An Eid spent waiting for loved ones

Women in old age home pray for children despite complaints

LAHORE: Many elders living in old age homes were left waiting for their loved ones even on Eid.

Kousar Naseem, who has loved her children her whole life, would never have thought that she would have to spend the last part of her life in an old age home because of her children. The 74-year-old woman from Karachi has three daughters and a son.

Her son lives with his in-laws in Karachi, while two daughters live in South Africa and one in Jeddah.

Naseem has been living in an old age home named “Haven” in the Pak-Arab Society for five years. She told The Express Tribune that her husband had remarried but had covered his children's expenses. He gave a good education to all the four children, arranged the marriages of his daughters and gave 40 tolas of jewelery to each daughter.

She said her husband had given them all the comforts of the world but it was her daughters who had brought her to this point. She said her daughters had invited her to South Africa but after after three months, she was humiliated and sent back in a state of shock. She has been living in the old age home ever since. She said she did not even have a mobile phone to contact anyone.

She misses her son very much. She says he is very obedient but has no home of his own. She hopes that one day her son will come and take her away.

Pointing out that Eid is celebrated with children, she said she got new clothes, shoes and food in the old age home but this was not enough for her to celebrate the occasion.

She complained that none of her children came to see her on Eid. She could only talk to her son on telephone.

Another woman, Maria, said she was also living in the old age home due to her children. She was a resident of Behar Colony, Lahore and she cannot walk without support.

She also hopes that one day her children will take her away. However, her wait for her loved ones on the Eid also proved futile.

The head of the old age home, Dr Jameel Pervez, said he had been running the institution for 15 years. Some elders have lived here for eight or nine years. The staff serve the elders like their parents and take care of their diet and health.

They also spend time with them take them out for a walk whenever there is an opportunity.  But despite all this, they cannot be a substitute for their children. He said all the residents of the old age home had complaints against their children but they still prayed for them.

"We have bought new clothes and shoes for them on the occasion of Eid," said Shaista, the administrator of the facility. She added that there were also some elderly women whose loved ones did not come to visit them on Eid. However, there are many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) whose representatives spent Eid with the elders.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2020.