91) Old-age homes

Dr. Manjula Iyengar had one dread in life and that was being confined to an old age home and awaiting death as a merciful release from illness and suffering. Being an oncologist, she had seen more than enough of both.

She’s a widow with a married daughter in Cleveland while she could never leave the confines of Madras. Manjula was part and parcel of the city and in fact such a regular feature that she gave colour and personality to the great metropolis. Manjula always thought: who would be so mad as to leave the beach or walks in the Theosophical society or those December festivals or forsake the company of the Mylapore brigade?

Dr. Manjula was fit and able to manage the rigours of living alone in a flat in Gandhinagar. But with increasing age and restricting mobility the chores were endless: pay those electricity and water charges, take the dog for a walk in the morning, shop for groceries and vegetables, manage the cook and maid and thousands of demands of an everyday living in 2000s.

Her daughter Vanitha kept requesting for moving in with them in the December of her life. Manjula did give it a try but after 3 months in the United States her heart pined for the noise and squalor of Madras. She wanted to die in Madras and even now active in offering free consultations to poor patients.

Despite the daily phone calls between Cleveland and Madras, there was nothing for Manjula to look forward to during the day save “Bunty” the dog. She was a German shepherd and like her fast ageing. Bunty did give her the strength to go on with its affection and good cheer.

Bunty fell it and was taken to Dr. Annie Besant dispensary on IV Avenue. It had reached the end of its canine existence and it was put to sleep and relieve it from more suffering. The clinic did offer Manjula another beautiful Alsatian but she had more than enough.

She said, “Then that dog will outlive me and it would be miserable after my death and in any case who will look after it then?”

Even last week she had gone to Philips service centre to repair the music system and when they gave her a fancy bill, she said, “You don’t have to make it to last for 5 years. Just ensure that it plays for 2 or 3 years and by which time, I must be gone”.

Loneliness was gnawing her from inside and yet she did not think that United States was an option. The winter months heralded spring and she told Vanitha on the phone, “I have been so languishing for a while and I really can do some company. I am thinking of moving to an old age home”.
She found a very posh retirement home in Neelankarai and for the last 3 months, she has found new vigour and bounce in tone and steps.

She reported to her daughter:” I used to think that old age homes were for those deserted and those in perennial ailment. Far from it

“I now enjoy the company of people who are as accomplished and still so positive about life. We play carom everyday and discuss for hours the menu for the day, boss around cooks and enjoy a good swim at the pool. Every week, we make it a point to see a play or a music concert downtown and the best part is there is an ayurvedic doctor in-house and believe it or not, I found relief for my shoulder pains”.

Vanitha was telling her husband in the US, “That’s my mom. She can make herself happy anywhere and we must visit her this fall”. (625 words)