Home alone, seniors struggle to fend for themselves

Priya.Menon@timesgroup.com

Chennai:21.04.2020

A few days into the national lockdown, Mahendren Ramalingam went through the “worst nightmare” as he calls it. The 63-year-old diabetic, who lives in Adyar on his own, found himself left without any food.

“A small caterer was supplying food, but after a week they stopped saying their delivery boys were finding it difficult to deliver food. The days that followed were the worst of my life. I had kanji for breakfast, and then survived for a couple of days on cucumber, tomato, onion and bread,” says Ramalingam, who in desperation, reached out to a friend who found someone down the road to give him meals till the catering service resumed operations.

While many people in the city are using the lockdown period to spend quality time bonding with their families, a few others, especially seniors living on their own, are struggling to fend for themselves. With no domestic help and total isolation, they struggle to maintain their physical and psychological health.

“I had a maid, a driver and was volunteering six days a week, teaching underprivileged children computers and English. Now I am at home and though I still consult for a realty firm, I miss having company,” says Ramalingam. “If I open the door, I may see the watchman or a neighbour. Also, the real challenge of being alone is that if any machine/ gadget doesn’t work – fridge, cell phone – I would not know what to do.”

Kamakshi Subramaniyan, 92, who lives in Besant Nagar, feels the same. “I thrive on company,” says Kamakshi, who is also dependent on a caterer for food. “I have a maid who comes one in two or three days. My friends call every morning and evening, and get me whatever I need. The corporation also keeps a check on me, a man comes every day to see if I am hale and hearty,” she says, adding that she watches more TV to while away time.

“I have cut down on watching news as it gets depressing, and watch some religious programmes for solace, though actually I love watching humorous movies,” say Kamakshi. Known to campaign for civic issues, she continues policing the neighbourhood from her balcony. “When I see people jumping into the corporation playground opposite my house, I ask them to leave,” she says.

Checking out the stock market five days a week and reading is what helps D Radhakrishnan, 92, keep up his spirits. “I live with my daughter but she is away in Paris as her daughter had a surgery. My neighbours give me food, a maid comes once in 10 days to clean the apartment. Both of us wear masks as a precautionary measure. I only have a few vessels to clean and have enough clothes for two weeks, after which I use the washing machine,” he says.

He misses spending time with his friends and worries about his daughter and granddaughter. ”But, in life, you have to accept situations. Once you do that, you will find ways to keep yourself occupied and busy,” he says