Retirees’ struggle for survival can bring tears to your eyes

By Amitabh Sharma

These stories have been told, more times, unfortunately, than we would like. The ideal life, as our parents knew it – get educated, find a job, raise a family, work diligently, and retire … with the bliss of watching children grow, playing with grandchildren, catching up with friends. Retire, did we say, it is fast becoming a dreaded word with the days of the month fast outpacing the money at hand – life is challenging on many fronts.

These incidences happened on trips to the supermarket, first one in August and the other some weeks ago. The usual routine, scan the isles on what’s being sold, checking out what are the latest products on the shelves, check the items to be bought, and if one’s lucky, stop and sample some new food or drink that is being promoted (‘freeniss’ in Jamaican parlance).

In both the instances, there were these elderly ladies, gingerly walking around, pushing their shopping carts, they had notepads and pens in their hands, majority now ‘WhatsApp’ the list or take photos to remember what they need to buy. I passed these ladies, exchanged pleasantries, smiled and moved on.

The chain of events happened as if it was a film sequence on a loop. It so happened that the ladies were in the same line in front of me at the cashier, though they were hauling a cart, there were a handful of things in it. Interestingly they had almost similar items – diabetes supplements, tissues, tetra pack of milk, bath and dishwashing soap, a tray of chicken, small bottle of cooking oil, packet of tea bags – you could count them on your fingers. One by one the items were being cashed, and I could see anxiety build on their faces with dollars and taxes being added to their bill.

This was heartrending, these ladies, who were retirees, and now living by themselves, were struggling to even buy basic things. There is no way they were leaving the supermarket without those essentials, so I offered to pay for the items that they had left out. They were reluctant, possibly embarrassed, but with a little coaxing, and with the help of the cashier and a supermarket staffer who was helping to pack and carry the bag outside for the ladies, they said yes … with a tear of joy in their eyes, and copious amounts of gratitude and blessings.

The question here is what can be done for the retired who, rather than enjoying the prime of their lives are stressed about where and how they are putting food on the table. Obviously, their pensions have not kept up with the inflated cost of living, and this is a universal problem. Possibly extending a helping hand to a senior citizen in need, they don’t need much, little things bring them happiness, and possibly, would add more years to their lives.

(The column Postcard from Jamaica appears every Wednesday.)

Read also:
Never underestimate the elderly
How one woman defied age with purpose
Why loneliness is the biggest curse for the elderly