“They are controlled by their family members”

 #literarygerontology

II MA English | Today in Class

As part of their Paper on Literary Gerontology, we had a discussion in class today on some of the issues faced by the Senior Citizens.

Students of the II MA English class, were asked to give a maximum of two pertinent issues faced by the Elderly.

The students came up with some highly interesting observations, which I’m sure would be of immense help to budding research scholars desirous of working in the field of Literary Gerontology.

Here we go –

Elders today, face a lot of disrespect and insecurities, said ASLINE.

They feel quite neglected during old age, said BEERA.

Most of the time, the elderly are left without company, said DHANAVAISHNAVI.

The elderly are always juggled around by their children, said DIYA.

Senior citizens find it quite difficult to keep pace with technology, said JELSHIYA.

The elderly have a feeling of seclusion, and a feeling of being a burden, said JOANNA.

The elderly don’t have anyone to listen to them, said LAKSHMI PADMAKUMAR.

Dependency for everything - for even their fundamental basic needs, is the plight of the elders, said LALITHA.

They feel lonely, and lonelier still, if they are away from their siblings, said SHRUTHI.

They have a feeling of being unnoticed because of their old age, said SHRUTHI R.

They cannot have the food items that youngsters have, said SINDHU.

The elderly are objectified. Moreover, they have a feeling that they are not valued, said SNEKA.

They experience memory loss, said THERESA THOMAS.

The aged are ignored by their own children, said TIRSHATHA.

They have a lack of validation, and have their own age-related vulnerabilities, said VINAYA MARY.

Their health issues become a burden for them. Added, the harsh words by family members hurt them much, said VIVILIA.

They are controlled by their family members, and hence they don’t have agency, said YASINDHRA.

The elders suffer from an inability to do their own work, said YOVANNA MERLIN S.

They experience absolute loneliness. They are forced into another reality. They become physically inactive even for mundane things, said ANDERLIN.

They are not living peacefully. They just survive, said ALLEN.

The elderly have this sudden feeling of emptiness on their retirement. They don’t know what to do, post-retirement, said HARI KRISHNAN.

The elderly are ‘accident-prone’ because of their failing bodies, said KEVIN MICHAEL WOODS.

They lose eyesight; and they also suffer from a morbid fear of death, said SHARAN SRINIVASAN.