Lahore’s elderly hope for family reunion on Eidul Fitr

At old age homes, some of them have been abandoned by their children

As Eidul Fitr is around the corner, senior citizens living at various old age homes in the city, start looking forward to meeting their families. Some of them have been abandoned by their children while some don’t have their families. Each elderly person has a story to tell.

Rasheeda Khanam, 55, who resides at the Heaven Homes located in Pak Arab Society, says she has three children. “I have been living with my son but he told my daughter to take me to her house after he suffered a huge loss in his business. I lived with my daughter for a few months then she brought me here,” she says with teary eyes.

Khanam’s son visits her once in a while but her daughter whom she loves the most not even once came to inquire after her health since the day she brought her at this facility. “I wish my children come to see me this Eid, but if they don’t, the day will pass just like any other.”

Another resident named Kausar Bibi shares that she has three daughters and one son. Her three daughters are married and settled abroad. Earlier, she was living with one of her daughters in South Africa. Later, she told her to go back to Pakistan so Kausar had no other choice but to live in an old age home. “My children are financially sound and happily married but nobody bothers about me.”

A male resident, Muhammad Deen, told The Express Tribune that he spent 25 years of his life abroad. Whatever he earned, he sent to his children in Pakistan. “My children are highly educated and married. When I returned to Pakistan they turned their faces away and abandoned me here,” he says. One of Deen’s sons, a doctor who earns quite well calls him occasionally.

Heaven Homes Supervisor Dr Jamil Parvez says they are working for the welfare of senior citizens for the last 14 years. He elaborates some of the residents never formed familial alliance. Therefore, after they became older they had nobody to take care of and they ended up at old age homes, he adds.

“We also have some residents who have children but they don’t look after them and leave them with us. Also, there are people who bring their parents at the facility but don’t even disclose that they are their parents. Most of them say they are their close relatives,” shares Dr Parvez.

Elderly people miss their children sorely and some of them cry often, says Dr Parvez. “We try our best to console them and take care of them in the best possible way. They miss their children more during a religious festival. Some families take their parents for a day while most of them celebrate Eid at the old age home. “We share happy moments of Eid with our residents by providing them new clothes and new shoes,” he concludes.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2019.