Care for the aged

It was a usual routine and hectic day at work. Just at the end of the day when we had finished I turned around and had a casual chat with my colleague. I asked him whether he was going out on the evening, or just go home. He replied that he had to go and visit his father who was affected with Alzheimier and lives in an old age care home. He said that he was feeling guilty of not having visited him since few months. This colleague is of middle age and very considerate. Whatever he said further really made me to think very seriously. He said that his father cannot recognise him and it is so pathetic to see his father just giving a look if introduced. What an irony! He narrated that as he visits the home with a cake, pie and fruits, one of the staff will take him to his father and introduce him. His father would just look at him and does not speak anything. He does not have any memory and keeps looking somewhere. Oh.. My god after ‘R’ told me about this, I went home and this was in my mind for the next few days.

Being a weekend I called some relatives back in India and few enquiries about their welfare, and the ageing elders. I was surprised to know that one of my relative is 100 this year and is quite healthy and able to carry on her daily duties. They live in a village. I also heard about few other elders who had a fall, who had a fracture and their regular narrations.

My mom who is in her high 70’s, lives with me. I have to keep telling my kids how active she was in her younger days, and they need to adjust living with her pace. They do understand.

We keep talking about the facilities we have in western world for the elders and the infrastructure in developing countries. Every time I talk about this, I could only think of very old people, who had come to me for help when I lived in Chennai suburbs. There was an old lady who was my neighbour and whenever she could not find an Auto, she used to come and stand in front of our gate and ask me a lift. She was so old and heavy, I used to struggle to give her a lift on my Enfield bullet, since the seats were raised and I was more worried about her safety. She used to hold my shoulders so tight it used to be a hindrance for me to ride my bike. I have experienced the plight of old people if they do not have anybody to take care.

Once I was walking in Mount road, Chennai and saw a very old man trying to get into a crowded bus. The conductor did not even bother and gave the whistle. The old man fell down which I was watching from distance. I rushed to him and held him on my lap and comforted him. Thank god he did not have any injury. I cautioned him to be safe, and travel by a less crowded bus.

There are millions and millions of elders living in such a state in under developed countries. Their kith and kin abandon them, and some keep them just for their pensions or little money. In that way the Governments of developed country need to be praised. There is utmost care and attention for elders. Every place should have a ramp for wheel chair access. We have disabled parking space in super markets. There are care homes which take care of old people. These care homes are sponsored by Government. Some of them are run privately.

Every train and bus has facilities to carry wheel chair people. One day I took my mom in her wheel chair, just to see the care shown in local buses. As soon as the bus driver notices the elder in wheel chair, he get down from his seat and unfolds the stairs which helps in taking them safely inside. Then the same way, before we get down he gets down from his seat and helps in taking them out. The Doctor’s clinics, shopping centres and every other public place have preferences for disabled people. Mobility scooters are familiar ones, in which the elders can sit and keep driving it. It is operated by battery and the pavements facilitate the elders to go freely. I live in a place which consists of lots of elders and it is nice to see them going around in their mobility scooters independently. They can shop as well while driving the mobility scooters into the shops. The supermarkets are built spaciously to help them shop on their own. Nobody think of their disability as a negative thought, and keep moving on their life. The local councils have transport facility. Every day if elders preferred going to the shops they can give a call to this facility, who will send van to such elders house to pick them up and take them around for shopping. It is absolutely free and the elders can make use of it.

Living with an elderly person is not a very easy thing. There are plenty of advantages and disadvantages. They become almost kids on getting old. They keep telling the same innumerable times. They have their own habits and want to live the same way. They are reluctant to accept the changes. My mom realises the benefits and care given in this country. If the politicians of the under developed world and developing world consider a little for elders and develop schemes to benefit them it will make wonders for such deserving people.

After all everyone has to become old. It is a different life then. I hope the under developed world keeps this in mind and follows the developed world in this matter.