I Never Imagined Abandonment Would Hurt Most At The End Of Life

“At Shaishav Mahila Ashram, I have seen what happens when age replaces usefulness in the eyes of society. The elders who come to us are not here because they have nowhere else to go, they are here because someone chose to leave them behind. 

They were once parents, caregivers, providers, and protectors. Today, many of them are seen as burdens, forgotten by the very children they raised with love and sacrifice. Some arrive at our doors confused and broken, brought by strangers who could not walk away from their suffering.

 Some are found wandering near temples or railway stations, hungry and frightened. Others come carrying years of neglect in their tired bodies and silent eyes. Almost all of them carry the same wound, rejection.

One incident remains etched in my heart. An elderly woman under our care passed away after receiving whatever comfort and dignity we could offer her in her final days. We performed her last rites with respect, because at that moment, she was our responsibility, our family.

A few days later, a phone call came. A man asked casually about her whereabouts. When I told him that she had passed away and that we had conducted her final rites, there was a pause. Then he said, “Oh… she was my mother.”

That moment revealed a harsh truth we witness every day. Children grow up, build their lives, and somewhere along the way, their parents grow old, and invisible. When strength fades and dependency increases, abandonment becomes easier than care.

For these elders, Shaishav Mahila Ashram becomes a place of refuge. This is where they are no longer a burden. Here, they are addressed with respect, given warm meals, clean clothes, medical attention, and a safe bed to sleep in. More than anything, they are given human connection, someone who listens, someone who sits beside them, someone who acknowledges their existence.

We do our best to make their remaining years peaceful and dignified. We celebrate festivals together. We ensure regular care and comfort. We try to replace loneliness with belonging. But this responsibility is immense, and we cannot carry it alone.

Caring for abandoned elders requires continuous resources, food, medicines, hygiene supplies, caregivers, and proper facilities. Love and intention are not enough when daily survival itself is at stake.

These elders spent their lives building families and futures for others. Today, they need someone to stand by them. I ask you to support Shaishav Mahila Ashram. Your contribution helps us provide care, dignity, and safety to those who have been left behind. This is not just about charity, it is about restoring humanity where it was forgotten.

Together, we can ensure that no one spends their final years feeling unwanted!”  – Vijay Bhrigu, founder.