Daughter Clara says she has been made to run around for over two months after she told authorities of the Society of our Lady of Piety that she wanted to take her mother Quiteria Gonsalves (78), back to Dombivli with her
MUMBAI (Mumbai Mirror), May 25, 2006:
Clara Pinto, resident of eastern Mumbai suburb of Dombivli has been struggling for over two months to get her mother out of a charitable old age home in the city. In spite of submitting all the requisite papers, she has alleged that the management is unnecessarily delaying the procedure, which could cause her mother’s health to deteriorate. Now, Clara has lodged a complaint against the society at the Lokmanya Tilak Marg police station. The police have advised her to get court orders to get her mother released from the home.
Quiteria Gonsalves (78), Clara’s mother, was brought to the Society of our Lady of Piety, Dabul (A charitable trust for relief of the poor) at Dr Nagindas Shah Marg in Girgaum over 11 years ago.
After Quiteria’s son Sylvester went to Dubai for work, a family friend Mary Fernandes brought her to Mumbai from Goa and got her admitted there.
“She did not want to be a burden on her daughter-in-law. And I was not in a position to take care of her as we had three school-going children and were not financially sound,’’ said Clara. “Now my children have grown up and my daughters have started working. Hence, I decided to bring my mother back home,” she added.
Quiteria is suffering from diabetes, and, four years ago, lost her eyesight to glaucoma.
Clara claims, “Four years ago, the management delayed her glaucoma operation, due to which she lost her vision. Now, she has been unwell since March and complains of feeling dizzy, and is nervous and scared. When we brought it to the management’s notice they said they would seek medical help only if she stopped eating.”
In March, Clara submitted an application with the old age home for permission to take her mother home.
“As per the rules, the application was discussed at a management meeting. I was told to get a no no-objection-certificate from Mary Fernandes before taking my mother home.’’ She added, “But, even after producing the NOC and Mary herself speaking to the management they are unnecessarily delaying the issue. Moreover, now the management has also restricted contact with my mother.”
When Mumbai Mirror visited the home, the manager Reginald D’Souza said all committee members were away on vacation.
“We were not informed that Quiteria had a daughter at the time of admission. We stopped Clara from meeting her mother after Quiteria handed over a gold chain to her grand daughter without the management’s permission. Residents are not supposed to pass on their assets as long as they are with us. The next management meeting is slated for June and we will take a decision on sending Quiteria home,” he said.
But, according to Clara, “For the last four years, the management called me every time they wanted money for my mother’s treatment, so there is no question of their not being aware of my existence.”
By Nilesh Nikade
Copyright 2005 BCCL
May 25, 2006
INDIA: 'Old age home won’t let me meet my mom’
Daughter Clara says she has been made to run around for over two months after she told authorities of the Society of our Lady of Piety that she wanted to take her mother Quiteria Gonsalves (78), back to Dombivli with her
MUMBAI (Mumbai Mirror), May 25, 2006:
Clara Pinto, resident of eastern Mumbai suburb of Dombivli has been struggling for over two months to get her mother out of a charitable old age home in the city. In spite of submitting all the requisite papers, she has alleged that the management is unnecessarily delaying the procedure, which could cause her mother’s health to deteriorate. Now, Clara has lodged a complaint against the society at the Lokmanya Tilak Marg police station. The police have advised her to get court orders to get her mother released from the home.
Quiteria Gonsalves (78), Clara’s mother, was brought to the Society of our Lady of Piety, Dabul (A charitable trust for relief of the poor) at Dr Nagindas Shah Marg in Girgaum over 11 years ago.
After Quiteria’s son Sylvester went to Dubai for work, a family friend Mary Fernandes brought her to Mumbai from Goa and got her admitted there.
“She did not want to be a burden on her daughter-in-law. And I was not in a position to take care of her as we had three school-going children and were not financially sound,’’ said Clara. “Now my children have grown up and my daughters have started working. Hence, I decided to bring my mother back home,” she added.
Quiteria is suffering from diabetes, and, four years ago, lost her eyesight to glaucoma.
Clara claims, “Four years ago, the management delayed her glaucoma operation, due to which she lost her vision. Now, she has been unwell since March and complains of feeling dizzy, and is nervous and scared. When we brought it to the management’s notice they said they would seek medical help only if she stopped eating.”
In March, Clara submitted an application with the old age home for permission to take her mother home.
“As per the rules, the application was discussed at a management meeting. I was told to get a no no-objection-certificate from Mary Fernandes before taking my mother home.’’ She added, “But, even after producing the NOC and Mary herself speaking to the management they are unnecessarily delaying the issue. Moreover, now the management has also restricted contact with my mother.”
When Mumbai Mirror visited the home, the manager Reginald D’Souza said all committee members were away on vacation.
“We were not informed that Quiteria had a daughter at the time of admission. We stopped Clara from meeting her mother after Quiteria handed over a gold chain to her grand daughter without the management’s permission. Residents are not supposed to pass on their assets as long as they are with us. The next management meeting is slated for June and we will take a decision on sending Quiteria home,” he said.
But, according to Clara, “For the last four years, the management called me every time they wanted money for my mother’s treatment, so there is no question of their not being aware of my existence.”
By Nilesh Nikade
Copyright 2005 BCCL
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