By Michel Outridge

THE highlight of this season for 84-year-old Eloise Benjamin was the senior citizens annual Church Christmas Social which was held on December 19 in the nearby village of Enmore, East Coast Demerara.

This elderly resident of Haslington told the Pepperpot Magazine that her daughter who takes care of her does not like her going out alone since she has arthritis in both knees which causes severe pain and leads her to often fall.

At the time of this interview, the event had not yet occurred and Benjamin explained that she really wanted to attend the event.
“I’m determined to go. I does walk with aid of a walking stick and I will try to make my way there which is not very far because I want to be with people my own age group and spend the day out,” she said.

Benjamin, is one of the oldest residents in Haslington and she resides with her daughter, who takes care of her but she manages to do chores such as laundry. When the Pepperpot team met her, she was washing a bundle of clothes on her front steps.

She also does some light cooking whenever the need arises and plans to enjoy a little bit of everything in terms of eatables on Christmas day. The woman also has a yard full of children and relatives to keep her entertained.

Benjamin has her own house but shares the plot of land with her grandson who has an extended family so there are children around.

The mother of seven said she used to have a large family but four of her children have since passed away but she has a lot to be thankful for even in old age.

Benjamin added that this year, too, she will pass the season quietly as usual because things back then, that is, her heydays are quite different to now.

“From then to now, a lot of things have changed and it is not like before. We used to enjoy Christmas in our own country-style ways but the young people of today have their ways,” she said.