Mrs. Rosa “It turns out state doesn’t need us

 “I heard on TV that they were celebrating the Day of the Elderly … Oh, what an international day… it is not for me, when I can’t walk even 2 meters for my needs, I have become a burden for my children,” 76-year-old Rosa worries, responding to my question about International Day of the Elderly.

“My children don’t complain, they care about me, and they keep me well, but I tied everyone’s feet at home –  they can’t leave me alone, neither can I walk, nor can I take care of my needs,” she continues.

Mrs. Rosa has not been out of the house for three years. After breaking her knee, she could no longer walk. She moved from the village to her son’s home in Yerevan.

– I have worked for 33 years in our village, I have cultivated land, I have brought up 3 children, then I have cultivated my garden, I have kept cows, pigs and chickens. I’ve done everything – mostly hard physical labor, that’s the peasant’s job, “she smiles.” I’ve always been active, cheerful. I would get sick if I didn’t have that much thought; And so, on the 7th floor of “I’m Captive”, I can’t go outside to see the sun, to breathe fresh air, it’s not like real life, and you say international day.

Mrs. Rosa says she feels kind of neglected, as if the state does not need her and other like her, the buildings are built in a way that it is impossible to get out on a wheelchair, medication is expensive, pensions are very low.

“During the Soviet times, we were working with my husband, collecting money in the bank, thinking we would have a secure old age, who thought it would be like that, our money would be lost, and I would have to be paid 39,000 AMD for retirement,” she says. I drink, – shows his pack of medicines, – this is pressure, this is heart, painkiller, sugar, blood thinning, digestive medicine, I both drain my eyes, plus 3-4 doses daily. Well, we are neglected, the state gives only medicine against sugar out of so many drugs, the rest my children get some way.

Rosa’s mother has been unable to sleep at night, saying she has a lot to think about.

– As a matter of fact, the only worker in the house is my son. My daughter-in-law has quit her job, is taking care of me, all the burden is left on her, ” Mrs. Rosa  shakes hands,“ you know it’s easy to get sick. The poor back is already hurting, changing the towel, bathing, dressing, washing, cleaning, everything is on her shoulders, she can’t even get out of the house ”she exclaims. They make money … Well, if we had something like that. Recently, the government started to pay for childcare nannies, the issue of children seems to want to be resolved, but ours… maybe they will consider us and give money to care for the elderly… things are needed, all the elderly are waiting, hoping for…