Elderly Pensioner and his Struggles

Few days ago, I went to the pensioners section of the bank to complete some formalities of my father’s pension account. As I entered the section, I noticed a number of elderly individuals waiting in line, patiently awaiting their turn to be served. The room was quiet, and a sense of calm filled the air as the pensioners sat, many with their bank books and documents in hand.

As I observed the scene, I couldn’t help but reflect on the challenges that the elderly population faces when it comes to managing their finances. Many older individuals have limited financial knowledge and may struggle to navigate the complex systems that are often required to access their pension or retirement funds.

   

I noticed an elderly man sitting alone at one of the desks, surrounded by piles of documents. Curious, I approached him to see if I could offer any assistance. As I drew closer, I could see that he was struggling to save his income tax by providing a plethora of documents, a task that was proving to be quite overwhelming for him.

The old man was a pensioner, and he had a modest income. As I observed the elderly man, I realised that his struggles were not unique. Moreover, the elderly population is often vulnerable to financial abuse, where they may be taken advantage of by others who seek to exploit them for their financial gain.

“Can I offer some help?” I said to the old man. He looked towards me and said, “No my son, I have learned the bitter truth of life.” I was surprised and I continued, “What truth Sir. Please share with me. I am a doctor who deals with treating elderly people”. He paused for a few seconds and said, “Are you the same one who writes in Greater Kashmir for old people”. I replied in the affirmative. He got so emotional and narrated his whole story to me.

As we get older, we all look forward to a peaceful and comfortable retirement. Unfortunately, for most of the elderly in Kashmir, this is not the case. One such scenario is several elderly pensioners, alone in a bank with none of their children with them.

This can be a distressing and worrying situation, especially if it is due to a lack of support from their children. These elderly people may have worked hard all their life to educate and bring up their children, and they may have expected to enjoy their retirement years with their family.

However, the reality is far different. Their children are neglecting them, leaving them to fend for themselves without any support or assistance. This is a concerning issue, as the elderly population is vulnerable and requires care and support from their loved ones.

As I continued to listen to the old man in the bank, I realised that there was more that I could do to help. I explained the process of saving income tax. He showed me the balance in his passbook and said, “I have a good pension but I hardly save any money.

One of my sons is abroad and never spends anything on me and my wife. One of my sons is living separately but says that if his brother is not bothered about anything about his parents, why should he be bothered”. He told me rather than taking care of financial needs of him and his wife, his children are financially draining him.

Unfortunately, most of the elderly people find themselves in a situation where they are being abused or neglected by their family members or caregivers, and this can be particularly concerning when it comes to their financial affairs.

Imagine an old retired man who walks into a bank, trying to fill out a form for a simple banking transaction.

He is struggling with the process, and it is evident that he is not familiar with the procedures. None of his children are with him, and he seems to be alone in his struggles.

This is a clear example of elder abuse, a problem that has become increasingly prevalent in modern society.

In many cases, adult children are not willing to provide financial support to their elderly parents, leaving them to manage their finances on their own. This can be especially challenging if the elderly person has limited financial knowledge or is unable to manage their money effectively.

Another reason why an elderly person may be alone in a bank is because their children may not be willing to spend money on them or for their home.

This can be a distressing and isolating situation, as the elderly person may feel neglected and unsupported. They may also struggle to maintain their home and may be unable to afford the necessary expenses, such as repairs or renovations.

To address this issue, there needs to be a greater focus on educating families and caregivers on the importance of supporting and caring for the elderly population.

This includes providing financial support, as well as emotional and social support. Adult children should be encouraged to spend time with their elderly parents, and to provide them with the support and care they need to enjoy a comfortable retirement.

At the end of my conversation with the elderly retired man, he told me to write the two things on his behalf in the Greater Kashmir newspaper.

“1) The bitter truth of life is that you don’t keep expectations from your children and learn to struggle alone when you get old.

2) I pray to Allah that the person who has introduced pension for retired people should rest in Jannah, or else we all old people would have been on roads like dogs”.

Dr Zubair Saleem is a Senior Geriatric Consultant and a Gerontologist

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.

The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK

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