Page 43 - Seniorstoday July 2024 Issue
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bereaved post an exhausting, enduring
and expensive care for both his parents
and parents-in-law having debilitating
health issues. He often wished for a respite
and alternative care-giving options. A
dutiful son and son-in-law he indeed was,
but so was he a prescient investor sensing
opportunities in the markets, high or low.
The old wizen, but the markets freshen.
I have a friend in a senior school mate
and an ad industry colleague, all lively and
sprightly at 82, who recently shifted to a A few others in my circle have either
senior living facility in salubrious climes opted for it or are thinking of it. One
down south. He has had a successful career another acquaintance of mine was living
and is now a prolific writer of articles and in such assisted living for several years
books. He has been a long staying resident and when his wife expired due to health
Old Age and Home of Chennai, having his own sprawling issues, his son convinced him to migrate
home, where his son and his family also
to the US and stay with him. A school
live. He had been widowed about a decade teacher of mine, having two daughters and
and a half ago, but his never-say-die having a cosy apartment in a good area in
attitude saw him coming out of the loss Mumbai also moved to such a facility in
of his beloved wife and getting involved the distant south, after retirement decades
in myriad social activities in her honour ago. His wife continues to live there
and turning to writing with a vengeance. after his passage to eternity a few years
One fine day, he just announced to his ago. Another acquaintance, a successful
friends that he is going to move out of his automobile engineer having a plush
Chennai home and try out living in a senior apartment in Mumbai moved to a distant
assisted living facility. When I asked him old age home, after his wife deceased, since
the reason for it, he had no clear answer he could not handle being alone and after
but did say that he did not want to be a his son disowned him. He died, lonely and
burden on his son. When I asked him why unhappy, in that old age home. A relative
Coimbatore, he said the climate is good and of mine, all of 86, is living alone in the
his daughter lives there and hence he will distant New Mumbai, her two children
not be alone. When I said that he could as having migrated abroad and unwilling to
well continue living in Chennai, which he come back and her husband taking off on
is familiar with and where he has his large his heavenly journey. She is distraught and
network of friends, he did not have a cogent any time someone calls her, she asks if she
answer. To cut a long story short, he did can stay with them. Not a happy situation
what he had decided on and over the past to be in.
4 months has been living there, seemingly More recently, I know of a person, a
very happy and contented. So, he will, at friend’s friend, searching for an assisted
least till his body, mind and intellect stay living facility in the outskirts of Mumbai
aligned. for his aged parents. He works abroad and
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #61 | JULY 2024 43
