Meeting the Challenges of Old People in Warri.

It was on Monday evening that Mummy told me that Granny was around and she asked after me and that I should go and see her and I promised to see her, but I didn’t do so till Saturday evening. Walking on the balcony towards her, she could not recognize me from afar, and she looked thinner, fragile and calm.

All my once active farming Granny who goes to the farm in the morning and comes back late in the evening with the only conversation we may have after dinner is the work left undone at the farm. In native language I greeted and tried discussing with her in my not so fluent mother's tongue and I found myself making excuses for not coming. Mama could tell from my incoherent story that I was lying, but she never tried to stop me or show any sign of concern but deep within me, I knew no excuse was good enough. I forgot that, while we get younger and celebrate our birthdays meagerly or massively, our parents are getting older, not just in theory or reasoning but physically too.

Once he/she is not our parents or family member, we rarely give a damn. Only a few are concerned about old people in the city and Nollywood has not done well to lighten their burden as they have portrayed 70% of old person you see In movies as potential wicked person, wizard or witches. The challenges of Old people in our city and the world around is enormous and we should do all we can to lighten it and not add to it.

As they grow old, There’s the challenge of becoming senile, doddering minds, lack of physical strength and susceptible to health challenges. Staircase becomes nightmare and loneliness their companion. They have too much time to spend alone and feel they've been left behind in the world.

Old people in Warri can be of great help in forging a newwarri because a good percentage of them are custodian of wisdom, knowledge, history and experience and they can help easily transfer and also help in time of need, however we as young, agile and mobile people, can do a lot to help them and make easy adjustment at old age. Here are a few things we can all do for old people in the city;

1.  Show Respect always, by offering practical assistance to them. Stand up for them to seat or ensure they are comfortable whenever you are close to them. Help them cross the road, assist them in any way you can with genuine respect.

2.  Do your best to listen to them and try not to rebuke them like children when they are not correct or speaking out of context.

3.  If you are in a neighborhood where there are old people, do your best to get them involved in the activities around the neighborhood but ensure that they are either observers or doing only the light things.

3.  For those close to you, especially in your family, make out time and spend it with them without distraction and full concentration. By so doing you are sowing seeds that only you can harvest in time.

5.  Visit old people’s home and help out with whatever you can do, either financially, mentally or materially.

Collins A.

Content Writer,

Partner with newwarri and the Village Nerd

azuikecollins@gmail.com

08114430561

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