Rayaprolu’s Weblog

Seeing the title of the post you might be thinking that I have gone insane. I have a valid reason to convince you people about my insanity. During a morning walk with with my Dad we happened to meet an acquaintance of ours. He is such a bubbly, energetic gentleman. He said casually that his mom is going to visit their house that day. Dad asked him casually  from which town is his mother coming to the city. He, very coolly… casually replied…same city…from Begumpet OLD AGE Home. Dad and Me were shocked. We could not hide our emotions. That gentleman was trying to continue his casual talk by saying that his Mom is not compatible with his wife. What surprised Dad and me was this gentleman himself is an Old Man. He is very rich gentleman. He has a lavish bungalow with several rooms, lawns in it.  He has a married son at home. He happily lives with his grandson. He does not have space for his OWN OLD MOTHER.  From then onwards, whenever I see that gentleman I somehow don’t feel the respect I had earlier.

We used to a have a tenant in our downstairs. They were having a marriage day function at their home. We used to think that they had no parents. Suddenly on that function day an elderly lady graced the function. She brought lots of gifts to them. Next day, my mom asked our tenant who was that elderly lady. Our tenant casually replied “My Mother in Law”. My mother asked “Ok. You have a mother in law? You never said”. My tenant said blushing like a new bride, “She lives in Hyderabad itself..she lives in an Old Age Home”. My mother being from the older generations and not used to this old age home concepts , got panicked hearing such stuff.

Sometime back I got an opportunity to visit the old age home with my friends. People in that old age home were not poor ECONOMICALLY. They were not orphans LEGALLY. We interacted with each one of them. What really touched me was they craving for LOVE and affection. They were constantly saying “We are not poor. We are not poor”. When we spoke them for more than 15 minutes, then shared their stories. Some of them have their sons and daughters in Hyderabad itself. Sons and daughters left them in this old age home as they don’t have time for these people in their busy life. Some left their parents in old age home as they are not compatible with their partners.

Seeing all these I really really feel that old ages homes need to be banned. These old age homes are the jails of the PARENTS of  all senseless, inhumane morons. They don’t deserve a better word.  Strangely, these are special kinds of jails in which the criminals send the victims to the jail. What in the world is more important than the parents. Parents need children every time and they need them more in their OLD AGE. Old age is the age where they spend their retired lives happily with the children and grand children. Grand Parents and grand children make a lovely combination.

Parents are a treasure.  They need to be looked more carefully in their old age in particular. They are like babies who need lot of care and love. I donot say that every person becomes GOOD, MAHAN by default when they reach old age. However, age need to be respected and considered. We need to understand their acts and psychology too. Reason!!! We too are humans..we too are bound to become OLD. Its a natural process!!! What irritates me more is the most common reason cited for sending people to old age homes : COMPATIBILITY ISSUE.  They say innocently, my wife and my mother/father don’t get along well. I thought my mother will be happy in Old age home and all. Which mother or father longs to live in a separate place…far away from their children. How and why should they adjust in new place far away from family? Why is that people just love their partners ….do they think that their partners are dropped from skies or do they feel that their partners are test tube babies??? Why can’t they have respect to the parents of their partners? If people have respect for their own parents and the parents of the partners…the necessity of OLD AGE HOME does not arise.

Take some time to speak to your parents. Tell them that you care them. There is nothing wrong and mean in showing your affection to your parents, after all they are your parents. Pledge that you will never allow any son/ daughter to send their parents to Old age homes.

By the way, got to go , I need to fight with my Mom on the issue of my favorite tomato pickle , need to ask Dad if he brought white sheets and pencils for assignments. When did I say that am not a problematic  daughter….;)

Regards,

Prasanna Rayaprolu