They know all the faces of life, they carry memoirs and experiences in their souls that served them right and made them more powerful. Unfortunately, getting older does not only make you wiser but also more helpless. The body loses its strength, and things that used to be normal need an enormous effort now. In the happy cases, old people are surrounded by a loving family that takes care of them. But in many cases they are alone, immobilized in their homes, weak of age and have very low incomes. The Romanian Maltese Relief Service gives a helping hand to the elderly in need, thus trying to ease their life and offer them a cheerful old age. Our programs are meant to make the quality of life of these old people better, following two main aspects: nursing to compensate financial and physical helplessness (elderly homes, home medical care, hot meals), and organizing activities or company to relieve the loneliness and to gather confidence (clubs for elderly, visits, shows, pilgrimages, spiritual assistance, excursions, a.s.o.).
Kálmán M. (81 years old)
`He is my soul as he brings me food and I do not have to cook. I am old and operated on and my pension is of about 100 lei. I only manage with Nelu.* (SAMR) as he brings me food every day. I manage as I can. I don’t go to anyone to ask for anything. I am pleased with whatever Nelu brings me.`
Barabás E. (85 years old)
`Aged 85 I have to accept what God has given to me. Mr Nelu is an honorable man, it couldn’t be better. We talk every day, I tell him my worries and he helps me, even in the garden. The fact that he brings me hot meal every day means a lot to me.’
* Our colleague, Ioan Mureşan who transports food to the homes of the beneficiaries of our program `Meals on wheels` in Cluj Napoca every day.
