Old people’s home: Do they know it’s a new year?

During a visit to an old people’s home, NEWTON-RAY UKWUOMA writes that living there has its own challenges for the old ones including those who run the home, a pointer to the declining traditional support system in Africa.

IN traditional African societies old people are often taken care of by their immediate family members and children. The traditional support system dictates that when  parents get old and is no longer able to work, their children often take them in and continue to take care of them until death.

However in more urban centres there are many old people living alone or roaming the streets for many reasons. Some are in this situation because due to economic reasons, their children are not able to take care of them, while for others they are retired and government has not been forthcoming in paying their pensions thus leaving them to the vagaries of economic hardship.

The idea of old people’s home is still strange to social life in this part of the world. But for those who are enlightened enough to keep their aged people there, they do so for various reasons. For instance, those who don’t have enough time to take care of their old ones take them to the homes and visit them from time to time while others take them there in the morning and take them back later in the day.

In Lagos State, for example, two of such homes exist. There is one at Olosha area of Mushin run by Regina Mundi, a Catholic Mission, while another one is located in Yaba and is run by the Lagos State government.

Sunday Tribune was at the Regina Mundi Holy Family Home for the Elderly at Mushin Olosa to see how the old people there are faring. It was learnt that the centre operates two types of residency for the elderly: they take in those who were brought by their children and cater for those who are homeless.

Regina Mundi, the founder of the home, ensured the running of the centre with assistance from well-meaning Nigerians and organisations. The home was established in 1982. To ensure that standard is kept, a thorough screening is often done before any old person is given ‘sanctuary’ so as not to turn the place into a dumping ground.

Only three very elderly women sat at the dining table when Sunday Tribune walked into the Holy Family Home for the Elderly of the Regina Mundi Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos in Mushin Olosha. One was said to be sleeping upstairs, while the rest had gone to see Santa Claus with Rev. Sr. Anthonia Adebowale, the Matron of the home.

Boiled plantain greased with fresh palm oil was what they ate. It was past 5.00 p.m. A spoon began to tug at a piece of plantain in one of the plates at the table immediately Esther, an attendant, began to talk .

“These ones are the oldest. They don’t talk or move a lot,” she said, approaching the table and balancing the plate, but doing nothing to save the plantain.

“We have 11 of them here. Seven women and four men,” she continued, “Most of them have gone to an end of the year party with the coordinator.”

The aged hand that held the spoon was still working languidly but masterly at the plantain. Looking at the elderly woman now, Esther said, “She is only 87 years old. The other one,” pointing to another woman who is now starring at the television screen and at the same time stretching out her hand to receive an android phone from Esther, “she is 92, but she is very coordinated and sound. She takes her calls, dresses herself and she is the only one among them that watches TV.”

Because the Matron had given strict instructions that their identities should not be revealed, Esther could not say how and why she or the others happened to come to this particular home.

“We like to keep information about them private because their children may not like it,” Rev. Sr. Anthonia Adebowale, would later tell Sunday Tribune over the phone.

The elderly woman was now greatly indulged with her phone. Perhaps she wanted to make a call or play a game or surf the net, no one could tell, but she was busy with the phone the entire time. Was it her way of getting familiar with the ever-changing world of technology as a grandparent living in the Old People’s Home? What was clear, however, was that she and others were aging gracefully in this environment.

Modern Realities

Sadly, this is not the reality for most elderly people in Nigeria. Besieged with torrents of challenges including frequent attacks of illnesses, lack of financial support and medical care, immobility, loneliness, lack of decent accommodation and sometimes complete abandonment by children and relatives, senior citizens continue to have it rough in Nigeria, and in no other time had the odds against elderly people been so enormous than in the modern Nigerian society.

For those who have served the nation in various capacities, the delay or non-payment of retirement benefits or pension is like the hanger’s noose, sniffing the life out of them in seconds. Many have died. Many still suffer. Though everyone wants to be old, aging with grace and comfort is a rare accomplishment in Nigeria, where only one in ten thousand persons reach financial freedom at 60.

Interesting, the average life expectancy for Nigeria has recently increased to 54.07 years and it’s targeted to hit 90 years globally in 2030, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).This means there will be an astronomic increase in the population of old people in Nigeria in the coming years, and these people would unfortunately be subjected to the present happenstance of growing old in Nigeria.

Should old age be a blessing or a curse? Many say it depends on the role adult foster care services like Holy Family Home for the Elderly play in the society. Gone are the days when the traditional African support system took care of its old ones.

Growing Need

“In the Nigeria of old we had a communal life,” Sister Adebowale began. “When grandparents get old, children send grandchildren to them, relatives take care of them. But things have changed. These days, some of these children may not even be in the country. And some of the elderly ones may not want to relocate with their children. This is why there is a high demand for homes for the elderly now. So many people come here wanting me to take in their parents, but I refuse because there is a limit to the number this home can take.

“The family unit has broken down. We no longer practice the extended family system. Divorce cases are increasing. Children are already finding hard to survive, let alone grandparents,” she added.

Though a few Homes may be in existence taking care of old people in the society, the reality is that much more old people are roaming the street, begging and looking for shelter, food and clothing. Much more needed to be done. Taking care of a few dozens while thousands of others roam around the country is unacceptable.

—Additional report by Bayo Alade.