JOIN USWoman goes to old age home as lockdown-hit son refuses to look after her
An elderly woman has been forced to stay at an old age home in Maharashtra's Aurangabad district after her son expressed his inability to take care of her because of his financial constraints due to the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Kiran Pardikar, aged around 60, lost her husband many years back and brought up her son by taking up a tailoring job. Her son later set up a bookstall near a court in Pune to earn a livelihood, but his business came to a halt last year amid the lockdown, Pundaliknagar police station's assistant police inspector Ghanshyam Sonawane told PTI.
Due to differences with her daughter-in-law, Pardikar started staying separately for some time and her son arranged a room on rent and food tiffins for her.
"The woman approached us recently seeking help to be sent to an old age home after realising her son's financial condition. We got new clothes for her and gave a letter to the 'Matoshri Vriddhashram' here to accommodate her," Sonawane said.
When contacted, the old age home's manager, Sagar Pagore, said Pardikar came to their facility on June 11 with a letter from the police.
"She is with us now. Her son also gave a letter saying he can't keep his mother due to his bad financial condition and requested us to accommodate her at the old age home," Pagore said.
On Saturday, Pardikar told reporters that her son's financial condition is not good.
"He is in a dilemma whether to look after his wife and children or to help me. He got a private job a couple of months back, but doesn't earn much. When my son was not able to support me, my room owner helped me with food grains," she said.
The Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected many people's lives, the woman said.
"People are losing jobs and the government is not doing anything. I pray to God to keep my son happy," she added.