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Oasis for the lonely
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LEENA GITA RAGHUNATH dwells on the needs of elderly citizens. Tomorrow is International Day for Older Persons.
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LONELINESS IS an unpleasant emotion. And nothing is more unfortunate than going through this experience at a stage when the spirit is ageing, wishing to settle down and relax from all the misgivings and trepidations that life has offered. When you enter this phase of life, hoping for peace and rest, it is usual that people end up feeling terribly lonely.
Gayathri, a widow, who lives all alone in her home in Kochi, finds the days painstakingly lonely and spends the nights in absolute fear. All her life she has been fortunate enough to travel around the globe with her husband, and on his retirement came down to Kochi to live the remaining part of their life in their homeland.
Solitary
Today, after her husband's death and with the professional demands of her two sons, which keep them out of town, she has been left to wage a losing, lonely war against solitude. Her case is not a singular one, as there are many such urbane and well-travelled people in the city who find themselves helpless, burdened with solitude at an old age. Their disappointment proliferates at the lack of any suitable infrastructure in the city that can provide reasonable security and comfort for them.
A possible answer for old age loneliness, a refuge from this sickening solitude, is Chacko Homes. Situated in the middle of a rubber plantation are 60 quiet, comfortable apartments that are sure to make the silver-brimmed dreams come true. The apartment complex consists of two buildings, which comprise 60 apartments, each with a drawing room, a double bedroom with bathroom and a kitchenette. The apartments are fully furnished and priced at four lakhs, which you can own for your lifetime but cannot sell to anybody else other than the trust, which owns the plot. There is a common dining room, beautifully furnished, and a clean kitchen, where the staff cook health food for all the elderly inmates. A library, with an attached reading room and a recreation room, where one can play bridge or carom, table tennis for the healthier, takes care of the free time. One can always engage a personal home nurse if you need one, and the staff is ever obliging to meet your needs such as your odd shopping or monthly visit to the bank. Twice in a week the doctor visits and does a routine check up for all the inmates.
"When I first heard of this place, through my brother, the idea struck me as good. So my wife and I decided to give it a try. We were tired of the routine of watching television and fed up of the maddening silence of our home, as both my children are settled abroad. It didn't even take us one year to decide that this was the place were we would want to spent the rest of our lifetime. We have taken a long break from boredom since we occupied the apartment here," says John Kuruvilla, the present Director of Chacko Homes, with Saramma John, nodding in approval.
Open to all
This idea of constructing such apartments was the brainchild of late N. P. Abraham, who was also its Director till his death last year. The place is open anyone above 60 years of age, irrespective of their community, but till now has not found any takers from outside the Christian community. "This is a resort and not an old age home," says an inmate who pleaded anonymity, but the sparkle in her eyes reflected the confirmation.
Mr. Kuruvilla says that they ensure that nobody is dumped here or brought against their will, as they do not want to promote the stigma that is usually attached to the old-age homes. "Even our children were vehemently against our idea of moving in, but last year my daughter came down for a visit and after a month long stay here with us wanted to book one apartment already in her name," says Ms. Kuruvilla.
Guestrooms too
There are guestrooms, which you can always book for your dear ones who wants to spend some time with you, that it, if you feel that cramming up your apartment would not be a good idea.
These elderly people have almost exhausted their resources; all they seek is a comfortable worry-free life and loads of companionship. "Anything is better than loneliness," sighs Chinnamma Kovoor, a retired Principal, who has come to Chacko Homes after finding it really hard to cope with the huge vacuum, left behind by the sudden demise of her husband. Planning to move in soon, she says that on her stay as guest over here, she has found this as the apt solution for the maddening loneliness that she now experiences.
Life is a celebration for this elderly crowd here. They celebrate every occasion with fun and glee, in which the elderly persons from neighbouring homes also join in enthusiastically. Saying goodbye to loneliness, they assemble here to celebrate their eventful evening of life.
Most of the senior citizens of the city feel that there is a huge dearth of accommodative facilities in Kochi. The absence of a proper hospital backup renders Chacko Homes unsuitable for the seriously ill and for who are in immediate need of medical attention. The elitist tag that is attached to it is only natural as the inmates comes mostly from the upper crust of the society and affordability can be quite intimidating a proposition for some. Says Jacob Devassy, a Canadian citizen, who is in his homeland to do some research work, "I'm surprised at the dearth of proper accommodation for people of our age in the State. We are an undeniable fact in today's society and I feel that Kerala has to take some serious lessons in this regard from foreign countries."
Canadian model
He proposes the Canadian model, where suitable homes can let their extra rooms for elderly couple, with the housewife doing the cooking and thus earning a good pocket money.
Living alone in a flat or home in this city, with old age for company is risky and finding a housekeeper or home nurse you can trust is like searching for an oasis in a desert. That is exactly why Chacko Homes is such a comfortable option.
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