SENIOR CITIZENS

All of us are fed up of reading and listening to news about this dreadful COVID-19 pandemic. Such a small virus has caused such turbulence in the entire world.   None of us ever imagined such a catastrophe would strike us and we will be safe nowhere on the planet! We have heard of natural calamities, wars or even other viral attacks but those would be in certain countries or regions and at least the rest of the world could help the people affected to come out of the difficulties. But, COVID-19 has taken away that option from mankind now. All of…

We have several group for senior citizens in our city, but today (16 Jan,2019) I attended a meet of senior citizens...the common factor between them being that their children are living in Portland, Oregon, in the western seaboard of the USA! The group, all of whom are on WhatsApp, is called "PDX BLR Friends", and is an offshoot of "PDX Seniors" in the city of Portland. The venue chosen for the morning meet was another "senior" of Basavanagudi, Vidyarthi Bhavan, which has existed since 1943. I spoke to Sri Venkatesh Rao, who had used the Metro to arrive at the…

Silver Talkies is an e-magazine for senior citizens, and one of the many useful articles I've seen is the one written by advocate Shiv Kumar about why one should write a will, and how one can do it. Shiv Kumar consults with the Elders Helpline in Bangalore and can be contacted via the Nightingales Medical Trust (NMT). You can contact NMT on 080-42426565 or reach the helpline on 080-22943226. Shiv Kumar is a Senior Advocate with 40 years of active practice at the Karnataka High Court. He has been actively involved with the Elders Help Line since its inception 10…

Silver Talkies is an e-magazine for senior citizens, and one of the many useful articles I've seen is the one written by advocate Shiv Kumar about why one should write a will, and how one can do it. Shiv Kumar consults with the Elders Helpline in Bangalore and can be contacted via the Nightingales Medical Trust (NMT). You can contact NMT on 080-42426565 or reach the helpline on 080-22943226. Shiv Kumar is a Senior Advocate with 40 years of active practice at the Karnataka High Court. He has been actively involved with the Elders Help Line since its inception 10…

A greatly endangered species: the urban pedestrian. I just crossed Bannerghatta Road at great peril to my life. I waited about 10 mins for the traffic to ease, and still had to weave through vehicles which showed not the slightest sign of wanting to slow down for me, or the (even more) elderly lady I was leading by the hand. If I, in generally good health, find it so dangerous and unnerving, how can the blind, the lame, and the old cross our city roads? I also find it amazing that everywhere (not just in our country), it's the motorized…

A greatly endangered species: the urban pedestrian. I just crossed Bannerghatta Road at great peril to my life. I waited about 10 mins for the traffic to ease, and still had to weave through vehicles which showed not the slightest sign of wanting to slow down for me, or the (even more) elderly lady I was leading by the hand. If I, in generally good health, find it so dangerous and unnerving, how can the blind, the lame, and the old cross our city roads? I also find it amazing that everywhere (not just in our country), it's the motorized…

...Mostly, without any courtesy, is my sad answer. I do not own a car, and use public transportation (read buses...the Metro is yet to be within useful reach for me). I know that senior citizens are entitled to a 25% discount on all BMTC fares, except on Vayu Vajra (presumably, the assumption is that if I can afford to take a flight or even visit the airport, I can pay the full fare!). I also know that there are two seats reserved each for women and men senior citizens. However, over the two-plus years that I have been using the…

...Mostly, without any courtesy, is my sad answer. I do not own a car, and use public transportation (read buses...the Metro is yet to be within useful reach for me). I know that senior citizens are entitled to a 25% discount on all BMTC fares, except on Vayu Vajra (presumably, the assumption is that if I can afford to take a flight or even visit the airport, I can pay the full fare!). I also know that there are two seats reserved each for women and men senior citizens. However, over the two-plus years that I have been using the…

Dignity, and quality of life in one's old age is not something given to all of us; sometimes, for various reasons, people have to take up residence in an old-age home. I recently visited one such home, only for ladies, in J P Nagar.   I found that the number of ladies in residence had dwindled to only eight, but these ladies seemed quite peaceful and content with their lives. Indeed, one of them (name withheld on request) regularly makes rangolis in front of the gate each morning. However, life is not luxurious. There are, indeed, several "senior citizens" residential…

Dignity, and quality of life in one's old age is not something given to all of us; sometimes, for various reasons, people have to take up residence in an old-age home. I recently visited one such home, only for ladies, in J P Nagar.   I found that the number of ladies in residence had dwindled to only eight, but these ladies seemed quite peaceful and content with their lives. Indeed, one of them (name withheld on request) regularly makes rangolis in front of the gate each morning. However, life is not luxurious. There are, indeed, several "senior citizens" residential…