No Dreary Home for the Aged

By SHOMA PATNAIK
Posted on 2009-01-27
Last Sunday morning I visited Snehass Mandir nestled in the hills of Bandora, Ponda. The institution, a residential home for the retired and the elderly looked nothing like what I expected it to be. Where were the rows of beds with sleeping old people on them? Or, the shuffling, elderly, walking about in a haze perplexity?
Refreshingly, the dreary ambience one associates with an institution housing the geriatric was missing. In fact, in the early light of the day, the place looked idyllic. And, things got better as one walked around the premises.
Neat cottages, named after flowers, stood behind a profusion of greenery. In some, there were the elderly in the balcony, quietly reading their morning paper. While, in others there were residents eyeing me in friendly curiosity. A regular scene in any housing complex with too many old people in it, I thought.
Escorting me around was Mr Shrikant Narayan Burye, a sprightly soul who has decided to spend his time in usefulness. This gentleman got himself admitted to the ‘home’ in 1996 soon after retirement. “I look after the water, electricity and timely ordering of the provisions,” he says before adding “this is my home and I plan to remain here always.”
“Don’t take pictures of me,” demanded another gentleman, hiding behind the daily, “I worked in the postal services and want to remain incognito here,” he said. But, he was one of the few exceptions because most of the other residents were quite accepting of their presence in the institution.
So, this is how it is at this old-age home folks. It is an institution, meant for the elderly who have opted for institutionalised care in their twilight years. There are pensioners, retired businessmen, mostly the middle class having lived a regular life of service in their working years. The charges for living in the ‘home’ are a modest Rs 1,200 per month excluding a one-time fee of Rs 15,000 of which Rs 10,000 is refundable on leaving.
As for the residents, they seem to be a contented crowd happy to live among their own age group and in a place dedicated to looking after them. Quite a few are bachelors, some live with their better halves while others are those whose spouses are no more and feel more at peace for having paid for their care.
Points out, Mr Ramakrishna V Naik, vice chairman of the committee managing Sneh Mandir, “There is a real need for more institutions like these in Goa.” He elaborates, “We get lot of visitors from all over the country, and they are amazed at how well this place is run. But believe me, the task is not easy which is why we are not expanding the capacity.”
He explains, “However, we are expanding in the ‘wing’ taking care of the elderly who are bed-ridden or infirm. The new ward will soon get operational in February.”
Adds, Goa’s theatre personality, Mr Rajendra Talak, an honorary member of the managing team, “This place is successful because it is managed by a highly pro-active team. All of us put in the required hours of work into the home, despite having our own work.”
Mr Talak adds, “Our residents themselves are happy living here, they lead a routine life like anybody else and do things around the place to make things even better from themselves.”
Nonetheless, while talking around one discovers that not all residents wish to spend their lives forever at the ‘home.’ Says Ms Vaspate, drawing me aside quickly, “I have spent five years with my daughter in the US before coming to this place. If she calls me back, I will go back at once, but immigration laws are strict,” she says and concludes, “I am stuck here.”