FEAMC and CroCMA on the Occasion of the Commemoration of St. Anne and St. Joachim: An Appeal to Healthcare Providers for Holistic Care for the Elderly
On the occasion of the 6th World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly and the feast of Saints Anne and Joachim, the president of the European Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FEAMC) and the Croatian Catholic Medical Association (CroCMA) addresses a proclamation to healthcare providers and the public.
Defending the dignity of the elderly: Against the culture of rejection and euthanasia
Today, as the Catholic Church celebrates the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly for the sixth time, within the context of the feast of Saints Anne and Joachim – the grandparents of Jesus – we call upon you to fundamentally reexamine society’s attitude toward the most vulnerable generation. Together with other national Catholic associations of physicians, nurses, and technicians, as well as all healthcare workers, we raise our voice against the increasingly pervasive loneliness and marginalization of elderly individuals.
From the warmth of the hearth to the silence of isolation
We live in a time of profound paradox. Once, grandparents lived under the same roof as their grandchildren, actively contributing to their growth and the spiritual and social formation of younger generations. It was they who, sitting by the family hearths, taught their grandchildren their first prayers and instilled in them imperishable Christian values. Today, these same grandparents are too often left to the silence and loneliness of their own homes.
In the modern world today, we witness an emotional and spiritual impoverishment: due to the fast pace of life and all-day work hours, parents are often absent, and children are raised by surrogate parents: institutions, educators, teachers, or nannies. In the worst-case scenario, children are left to their own devices after school, locked in the coldness of empty homes. At the same time, grandparents are left to silence and isolation.
As healthcare providers who witness physical and mental suffering every day, we warn that loneliness has become a dangerous disease of the modern age. Neglecting the elderly directly leads to the loss of integrity and the foundational values of the family.
Uncompromising defense of life and the dignity of the elderly
HKLD and FEAMC declare that society must not remain silent or passively wait. We invite all believers and people of good will to take concrete actions: let us go to Holy Mass today, pray for our elderly, visit them in their homes, and bear witness to our love for them. We also call for public support through social media networks so that the whole world can see that we are thinking of them.
The healthcare system bears a special responsibility. As Catholic physicians and healthcare providers, we commit to doing everything for the health of elderly individuals – both through health preservation and disease prevention, as well as in moments of severe illness and impending death. Advanced age must never be a justification for abandoning treatment, providing a lower level of medical care, or offering poorer human treatment. Our elderly patients are someone’s grandparents and deserve top-quality care and absolute respect.
Happy World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly to all! Saints Anne and Joachim, pray for our families!
Prof. Rok Čivljak, M.D., Ph.D.
President of the European Federation of Catholic Medical Associations (FEAMC)
President of the Croatian Catholic Medical Association (CroCMA)
