NRI Man Returns Home To Mumbai To Find His Mother’s Skeletal Remains
These news items are indeed disturbing and I often wonder if these incidences will only increase in future. When Pankaj Udhas sang “Chitthi Ayi hai”, as much poignant as the song was, one could take solace in the fact that at least only the son is overseas while the rest of the family and support system could still be with the parents.
It is thought provoking that when the world around us has seemed to shrink with several modes of communications at our disposal what could possibly have gone wrong with these two families that resulted in such tragic end?
I take my own case. I am an NRI living with my wife and 2 daughters. I am out of India for the last 9 years. I am lucky that I have a brother but I am luckier because he is there with my ageing parents whenever they are in need.
BUT WHAT IF HE WAS NOT THERE OR IF I WAS THE ALONE CHILD?
Do we realize that our parents did not go through a boot camp or a tutorial class to get ready for this situation? They would not have even thought in their dreams that the days when they need us most, we won’t be with them. It’s not like parents were not alone earlier but those were the cases where family relations were decomposed. But the situation we dealing right now is when we have very healthy and strong relationship with our parents but it does not matter how frequently we call them on whats-app, they are alone.
THEY ARE ALONE.
They are alone as mentioned in the second story. While I started focusing on this social problem, the research and data substantiates the fact that parents are feeling more and more lonely. In my previous post[1], I talked about that how this loneliness may result in these tragic stories.
They need A Companion and they need it before it’s too late.
They need A Helping Hand who can help them to be in touch with their own choice of companion and they need it before it’s too late.
They need Attention even though they don’t want because they don’t want more problems for us but they need it before it’s too late.
They need Focus on their problems because they won’t ever tell us about them but they need it before it’s too late.
They need Care because age is not in their favor but they need it before it’s too late.
They need Time so they can pursue the hobbies or interests they always dreamt of before it’s too late.
They need Help on problems that seem trivial to us but are burdensome for them and they need it before it’s too late.
Now the question is that being so far away from them and occupied with my own family and work life, how can I help them?
Not everyone has an option to go back.
Not everyone has an option to visit them every month.
Not everyone has an option to get them to hospital when they are not feeling good.
Not everyone has an option to travel around with them where they want to go.
Not everyone has an option to be with them when they need company.
So what is the option?
In my view, the option is to seek help from someone you can trust. I am seeking help from my brother and that’s my only option. My organization Get Care Of is an attempt to make such a trustworthy option available to all of you who need it for your elderly parents and family members.
Get Care Of is a venture to ensure that we don’t have more of these sad stories. If you would like to seek help from me, my brother or our organization, leave us a message.
Most importantly I would like to hear from you. What do you think are some viable solutions to this growing problem that our own parents in India are facing? What has worked for you?
Share your comment and feedback here.