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🇹🇼 Taiwan /Culture & Society

90-Year-Old Mother's Falls: Zhao Ting Thought Her Mother Might Never Stand Again

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

In-depth Named sources Context piece
  • Taiwanese host Zhao Ting is caring for her 90-year-old mother who suffered two falls.
  • Zhao Ting's mother initially had difficulty moving, requiring assistance from three people to be moved from bed to the living room.
  • Zhao Ting emphasizes the importance of maintaining mobility and dignity for her mother, focusing on rehabilitation and family support.

Taiwanese television host Zhao Ting is sharing her journey of caring for her 90-year-old mother, who has experienced two falls, leaving her initially unable to stand. Zhao Ting revealed on Facebook that in the initial days after returning home, her mother lacked the strength to get out of bed. It required Zhao Ting, her husband, and a caregiver to collectively move her mother from bed to the living room sofa each day.

Every time we moved her, I felt like my back was about to break.

— Zhao TingZhao Ting describes the physical strain of helping her mother move between bed and sofa.

Describing the arduous process, Zhao Ting explained that one person would support her mother's shoulders, another her hips, and a third her legs. "Every time we moved her, I felt like my back was about to break," she admitted. Her mother's pain and cries during these transfers were heartbreaking. Many questioned why Zhao Ting didn't simply let her mother rest in bed, but she understood that prolonged bed rest could lead to permanent immobility.

Zhao Ting remains steadfast in her commitment to help her mother regain strength and dignity. She insists on moving her mother to the living room daily to watch television, chat, and feel the warmth of the sun, believing that a change of environment fosters a change in mood. "Leaving the sickbed is telling myself: Today, I am still living, not waiting for life to slowly stop," she stated. While not expecting her mother to regain her former agility, Zhao Ting hopes she can stand with the aid of a walker and take steps forward, even if just a few, which she considers worthy of applause.

Leaving the sickbed is telling myself: Today, I am still living, not waiting for life to slowly stop.

— Zhao TingZhao Ting explains her philosophy on maintaining her mother's engagement with life despite her physical limitations.

Currently, Zhao Ting accompanies her mother through rehabilitation exercises, offering constant encouragement. She sees elder care as not just tending to the body, but also preserving a person's dignity. "Family companionship is not just about being by their side, but about helping them believe in themselves," she said. Zhao Ting holds onto the belief that as long as one is willing to stand up and move forward, there is hope, regardless of age.

Family companionship is not just about being by their side, but about helping them believe in themselves.

— Zhao TingZhao Ting emphasizes the psychological importance of family support in elder care.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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