Photos and interviews by Tiffny Rhodius
This week we asked the man and woman in the street if they have given much thought to where they will be in their old age and whether they might have to stay in a home for the elderly.
Louanna Hero, private sector employee:
‘No, I have not really given much thought to where I will be when I get old but I know I’m not going in no home to stay. Maybe I’ll be with my children. However if I had to go in an old persons home I’d go.’
Amanda Doris, private sector employee:
`No. I’m young and I wouldn’t know if I would still be alive that long but if I were I would want to be alive to see my children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I won’t put myself in a home. My children have to look after me. I made preparations and took care of them so it will then be their turn to make preparations and take care of me when the time comes.’
Cecil Haynes, private sector employee:
‘I try to be active and maybe when I get older I may retire to London. I will not put myself in a home because I will have someone looking after me. Right now I am just trying to live out my deceased mother’s last wishes.’
Tammy Agard, housewife:
‘If God spares my life to grow old I’d like a respectable home with my family. I am against the idea of being in a home for old people because I believe that when you are young you should be making the preparations so that you don’t end up in an old person’s home. You should use the money you make to make the arrangements to care of yourself when you get old.’
Lenny Singh, businessman:
‘Yeah, I’d like to be in Guyana and still be doing my business you know. I’d like to keep doing something in my old age to keep me going. Yeah, I am against the idea of putting myself in a home but it also depends you know. If you have no home or no family and you can’t take care of yourself then in a situation like that, yeah I’d put myself there. I’d prefer to be in my own home though and will only go in an old home if I have to.’
Alberta Brooms, businesswoman:
‘Yes I have thought about where I’d be. I’d be continuing to give God the thanks and praise. I also think about spending my old age with my grands and great-grands and I just hope I can play with them. I won’t put myself in a home because I still believe in the family and just like I take care of my children and grandchildren I expect them to take care of me however, if because of circumstances, such as children migrating, I will go. But otherwise I will not consciously make arrangements to put myself in a home. It would have to be entirely up to the circumstances that arise.’
Dennis Mohabir, private sector employee:
‘Life is unjust. Sometimes you’re here other times your not. But for me I’ll be home playing with some grandchildren and watching TV while taking care of my health. I realise that I need to take more care of myself when I get to that old age. As for putting myself in a home I don’t think I’ll have any regrets if it happens that way. But if you have children then I don’t think I’ll be making that arrangement. It also depends on how you treat your children. You know what they say: you make your children but you don’t make their minds. But if it comes to living in a home it will be because I have no other choice.’
Neville Inniss, trader:
‘I already made those arrangements since I am not going to be living in a home. But then again the children are going to put you out so you have to make provision up front and not waste your money. Me, I’ll be doing some gardening and a little livestock mining when I get older. I have to make my life easier. And they say that any active old person will live longer so you have to be active when you get older.’
Indra Zamal, businesswoman:
‘I wouldn’t put myself in an old persons home. I am making provisions to not be there. I have my own home and my two sons. They have to look after me. I never really think about getting old. My mother and father both passed away at about 60 and I don’t think I am going to live longer than that. The same sick that my parents had the whole family get so I want to live long yeah, but not longer than them.’
Suraj Shivnauth, private sector employee:
‘I’ve never given any thought about getting old but if I do I will put myself in a good home probably. I am not against the idea of being in a home. Someone has to take care of me either my children or the people in the old home. Other than that I haven’t really thought of life that far ahead. When the time comes you’ll know what you’ll do I guess.’
