Why segregate seniors?

One has to applaud the good work that is being done by the World Zoroastrian Organisation (WZO) in Navsari where shelter, without stress and worry, is given to the inmates of the Senior Citizens Homes. It’s a remarkable endeavor and no words of gratitude are enough for such work. But a thought that comes to my mind is, is this a healthy trend? Isn’t it a kind of isolation of the senior citizen? You may call it a ‘Home away from home’ but it’s one way of putting the old out of the way! They have for company only folks from similar background and age related problems. Is this what they want or need? Of course they are looked after well with nutritious food, exercise sessions and other recreational stimulants. But is this the best we can do?

Why do we need to isolate the senior citizen? Why can they not find place in the mainstream of the community where the old and young can intermingle? What is there for them to look forward to if they live an unnatural life? The concept of a home for the aged is of a very recent origin, more so because we have a very large populace of singles in both sexes and many a young have left their homes and family for better pastures. So naturally a big group of the aged is left stranded. I feel there is a far more humane solution if the Bombay Parsi Punchayet and the WZO and the community work together.

We have large Parsi baugs in Bombay. Why not insist that each baug have some allotted flats or a building for the senior citizens where they can get the same care as in the old age homes, but still be in the midst of the chail-phail (hustle and bustle) of assorted families, with known young and old faces in familiar surroundings? Once this happens and each Parsi colony takes care of its own and some more who are from outstation, then the problems of special homes will cease once and for all!

Let’s not forget that each of us is, sometime or the other, going to reach that significant age. Would we then be happy to be segregated only because of age? Such segregation and relocation is a sure way to senility, far before its time!

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda