Adipose tissue: The fatty tissue that contributes to breast volume, projection and contour.
Other breast tissue: The extent of tissue removal varies according to the type of mastectomy and the need to achieve appropriate surgical clearance.
Because specialised breast structures are physically removed, the body does not rebuild a complete mammary gland. Instead, healing occurs through tissue repair and scar formation.
Distinguishing residual tissue from “regrowth”
Patients or observers may notice changes in the chest area after surgery, sometimes leading to misconceptions about tissue regeneration.
Skin- and nipple-sparing procedures
Modern breast surgery may preserve the outer skin envelope or, in selected cases, the nipple-areola complex. Small amounts of breast tissue may remain depending on the surgical technique. Any changes in remaining tissue due to hormonal fluctuations represent residual tissue responding to the body, rather than the regrowth of a completely removed breast.
Adipose accumulation
Weight gain after surgery can increase the amount of subcutaneous fat across the chest wall. However, this is part of general body fat distribution and does not represent the regeneration of a mammary gland.
Modern reconstructive pathways
Because a completely removed breast does not naturally regenerate, modern medicine offers reconstructive options aimed at restoring physical symmetry, contour and body image.
The two main approaches are implant-based reconstruction and autologous, or tissue-based, reconstruction.
Implant-based reconstruction
Implant-based reconstruction uses synthetic medical devices, typically filled with silicone gel or saline, to rebuild the breast mound following a mastectomy.
The two-stage process: This approach may begin with the placement of a temporary tissue expander to gradually create space and stretch the surrounding tissues. A later procedure may then be performed to place a permanent implant.
Recovery profile: Implant-based reconstruction generally involves a shorter initial surgery and recovery period compared with procedures that require tissue to be harvested from another part of the body.
Long-term considerations: Breast implants are not lifetime devices and require ongoing medical monitoring. Some patients may need additional procedures over time because of complications or changes in the implant or surrounding tissue.
Autologous or tissue-based reconstruction
Autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own living tissue to create a new breast mound. Tissue may be transferred from another part of the body, commonly the lower abdomen, using procedures such as a DIEP flap.
Natural look and feel: Because the reconstruction uses living tissue, it can provide a natural warmth, texture and softness. The tissue may also change with the patient’s body weight over time.
Long-term durability: Once healing is complete, autologous reconstruction can provide a long-lasting result without the need to replace an implant. However, some patients may still require further procedures.
Complex surgery: This option usually involves a longer operation and recovery period. In microsurgical procedures, surgeons may need to reconnect tiny blood vessels to establish blood flow to the transferred tissue.
Direct comparison
When choosing between these two reconstructive pathways, patients and their surgical teams must consider several physical, medical and lifestyle factors.
Surgical burden: Implant surgery is generally less invasive, while flap reconstruction involves surgery at both the chest and the donor site.
Foreign material versus native tissue: Implants involve the use of a medical device, while autologous reconstruction uses the patient’s own tissue.
Recovery: The recovery timelines and rehabilitation requirements differ significantly between the two procedures.
Recovery and physical rehabilitation
Recovering from breast reconstruction requires patience, careful pacing and, in some cases, structured physical rehabilitation.
Because implant-based and autologous tissue-flap procedures involve different surgical techniques, their healing timelines and physical therapy milestones can vary considerably.
Understanding these differences is important for patients considering reconstruction, as the choice involves more than restoring physical appearance. It also requires careful consideration of recovery, long-term monitoring, lifestyle and individual medical needs.
Part 2 will examine recovery timelines, physical therapy milestones and other factors patients should consider when choosing between reconstructive options.
By Robert Ekow Grimmond-Thompson
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