Namrata Sharma

According to Frontiers in Psychology, the older adults rank in the most at-risk segment of the population because the basal functional resilience, meant as the ability to cope with physical trauma and psychological stress, is fading. The report mentions that aging is physiologically associated with cognitive decline and impaired stress response, with the spinal circuitry degeneration leading to progressive alterations of motor performance. This reduced resilience and cognitive impairment intimately coexist in the rampant frailty syndrome.

Daily frailty
After reading this report, this author was impelled to reflect on the aging population of Nepal, especially very dynamic septuagenarians and octogenarians who were constantly on the move with very busy schedules before the pandemic. This group of active senior citizens have been hit hard the most, as the digital divide has secluded them from most of the virtual conferences and parties that have become the reality now. They have suddenly been forced to live with their daily frailty rather than an active life.
Most of the members of Gunjan, an association created solely by women writers of Nepal 25 years ago, are facing this situation now. Gunjan had given them a space and network to be more vocal about issues that matter to them. As a supporter of this organisation since its foundation, I was witness to the frequent bombardment of questions they had to face during their inception days as to why women writes should have a separate forum. Over the course of time, as the signature activity of Gunjan’s kothe baithak (room meeting) took up momentum and was followed by a series of literary works by Nepali women writers, they started commanding the due respect they deserved.
Padmawati Sing was the founding president and she was succeeded by Geeta Kesary. Hiranya Kumary Pathak is the third and present president. Significant contributions have been made by Nepali contemporary writers and founding members of this network including Bhagirathi Shrestha, Usha Sherchan, Bhuwan Dhungana, Chandrakala Newar, Dr Mridula Sharma, Pratisara Sayami, Sushmita Nepali, Dr Gyanu Pandey and Sulochana Manandhar. Famous Nepali writers like Maya Thakuri is now in the executive committee. Starting with 12, Gunjan now has over 100 members, and has promoted Nepali literature internationally.
Most of the founders of Gunjan have now entered their 70s and 80s. While the Nepali press have deservedly given coverage to the centenarian Satyamohan Joshi for his agility even in his senior age, we now need to look into the energetic lifestyles of these Nepali women writers too and reflect on how Nepal government could most probably look into how they could address the issues they may be facing due to the backlash of COVID-19 pandemic.
Before March 2020 the above-mentioned writers would take lift from each other and would also use the public transportation, mainly the safa tempo, for up to more than 5 events a day either as speakers or just participants listening to creativity. It is also a point to be noted that all three presidents of Gunjan have created history as pioneers in their profession before being established as literary figures of Nepal. Padmawati Singh was in the development sector, Gita Kesary was in the Airlines, being the first Nepali woman director of NAC. Hiranya Kumary Pathak was in the banking sector being the first woman manager in a commercial bank of Nepal.
All of them, completed their professional careers par excellence. They have now been able to establish themselves as writers of substance and have taken leadership to be role models for the young generation writers of Nepal. However, the pandemic has hit them very hard. Many do not have children with them. Some have children working abroad or in Nepal but not with them. The lives of these elderly writers before the pandemic were creative and enjoyable, but due to the pandemic, they are now confined to their homes and forced to live a sedentary life.
Nepali culture and tradition has some very holistic life style approaches which helps people to cope with several situations that people in the western world may find difficult. Most elderlies in Nepal have a habit of waking up very early, cleaning themselves and getting involved either in religious or spiritual activities. Many are also involved in cooking their own meals, particularly the women. Majority of the writers I have mentioned above involve themselves in these domestic activities. Apart from that rather than taking a siesta during the day time, they used to go out to plan, manage and participate in various creative activities before the pandemic.

Barriers
After COVID-19 hit the world, these dynamic ladies, like others, were suddenly forced to lead a life they were defying. They started facing great barriers to access information with new media, mainly due to a digital divide. Isolation and home confinement could also have increased some mental health problems leading to very negative effects on their psychological status. Many have shared that their writings have been affected, too. With help of the younger generation some have participated in virtual events via Bookoholics and other events. Due to the lack of knowledge of using new technological devices for social contact they have been forced into dependencies that they were otherwise avoiding.
The time has now come for the government to take note of the plights of the elderlies, especially those who want to be very energetic and agile during their senior citizenship period. A safe and sanitised transportation and meeting venues need to be made for them to make their lives enjoyable and fruitful once more. Vaccines should reach them as soon as possible. As most of these senior citizens have contributed to the nation and the society, the time has now come for the nation and the society to look into their needs and desires.

(Namrata Sharma is a senior journalist.namrata1964@yahoo.com Twitter handle: NamrataSharma)