KOCHI: A few days ago, a resident of Bless Retirement Living in Aluva was discharged from the hospital after a brief stay. On his return, the director of the retirement facility Sheethal Ann Gijo spent a few hours with him. During the conversation, he said, “No matter what you do in life, it is nothing compared to the size and knowledge of the universe. We are a mere speck in the cosmos. All that matters are the good deeds you do, and that we stay happy and content in life.”
An overwhelmed Sheethal began tearing up. “I was going through a rough patch for a few days and this was the answer. Though it’s something I knew, it felt good to be reminded. When I am at the retirement home, I don’t have to hunt for inspiration. I get it every day,” she says. The Public Relations Council of India recently honoured her with ‘Daughter of the Year Award’ for her contributions to society.
All of 24, Sheethal is the young face of the retirement home. At an age when most people are racing to get ahead in their careers, the graduate in architecture spends a major chunk of her time here. “My parents started Bless and ever since it has been a part of my life. After I graduated from the College of Architecture, Thiruvananthapuram, in 2018, I decided to take a break. As this is my home, I enjoyed spending time with everyone here,” she says.
At the retirement home, Sheethal plans daily activities and engagements for the residents. “Every day is a new day. It is so much fun. They’re like my grandparents and I’m their grandkid,” she says. She is also involved in the architecture and designing of the facility. Along with this, the architect is busy with her brainchild project ‘Geriarc’. “It is a geriatric architecture consultancy. A lot of people are investing in retirement facilities now. We help them create facilities that are senior citizen-friendly,” says Sheethal.
For many, the first thing that comes to their mind when they hear ‘senior citizen’ is that they are boring, short-tempered and unapproachable. “This is a misconception. They are the nicest people you will ever meet. And they have a lot of great stories to tell. All you have to do is listen,” says Sheethal.
The stories she does tell are a testament to this. “I was once spending time with a resident who was 83. While watching me make kites for the residents, he began singing ‘You are my sunshine, my only sunshine...’ That was the first time that I heard him sing. When I told this to him, he said that he had sung the song to propose to his crush a long time ago. And she said yes!” she says.
Other than such cute moments, they have great stories to tell as well. “Most of them have adventurous stories to narrate. We have another resident, who used to practise medicine. Once, she and her husband drove all the way from the US to Mumbai,” says Sheethal.
Equipped with all knowledge she has gained over the year, the Aluva native now hopes to pursue her Masters in administration.