Thursday was our last day in the community of Munoces and we spent the morning visiting some of the elderly residents who would be unable to attend the fiesta in the afternoon.
We visited with about six residents...all in their 70's and 80's and with their families. They all suffer from health issues and are dependent on family to support them. The most common health problems are arthritis and breathing problems. Even in the midst of pain and poverty they can still enjoy a joke or tell a funny story.
Most of the time they have family very nearby...like next door...who care for them. This next picture is of Juana Fuentes and one of her sons. Her two sons live on either side of her.
Paulina and Jose are the oldest residents in Munoces... both are about 86. Jose is completely deaf and Paulina has constant pain but their daughters nearby do their best to make sure they have enough to eat...even though there's nothing they can do to help their physical issues.
Jose's sister lives down a steep path with her son and grandson. She appears to have hearing problems, too, and her distance from the road makes leaving the house very difficult. She says she gets up the hill to visit her brother a couple of times a year.
As my mother used to say..."Getting old is not for sissies!" and this more true in Munoces than any place I know. Although we had no magic wand to make life better, we enjoyed our visits in their homes and hope they enjoyed telling their stories and sharing their lives with us.
We visited with about six residents...all in their 70's and 80's and with their families. They all suffer from health issues and are dependent on family to support them. The most common health problems are arthritis and breathing problems. Even in the midst of pain and poverty they can still enjoy a joke or tell a funny story.
Most of the time they have family very nearby...like next door...who care for them. This next picture is of Juana Fuentes and one of her sons. Her two sons live on either side of her.
Paulina and Jose are the oldest residents in Munoces... both are about 86. Jose is completely deaf and Paulina has constant pain but their daughters nearby do their best to make sure they have enough to eat...even though there's nothing they can do to help their physical issues. 
Jose's sister lives down a steep path with her son and grandson. She appears to have hearing problems, too, and her distance from the road makes leaving the house very difficult. She says she gets up the hill to visit her brother a couple of times a year.
As my mother used to say..."Getting old is not for sissies!" and this more true in Munoces than any place I know. Although we had no magic wand to make life better, we enjoyed our visits in their homes and hope they enjoyed telling their stories and sharing their lives with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment