‘I wonder how parents can become a burden!’
Divya Dutta is moved by the plight of senior citizens in the country. She wrote a piece in a newspaper and was overwhelmed by the messages and mails from senior citizens thanking her for bringing attention to them and their space in society. Divya was haunted after two specific stories were reported in the media. One was about a son returning from USA to surprise his mother, whom he hadn’t spoken to in six years, and found her dead. The other was about a man who lived 10 minutes away from his mother and was shocked to find his mother had been dead in her flat for three days.
“These stories affected me deeply and there have been many similar ones,” says Divya, adding, “I wonder how our emotional needs change with time and how parents, when not needed, become duties, responsibilities or burden! I’ve had the most loving relationship with my parents and couldn’t relate.”
Divya wants to help senior citizens in her own way but most importantly, wants to urge people to look after them. “We all need warmth and love. I’ve been to some old age homes where I saw women from well-to-do families staying away from their children because they aren’t loved. India is known for its hospitality and warmth, so why are we forgetting our basics and not giving time to our parents? Reach out to as many elderly people in your daily life as possible, may be give them a hand and help them climb the stairs or smile.”