The Elderly in the Philippines: Excerpts from a Study by Josefina N. Natividad and Grace T. Cruz - Yr 1996

• The Elderly are a vulnerable group in the face of rapid Social and Economic Changes. The pool of available sources of Familial Support has been diminished due to: (1st) Fertility Decline bringing about fewer Adult Children who could be depended upon by the Elderly and (2nd) Urbanization & Migration leading to the abandonment of the Elderly;
• The Elderly are not passive recipients of support from Children. Rather they are active participants in a web of exchanges that puts them in the significant role of being providers of support - not just to their children, but also, to their Grandchildren. More than 90% of the Elderly care for a Grandchild;
• Living Arrangements of the Elderly and their Sources-of-Support reveal a predominant pattern of Co-Residence with their Kin - although many of the Elderly would prefer to live independently because of the strains that Dependency causes on both sides;
• Of the Elderly living alone, Females predominate in this group - a reflection of their higher survivorship;
• Living in a "Home-for-the-Aged" is a choice few families make for their Elderly - partly perhaps because of lack of it. The Study shows that there is more openness to the idea of "Homes-for-the-Aged" as being necessitated by ongoing Social and Demographic Changes.

Is this "Home-for-the-Elderly" costly?

01. Mother had always wanted a residential place where peace and privacy prevailed. This she had throughout her solo "Independent Life" - and even more so, during her fully "Dependent Life". The Family House (which she built in Project 4, Quezon City) was her home from Yr 1953 - and even until death in April 2002. She died in her sleep in her own bed in the silence of her own house - without the presence of her Children who have families of their own residing elsewhere. This is how she wanted to die - in peace and in privacy.

02. In the course of time, MANILA (the original center of Commerce, Communication, Transport, Education, Entertainment, etc.) gradually expanded to encompass neighboring towns and cities - and ultimately became known as Metropolitan Manila. Alongside the growth of the metropolies to accomodate the continuing increase in population, city dwellers relocated to residential subdivisions in the suburbs. MARIKINA (the "Shoe Capital of the Philippines") gradually transformed into a well-planned multi-awarded city. Barangay Marikina Heights (located in the sparsely populated hillside slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range East-of- Manila and situated about 5 kms NorthEast from Marikina City Proper) came to be the geographic political entity of what started, in the early 1960s, to be the privately-owned circularly-developed road-network Marikina Heights Subdivision. Moreover -

• Barangay Marikina Heights is host to the Catholic Parish of St Gabriel (of Our Lady of Sorrows) with its upcoming imposing centrally-located Church-cum-Columbary; to St Scholastica Academy (an exclusive school for girls), Marist School (an exclusive school for boys), and many other schools; to about 10 Catholic Religious Communities (Formation & Retirement); to C&P S'mall where Rustan's Supermart, Jollibee, McDonald's are frequently patronized; to Shell Gasoline Station; to various Handicrafts/Garden Supplies/Garment Exporters; to a Butterfly DemoFarm; and to many others.
• Barangay Marikina Heights residents are serviced (for a Fee) by the gov't-regulated franchised concessionares (Meralco Light, ManilaWater, PLDT Telephone, Tricycle Transport) - and are Gov't-provided (for free) Garbage collection, Emergency Ambulance, etc.
• Barangay Marikina Heights road network is mostly cemented - with an increasing mileage of Pedestrian Sidewalks and of Biking Lane.
• Barangay Marikina Heights has a well-maintained "Clean and Green Environment".

03. Felicidad Homes # 1 shall be located in Barangay Marikina Heights about 1 km from the St Gabriel Parish Church-cum-Columbary; about 1.5 kms from the Barangay Hall and from the C&P S'Mall; about 4.5 kms from the upcoming Tertiary-level Multi-Specialty Hospital; about 5 kms from the City Hall, from the City Sport Complex, from the newly opened Marquinton Food/Cinema/Shopping Center; about 5.5 kms from the Marikina River Park.

04. Felicidad Homes # 1 shall be a specially-designed "Home-for-the-Elderly" for 30 Dependent Seniors provided with individual private quarters (w/ T&B, TV set, Landline Phone, PComputer w/ Internet Connectivity) - and with an appropriate Package-of-Services. The "Basic Package" (Board & Lodging - inclusive of 3xDay Meals, of 2xWeek Laundry, of 2xWeek PT professional service, of 7x24/1:10 Caregiving Service, of 1xWeek Medical consultation) would cost U$ 30/day per Resident-Tenant. A "Special Package" could be negotiated on a Case-to-Case basis.

05. Felicidad Homes # 1 is envisioned to be "Open-for-Occupancy" by 3Q2006 - or earlier.

Dependent Seniors are welcomed!

01. Mother gave me Life - but more than Life, she showed me the value of Caring-for-Others. Under her lifelong tutelage, little did I realize that I would eventualy take charge of Mama's Healthcare during her last 2 years of full dependency.

02. Mama died in Yr 2002, in her sleep, in her bed, in her home, at the Old Age of 84 yrs old. As she valued Privacy, Frugality, and Freedom, she chose to live all by herself all throughout her Lifetime - except the last 2 years. In Yr 2000, Rommel (my Son who was asked by Mama to live with his Wife and Daughter in the other house inside Mama's 2-house Residential Compound) co-incidentally caught sight of Mama vomitting blood and had to rush her to hospital. Mama was diagnosed to have a "glass stomach" caused by the overdose of Pain-killing Drugs prescribed by doctors for her Rheumatic Condition. Mama's failing memory caused the Drug Overdose brought about by self-medication. Returning back to her house (coming from the hospital) Mama reluctantly accepted the new reality that she had transformed from a Fully-Independent into a Fully-Dependent Elderly. Thereafter, Mama had to have 2 full-time (on 12-hrs rotation) Caregivers living-in with her. Her Caregivers prepared Mama's Meals, helped her with her Personal Necessities (in and out of the Bathroom), walked her in the sunlight around the yard, and saw to the timely taking of her Medicines. Despite the personal attention given her, Mama was gradually loosing Taste-for-Life - and was entering into a different Time Zone. Her waking hours would be Nightime - while she would mostly be asleep during the Daytime. Oftentimes, she would pine for the frequent visits of her Sons & Daughters - but, would want them out quickly because she believed that Time was "too costly" for them. She had lived a most challlenging life - all by herself and all for her children. And, as all her children were living separate lives of their own, she appeared lonely - with little purpose for Life.

03. I did entertain the thought of transfering Mama to a "Home-for-the-Elderly". I thought that if Mama were to relocate in a Community-of-Elders, she would probably find Friends-of-her-Kind. To my surprise, Government-owned facilities accepted only those seniors considered abandoned and destitute. The one and only Privately-owned Senior Community Home near to her Children's Residences and to her Choice-of-Hospital was not only fully booked - but even, over-booked. Incidentally, I also found some Foreigner Resident-Tenants in that house. The House Manager even encouraged me to put up another Senior Community Home purposely for Filipino Seniors living in the City.

04. As I see the day to come for me and those of my Generation blessed with a long life, wanting to live out our Last Years in a Community-of-Friends (similarly situated), I hope to get together a group sharing my vision of building a well-designed ground-level simple "Home-for-the-Elderly" providing 30 individual private modestly-equipped quarters inside a 2000 M2 fully secured residential compound located near the center of Barangay Marikina Heights (Marikina City, Philippines) - purposely for the Dependent Senior Resident-Tenant. I plan to have this Gov't-encouraged "Special Facility" ready for occupancy within Yr 2006.

05. Are you with me?