Last week I visited 15 elderly people in my village and the neighboring village that live alone. I went with the social worker in my community, Doamna Angela, who goes around visiting 5-6 elderly people each day. In Romanian “bunica” means grandma and so all of the women I met were referred to as bunicas. However, in my village they are also called “baba”. For example, “how was baba Maria today?” Starting from 9am to 6pm on some days, we walked to each house and visited a “baba”. The women we visited were about 70 years old to 97, which is quite incredible considering the life expectancy for women in Moldova is 73.5 years. As a side note, I am lucky to have both of my host bunicas alive and in their early 80s.
During our visits I introduced myself and tried to get to know a little bit about each baba. Some were puzzled at first as to why I was there and what I did in the community, but they soon opened up and were very welcoming. I talked about my work at the school, my host family, and my family in the US. In every conversation I asked where they had worked in the community. I met with a nurse from the hospital in the neighboring village, a woman from the kindergarten, a French teacher from the middle school, a veteran from the war, women who worked at the small factory nearby, etc. I’ve always enjoyed talking with elderly people and listening to the stories and advice they share. Most notably I felt their kindness and sometimes jolly disposition as they talked. I was touched by their hospitality and openness to a complete stranger.
Another part of Doamna Angela’s job is to collect their pensions, pay for utilities, tidy their houses, and buy food and medicine for them. The monthly pension averages about 800-1,000lei/month (48-60 USD). A common complaint I heard was that the pension was too small and after you pay for utilities and food staples you have barely anything left. It is especially difficult for some babas because it is the only income they have. The women I met live alone because their husbands’ died and either their kids moved abroad or they didn’t have any kids. Either way they are left to care for themselves. They would often tear up and say how hard life was and how difficult getting older is. Despite sharing some of their hardships the babas’ were incredibly gracious and interesting to talk with.
I’m moved by how these women care for themselves or how their aging children or neighbors step in to help. In the US we have retirement communities and assisted living facilities to help care for our aging relatives. In Moldova, unless you live in the capital, there aren’t such facilities. I think about my own host parents who are 57 and 62 who visit their mothers’ regularly and my host mom is always stressed about caring for her mom. She goes over every week to collect laundry and during the summer she makes repairs on the house like repainting and washing everything. My host bunicas are lucky to have their kids around. The babas’ we visited do not have relatives sending them things or helping around the house. Thus Doamna Angela takes on the responsibility to visit them and make sure they are ok. Walking throughout the village and to and from the store, pharmacy, and post office turns into long days. I have a lot of respect for Doamna Angela and other community members that band together and take care of the babas. Throughout the rest of my service I hope to continue to visit the babas and get to know them better.
Adventures in Moldova 