America, You Forgot About Your Elders — And That Breaks My Heart”
By Elvie Garcia, Immigrant Care Advocate & Founder of West Hill Home Care
Let me say it straight.
The healthcare system in the United States is broken — but the real problem goes deeper than that.
This is not just about policies.
Not just about Adult Family Homes.
Not just about skilled nursing facilities or discharge delays.
This is about something America is losing fast:
Human dignity. Family loyalty. Respect for our elders.
I see it every day.
Beautiful souls — mothers, grandfathers, war veterans, hardworking immigrants — now aging, now fragile, now alone.
They gave everything to their families.
They stood by their children.
They loved hard.
And now… they wait by windows, they stare at phones that don’t ring, and they sit in silence while their sons and daughters get too “busy.”
Yes, I’m calling it out:
America, you’ve forgotten your elders — and that breaks my heart.
Back home in the Philippines, we don’t send our parents away.
We don’t forget them when they slow down.
We don’t abandon them for convenience.
We bring them in closer. We feed them, bathe them, laugh with them, listen to their stories. They die knowing they were loved.
Here in the U.S., I’ve seen a different culture.
People love their parents, yes.
But they also delegate their care. They say, “It’s too much. I can’t do it. I’m busy. I have work.”
But the truth is… they just don’t know what to do.
They’ve never seen love expressed that way.
I’m here to offer a different way.
At West Hill Home Care, we don’t just provide meals and meds — we create connection.
We hold hands. We listen. We celebrate birthdays. We bring joy back into aging.
But here’s my message for every son, every daughter, every grandchild in America:
Your mom took you to the park.
She held your hand when you were scared.
She waited outside school to make sure you were safe.
Now it’s your turn.
Take her out to lunch.
Sit with her at the doctor’s office.
Bring her a flower.
Let her know she still matters.
Because no one should grow old feeling forgotten.
And if you can’t care for them at home — collaborate.
Visit. Call. Ask questions. Be involved.
Love doesn’t end when care begins — it should grow deeper.
When families and care teams work together, magic happens.
Healing happens.
Joy returns.
Peace comes back.
We can’t fix the whole system overnight.
But we can choose to show up with love — every day — for the people who once showed up for us.
This is what I believe.
This is what I fight for.
And this is the care revolution I’m inviting America to join.