How do you define a healthy body? Just the body? Or all of it – Mind, Body, and Soul (Spirit)?
A case in point that has been experienced several times by a huge population, and yet we refuse to look at the signs and learn from our lives. A doctor couple, married for more than a quarter century, with established individual practices got up one morning. The husband got a massive heart attack and passed away almost instantly. The wife, while going through his papers realized that he had an existing problem of the heart that he kept hidden away from family. Shattered with loss of spouse and faith, she is yet to heal, a common case that we come across is neglect of health that leads to neglect of the body and then of the spirit.
As far as elder people are concerned, with better medical aid, and better insurance coverages, a lot of healthcare has become accessible to people to lengthen lives, which is good. In terms of population control, these healthcare enhancements have added to the woes of the government and the medical fraternity, even after earning them a profit from age related issues. An ophthalmologist recently commented that even though people have hardened cataracts, and we now have tools to remove the problem easily, but people are afraid to get them out after listening to their elders’ stories of 50 years ago. We have moved on from being a 3rd world country to a place where Medical Tourism takes place. The best of knowledge and tools are available in the country.
The last sentence is so very true in every sense for Mind, Body, and Soul. Mental health professionals and options to render services are immense. The medical practitioner has choices too in specializing in a single field and cater to a niche market. And our Life coaches (Gurus) and tools of their trade – meditation and Yoga – has come from India. We apply these tools to become healthy – mind to remain sane, body in a healthy state and the soul to remain in an advanced state of bliss.
With these thoughts in mind, now think of the changes currently needed for the
· Aging population
· Persons with disability
· Children
And the services the entire population will require in a few years to come?
Look at CARE for the aged and the persons with disabilities in a holistic manner:
· Mobility in every way – at home and outside home
· Daily care – from morning ablutions to tucking up in bed at night and the nightly rituals
· Medication monitoring daily with subtlety
· Emergency services – requirements are anytime anywhere
· Leisure – Movies, TV – with hearing aids or without; reading by themselves – can a book be held properly or need help?
· Gadgets – operating a microwave in the kitchen, an iPad set up for Wi-Fi, a smart TV operation
· Individual disability has its own requirement. Like a deaf person may respond to sign language or closed captions or both, and in some cases – none; speech impairments may happen due to illness or accidents too and one may learn to speak again. A blind person today can use AI tools to determine what is ahead on the road or use a seeing eyed dog to traverse in public.
· Accessibility and its pain points: How does a wheelchair user get to a hospital from an apartment if there is no elevator at/till ground level? How does a blind person get educated on healthcare protocols without help from the education system – teachers, school/college, peers?
We need to look at various aspects on the MIND, BODY & SOUL and train individuals – not just a company – to take care of themselves and their surroundings.