Keeping the older generation safe.

[Yale]

Good example today.

Pre movement TB testing a bunch of 20 month old cattle.

Father started off operating the head yoke however having painful shoulders he had to allow me to take over.I was filling the race then assisting the vet with ear tag reading.

He decided to go and load the race from the back pen which he never does.Now immediately I was concerned as there was one which is known for being handy with her feet.

It ended up with us having a heated discussion about how I wanted him to get to a safer place as I would manage.

He is well into his 70's and even i have to be careful in the pen.

Eventually he decided to wave his stick from outside.

I would rather pay the vet for an extra quarter of an hour.

 

[fermerboy]

I feel your pain. Have similar issues here too.
To be fair my dad generally knows his limits but likes to help, and it's a concern when among cattle.

 

[DrWazzock]

82 years old, just had half a lung out, pacemaker fitted and he's hand digging a trench for a water pipe in freezing conditions and he wonders why he is feeling a bit dizzy. Got him back in the house defrosting in front of the fire.

Don't mind him doing a bit to keep active but wish he would pace himself and not feel he has to do things. He gets frustrated that he can't do what he used to. That's the most difficult part.

 

[Boysground]

I'm afraid I can't offer any advice. Similar problems with a 75 year old here.

Bg

 

[Boysground]

Of course the elephant in the room is Mrs bg saying I will be like dad when I am his age.

Bg

 

[pappuller]

Dad 80 in april still scrapes up on a mon and tues feeds calves every afternoon, no time for anything else too many holidays to go on !!!! Hope I 'll be the same at his age.

 

[Princess Pooper]

I remember finding 80 yr old fr in law upside down in the bottom of a hedge one day, lucky I spotted him out the kitchen window. He had seen from his bungalow window the mobile electric fencer unit had tipped over and he went to pick it up, but then he tipped over and couldn't right himself.
He had had a stroke 6 months previous. Used to scare us witless. Lucky after his stroke they wouldn't let him have his driving licence back which was a relief to us that someone else made the decision.

 

[Old Boar]

As you get older, you begin to realise you are not immortal. The older you get, the more you realise you are not as fit as you were last year, last week, yesterday. You know this, but you do not want to accept it, so you go out and do stuff you really should not, to prove to yourself that you are still you, doing what you have done for years.
OK, the physical bit can be a problem for the younger generation - we dont move so fast, we dont understand what all the knobs on the tractor do, but, and here is the bit you need to use, we have a huge wealth of knowledge. We know more about the farm and where the drains are, where the early grass grows, where is stays dry longest, the best view at different times of year, and what the weather is doing better than the Beeb, because we have been doing it since before you were born.

So make the most of your elderly relatives. Sit them down and tell them you need the knowledge they hold, that they can help the farm by sharing the knowledge. Discuss your plans, ask their advice (you dont have to take it), but if you make them feel they have something to offer, something of value. As we get older, we still feel in our brains how we did when we were young. It is just our bodies that dont fit!

 

[Kidds]

So make the most of your elderly relatives. Sit them down and tell them you need the knowledge they hold, that they can help the farm by sharing the knowledge. Discuss your plans, ask their advice (you dont have to take it), but if you make them feel they have something to offer, something of value. As we get older, we still feel in our brains how we did when we were young. It is just our bodies that dont fit!

Tried that. They are still out there doing stuff until dark that makes them ill for days while the paid staff have to sit twiddling their thumbs.
Meanwhile at 53 I already feel I just get in the way.

 

[MickMoor]

As you get older, you begin to realise you are not immortal. The older you get, the more you realise you are not as fit as you were last year, last week, yesterday. You know this, but you do not want to accept it, so you go out and do stuff you really should not, to prove to yourself that you are still you, doing what you have done for years.
OK, the physical bit can be a problem for the younger generation - we dont move so fast, we dont understand what all the knobs on the tractor do, but, and here is the bit you need to use, we have a huge wealth of knowledge. We know more about the farm and where the drains are, where the early grass grows, where is stays dry longest, the best view at different times of year, and what the weather is doing better than the Beeb, because we have been doing it since before you were born.

So make the most of your elderly relatives. Sit them down and tell them you need the knowledge they hold, that they can help the farm by sharing the knowledge. Discuss your plans, ask their advice (you dont have to take it), but if you make them feel they have something to offer, something of value. As we get older, we still feel in our brains how we did when we were young. It is just our bodies that dont fit!

What a beautiful post.
. Thank you.

 

[Danllan]

Saw the same thing exactly with an uncle; hot words on the day, but my cousin had a chat the next day and just asked, 'What would you have done in this situation?' He said old fellow's face dropped, but then he said 'Keep the blo*dy old fool out of harms way'. My cousin fitted a 'high seat' up a few steps on to the side of the race, so that uncle could 'direct' things. He's long gone but the seat is still there; I guess it's a good reminder for my cousin regarding his son, and maybe a bit reassuring too since he'll be able to keep 'directing' things too; I think just being involved is a good thing.

 

[GTB]

My 79 yr old father insists on coming over by 7.30 every morning to scrape the yards. His eyesight isn't 100% anymore so he struggles to see things in the daylight leave alone before it gets light and it's worse still under flood lights. The poor scraper tractor looks like it's just returned from a tour in Allepo. It's great that he's still able to do a bit but I do worry about his safety. He's especially at risk in amongst the cattle. He doesn't see what's happening around him, only what's directly in front of him. We try to be diplomatic but however you try to keep him out of danger he just takes it as we're trying to keep him away from the farm.

 

[badger nadgers]

Most eloquently expressed, Old Boar. Thank you.

Providing the physical is relatively easy and quick (resources, basically), but the knowledge and attitude of an elderly relative can't just be bought in; it's a tremendous unique resource that has been learnt through the years and will add to your contribution and give the resilience that gets you through the grimmest days. You're lucky to have that, you're spot on in understanding that the contribution moves from the physical to the cognitve and affective domains.

 

[homefarm]

My grandfather was a very wise man, but I only know that now I am the same age he was when he shared his wisdom.

 

[Ali_Maxxum]

It's definitely a tough one, the old man isn't as old as a lot of the ages quoted above but I've tried to cut his work load down, any really strenuous things we try to keep to a minimum, a lot of little bale bumping in the summer I'll get some YFC boys in, I'd rather pay for them to be there than knacker up the main man. I do have to say on the odd occasion to stand out the way or leave it or whatever.

It is heart breaking to see the older generation struggle to do certain things they'd never normally have to think twice about doing.

It does frustrate me a lot of people my age who just wont help though, the worst has to be a farm I help the contractor with on silage, we have to sheet the clamp, which I never ever have a problem with doing, I usually go and help some friends of ours sheet their clamp off my own back when I can. Anyway, these farmers are brothers, one of which has had heart trouble before and theres usually 3 of us stay to help and the others just leave as 'they have to go'. But they were ok to stay when we all went into the house for dinner?! Really gets my back up that does.

Most are old and wise, however I'm going to have to say some really don't know their arse from their elbow and still do some really stupid things time after time and you wonder how they're alive or still in business. Modern practices really have come a long way which means the old must move aside, trying to get someone to do that is a different matter, and probably a subject for another day....

 

[milkloss]

We ended up making the old man drive everywhere in his land rover when we were using machines or else he would suddenly appear around a corner, usually in the way, and couldn't move fast enough.

Watched him try and turn round one day and I swear I nearly p1ssed myself laughing. It went something like wall-wheel barrow-wall-wheel barrow-and off into the distance. Times I had to pull him out of ditches, trenches and the odd hedge. No harm done though and he loved every minute of it.

Edit to add: never on the public highway or keys taken away. And he abided by this surprisingly, he knew the dangers.

 

[Dry Rot]

I think most of us would prefer to wear out than rust out!

 

[ashmore]

Very refreshing to read all these posts. What other industry has these problems? My main concern is combing. My farther absolutely loves doing it. We have a manual gearbox (the combine desperately needs changing). And he understandably finds it exhausting to do a decent days work. And consequently 460a takes a long time. Two years ago he had chemotherapy, and couldn't drive it. An excellent local man drove it for me and we worked late and cracked on. He saw the benefits, and asked him again last year. But because he was in good fettle moaned like hell about the extra cost of wages, and the fact he was p1ss board. I'm dreading this harvest.

 

[ashmore]

Very refreshing to read all these posts. What other industry has these problems? My main concern is combing. My farther absolutely loves doing it. We have a manual gearbox (the combine desperately needs changing). And he understandably finds it exhausting to do a decent days work. And consequently 460a takes a long time. Two years ago he had chemotherapy, and couldn't drive it. An excellent local man drove it for me and we worked late and cracked on. He saw the benefits, and asked him again last year. But because he was in good fettle moaned like hell about the extra cost of wages, and the fact he was p1ss board. I'm dreading this harvest.

 

[phillipe]

Up until now I thought my old chap was pretty imortal,but just turned 80 always fit still driving etc all good,but over Xmas got a fair bug which turned into pnemonia,never seen him so frail and helpless,nearly broke my heart, couldn't do nothing and worse of all he couldn't do nothing ,he is on the mend but he now thinks it's time to sell up and move into my rental,sell the family home ,