Elderlies in Lebanon Are Waiting for Any Protection to Ease Their Pain
Grandma Osana and Mr. Said: Suffering with Great Pain!
Report and Photos by Elia Nasrallah
Alone, abandoned... Many elderlies are drowning in despair and trying to stay alive... These expressions seem to be harsh amidst the absence of human dignity and decent life. But in fact, words cannot be harsher than the bitter situation witnessed by our grandmothers and grandfathers, elderlies searching for a ray of light in the midst of the dark days they were forced to live. Why are they passing through this alienation? Answers to this legitimate question lie in many reasons reflected in the difficult living conditions they are suffering from in the absence of laws protecting them, especially in our region, in the wounded Middle East.
Last June, His Holiness Pope Francis said "Old age moves ahead toward its destination, towards God’s heaven", describing the eternal path in which elderlies strengthen their faith and live with comfort and tranquility. A path free of life's thorns and difficulties towards the joy of meeting God. However, many elderlies are today deprived from living this peaceful phase of their lives, due to life dangers that everyone is aware of, threatening them and depriving them from their rights.
The Pope prays during this month of July for the elderly, so their “experience and wisdom may help young people to look towards the future with hope and responsibility”. But how can they spread hope and a positive spirit when they lost hope in an East that also lost its youth?
Lebanon, Syria and Iraq... are in the heart of the storm. Many statistics are available in this context. This is in addition to the difficulties faced today by associations in securing aid due to the prolonged economic, banking and health crises. However, field stories may ring the alarm bell! Elderlies in Lebanon, for example, and other countries in the region are not well.
Elderly Bleeding
To the streets of Beirut, we went. In Mar Mikhael region, whose wounds have not healed yet two years following the Beirut Port Blast, we met Grandma Osana. We moved with her to one of the poor neighborhoods of the area. There, where hope is timid, Grandma Osana is living in one room at the entrance of an old building.
She welcomed us with a smile tinged with sadness and told us her story and suffering. She said, "my husband have worked at the airport. Our situation was fine. We tried to go to France in the 80s, but we couldn’t. He died from cancer 40 years ago. I have two daughters who made operations due to diseases, and one of them her husband died.”
Amidst her efforts for surviving, Grandma Osana, remembered with us some important phases in her life and said, "long time ago I was a seamstress and I had assistants and a shop with machines. But I lost everything due to the conflicts in 1975. Life turned against us. In the past, I used to help people, but now I’m the one who needs help, I’m living in torment. Despite all the difficulties, it is important to spread love and blessings at home.”
She continued, "I lived in an underground house for free, but I had to leave it because the property’s owner wanted to demolish the building. Since 3 years, I’m living in this room, with a monthly rent of 100$. My sister used to clean houses so she could help me paying the bills. But now an association helped me and payed for 6 months. God bless them.”
On her social life, she added, "I don't have friends here, everyone lives alone and people are jealous of each other. During the day I read the Bible, go to the Church and prepare food for my brother's children. The kitchen and bathroom are shared in the entrance of the building, noting that my sister is also living in one room in front of mine.”
Grandma Osana tackled her health situation. She took a doctor’s prescription and said, "I used to go the Red Cross center to help me with health services, but now I couldn’t because transportation costs became expensive. I did 2 operations and I was very tired. Medicines also became expensive and I can’t buy it. Noting that sometimes, medicines are not available. That’s why associations are unable to help me.”
"God grant us patience and let love shine so we can overcome crises." Grandma Osana said that with tears in her eyes. She added "God help the politicians so they may work with love for a better future. I wish that youth will not go or travel. I also wish that hope will be spread among people so life can be better as old times during which we witnessed harmony between everyone and things were not expensive.”
Heartily, she expressed her pain and told us, “I’m said because of what is happening around us. I’m also sad since youth are not living their best days and are leaving the country. Without youth, there are no blessings. Families are not happy anymore due to many concerns.”
But with great faith, she said, "Always pray, we are all dust. Don't be arrogant, Jesus is the King! God gives me strength to keep going."
Heartburn
The story of Grandma Osana embodies the situation of many elderlies living with grief, struggling and searching for the basic needs of a decent life, but results come in vain. Mr. Said is also suffering from life’s bitterness. As soon as a wound heals, more painful wounds open.
In Ain El Remmaneh region, Mr. Said lives in an old and humble home. We listened to his story while his wife was suffering in pain.
He said, "From the time I did the accident 15 years ago, the wheel of life turned. I worked as an electrician, and the accident happened during work. I fell down on my head and back, that’s why I can’t walk as everybody does. I have two daughters who live far away and a son.”
He continued, "Because of what is happening with me and the raise of prices, life has become more difficult. A car hit my wife, who also did an eye operation. We paid a lot of hospitalization expenses, some people helped us, I was forced to ow many amounts of money, and I sold our AC, TV and oven… My debt is very big and I can’t stop obsessing over it. We couldn’t eat as we should, so we only have a pack of hummus, a cheese slice and olives. As for medications, the owner of the pharmacy I used to visit is my friend so he helps me in terms of payment, especially since my wife have many medications to take.”
Mr. Said lost all his hope in the arduous journey of life, he said, "We are disgusted with life, we don’t like anymore to talk with anyone, I can’t even listen to songs. We have great faith but God is still testing us. We are not looking for anything anymore; the politicians are killing us; may God forgive them. I’m very disgusted. God please take me know and my wife who is suffering! We didn’t do anything for our Lord, but we keep thanking Him.”
The Middle East Council of Churches and its Support for Eldelries
The stories of Grandma Osana and Mr. Said are examples of many elderlies living in pain. A lot of humanitarian initiatives are seeking to accompany the elderly, as much as possible, so the shore of safety may become closer.
From his side, The Middle East Council of Churches is trying to heal the wounds of the elderly through the Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Beirut’s Office, which is making efforts to support those who are living alone in Lebanon and help them overcome the daily challenges with least possible damage. So MECC may sorrow hope and joy in broken hearts amidst endless pressures.
The Diakonia Department in Beirut and the Our Lady Dispensary affiliated to MECC, is always working on continuous communication with the neediest elderlies, so the team may listen to them and identify their needs in order to secure and provide them aid through various social or medical activities, such as medical consultations, providing medicines, home follow-up, cash assistance, food and other types of aid.
The Diakonia Department also focuses on taking care of elderlies living alone, embracing them and relieving their despair. The department also implements many training courses aiming at teaching how to take care of the elderly in a healthy, safe and secure manner.
Lebanon Is Not Safe for Elderlies
On the other hand, the report "A Cry of Hope and Pain" issued by the International Foundation for Older Persons and the International Labour Organization stated that elderlies in Lebanon were negatively affected by the economic crises. In the midst of the high rates of poverty and unemployment in the country, most citizens are unable to secure their basic needs, which in turn impacted the elderlies.
What made matters worse was the collapse of the support and care systems that should protect elderlies, whether government programs, the private sector, NGOs or family networking. As the report mentioned, many elderlies have lost their source of income or others are forced to work even after retirement age.
According to the report, Lebanon is still one of the weakest countries in the region in providing social protection for the elderly, especially that 80% of them are relying on their families for financial support or on their savings, if available, which have already lost value. Noting that most of elderlies in Lebanon are not receiving any retirement pension or financial support from the state, especially since the insurance and funding companies are also threatened with collapse.
Ongoing Elderly Tragedies!
Elderlies in the world are also facing many types of abuse, it may be physical such as beating or kicking..., sexual such as rape and assault... or psychological through insult and threat. This is in addition to the illegal or improper spend of money or use of property of the elderly. Also, many of elderlies are left alone without any care for their basic needs. The abuse may also be spiritual where elderlies are restricted or prevented from their spiritual habits or traditions. Therefore, the United Nations has scheduled in its international calendar and on June 15 of each year, the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
But why elderlies are abused during their most delicate stage of life? impacted they already witnessed bitterness and hardships. There is no any logical answer as long as the problem lies in the violation of human rights and dignity! Does anyone listen to the pain of those who are supposed to live with dignity??
Communication and Public Relations Department