A Visit to an Old Age Home
In India we have a rich tradition of treating our elders with the highest degree of reverence- we seek their blessings before embarking on an important mission and take their advice on all important matters. But somehow in this age where a nuclear family is the norm rather than an exception this tradition seems to be losing its foothold. The growing number of old age homes and the rising cases of harassment and domestic violence against senior citizens bears testament to the fact that they are treated as a burden to society.
I got an opportunity to visit an old age home in Khadavali as a part of the Social Cell initiative in SIMSR. We left for the place early morning from Ghatkopar station. The entire journey took around 1.5 hours after which we took a rickshaw to the place. It is a beautiful place overlooking a river which is very clean.
The home is unlike the tall rises in Mumbai-it has small blocks scattered in the compound.There are separate blocks for the ladies, the gentlemen and some for couples also. The caretaker greeted us with a lot of enthusiasm despite us showing up without prior notification. We first visited the mess area- we were told that there were separate timings for men and women. It was a tidy place that appeared clean and hygienic.
We then proceeded to meet all the residents. We first encountered a group of jolly old men who were taking a walk. They bantered away- one of them tried to humour us with his ‘shayari’ and jokes. I got to know that he was quite a story teller. Later we went to the block which housed the women- it was a one story building. As we entered, the sight of an array of beds greeted us-just like the general ward of a hospital. We interacted with the people who were awake. Some of them were attempting to get us to purchase the handicrafts they prepared. We could learn a thing or two about sales and tactics from them. We bought a couple of items to display on the kiosks and maker a larger audience aware of their products. They were usually provided with the basic necessities, but they made these handicrafts so that they can buy things they like.
It was great interacting with them. The story of one woman bought tears to my eyes. She had been in an orphanage as a child. She just had one daughter. When her legs were rendered useless, she was forced to leave her house. A doctor offered to treat her and got her admitted to the old age home. He pays her yearly fee and comes to visit her as often as possible. She said that as much as she tried to focus her energies on other activities, the memories of her daughter continues to haunt her and triggers a wave of sadness. We all were deeply moved. Each of them had a sad, vacant look on their faces, their eyes devoid of home and acceptance of their unfortunate fate.
The block which housed couples was very spacious- each room was beautifully decorated and well maintained. I presume it commanded a higher rate for the privilege. I learnt that the care taker also lived in one of those rooms with her husband. I also happened to encounter a woman who seemed very learned. She had a very pleasant disposition. She was an avid reader. She spoke at length about how the younger generation lacked general knowledge as they didn't take to books. She also narrated her experiences in life and showed us a lot of pictures.
Before we knew it, it was time to depart. With a heavy heart we left the place, promising them to come back soon.
I got an opportunity to visit an old age home in Khadavali as a part of the Social Cell initiative in SIMSR. We left for the place early morning from Ghatkopar station. The entire journey took around 1.5 hours after which we took a rickshaw to the place. It is a beautiful place overlooking a river which is very clean.
The home is unlike the tall rises in Mumbai-it has small blocks scattered in the compound.There are separate blocks for the ladies, the gentlemen and some for couples also. The caretaker greeted us with a lot of enthusiasm despite us showing up without prior notification. We first visited the mess area- we were told that there were separate timings for men and women. It was a tidy place that appeared clean and hygienic.
We then proceeded to meet all the residents. We first encountered a group of jolly old men who were taking a walk. They bantered away- one of them tried to humour us with his ‘shayari’ and jokes. I got to know that he was quite a story teller. Later we went to the block which housed the women- it was a one story building. As we entered, the sight of an array of beds greeted us-just like the general ward of a hospital. We interacted with the people who were awake. Some of them were attempting to get us to purchase the handicrafts they prepared. We could learn a thing or two about sales and tactics from them. We bought a couple of items to display on the kiosks and maker a larger audience aware of their products. They were usually provided with the basic necessities, but they made these handicrafts so that they can buy things they like.
It was great interacting with them. The story of one woman bought tears to my eyes. She had been in an orphanage as a child. She just had one daughter. When her legs were rendered useless, she was forced to leave her house. A doctor offered to treat her and got her admitted to the old age home. He pays her yearly fee and comes to visit her as often as possible. She said that as much as she tried to focus her energies on other activities, the memories of her daughter continues to haunt her and triggers a wave of sadness. We all were deeply moved. Each of them had a sad, vacant look on their faces, their eyes devoid of home and acceptance of their unfortunate fate.
The block which housed couples was very spacious- each room was beautifully decorated and well maintained. I presume it commanded a higher rate for the privilege. I learnt that the care taker also lived in one of those rooms with her husband. I also happened to encounter a woman who seemed very learned. She had a very pleasant disposition. She was an avid reader. She spoke at length about how the younger generation lacked general knowledge as they didn't take to books. She also narrated her experiences in life and showed us a lot of pictures.
Before we knew it, it was time to depart. With a heavy heart we left the place, promising them to come back soon.
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