I've been enjoying my retirement years for a while now, but I did a little research and found out that retirement is better for me than for many people in the world.
For people without children, retirement in Russia may be very painful. The family is the safety net that Russian culture provides for the elderly. Homes for old people are considered a source of shame. A program in the Kurgan region of Russia has provided a home for aged people as well as the wisdom and nurture of an older companion for the family. As with other parts of the world, the retirement age is the fastest growing segment of the population.
Placing a person in a home for the aged costs 400 to 500 dollars a month, but when a granny is placed in the home. the cost is about 100 dollars a month. That doesn't sound like much for the family, but in the remote villages of Kurgan it may be a real deal. The family benefits from the wisdom, care and companionship of the granny and the granny gets a home and family.
The program is still small, but it may be catching on. There are currently only about 50 participants, but reports are very encouraging. Perhaps it will spread to other parts of Russia.
For people without children, retirement in Russia may be very painful. The family is the safety net that Russian culture provides for the elderly. Homes for old people are considered a source of shame. A program in the Kurgan region of Russia has provided a home for aged people as well as the wisdom and nurture of an older companion for the family. As with other parts of the world, the retirement age is the fastest growing segment of the population.
Placing a person in a home for the aged costs 400 to 500 dollars a month, but when a granny is placed in the home. the cost is about 100 dollars a month. That doesn't sound like much for the family, but in the remote villages of Kurgan it may be a real deal. The family benefits from the wisdom, care and companionship of the granny and the granny gets a home and family.
The program is still small, but it may be catching on. There are currently only about 50 participants, but reports are very encouraging. Perhaps it will spread to other parts of Russia.
