FOOD FOR THOUGHTS: Think about it! OldMa and OldPa in the Diaspora By Lionel Bernard lbernard@arc.gov Death announcement postings on popular Liberian targeted web sites indicate that in 2006 there was a Liberian death on average about every third day of the year, by 2007 that number had dropped to one death every other day, with most of the deaths consisting of elder Liberian living in the Diaspora. If this trend continues, by 2010, there will be an average of two to three Liberian succumbing to the afterlife every single day of the year and it will likely be some elder you and I know well. For an expatriate population estimated at between 100,000 to 200,000, this is an alarming statistical fact. It’s an ignored fact, our Liberian elder are dying at a rate and age unequivocal to the life expectancy of the far reaching western countries where they live. The lingering mental trauma of enduring civil war in an embattled country, living in refugee camps, transitioning to cold, unanimous environments restrained from family and friends, and unhealthy lifestyles are all tangible causes for the rising death toll among Liberian elders in the Diaspora. Most Liberian over 60 will readily admit that western cultures, that place a premium on youth and productivity, are not very accommodating to the elderly. Accustomed to a temperate tropical climate of dry and rainy season, close ties to friends and extended family, and an African culture that embraces elders with respect and dignity, Liberians arriving in Europe and the US for the first time encounter a rude awakening in stark contrast to Liberia’s cultural perception and treatment of the elderly. The initial reality check for older Liberians arriving in the Diaspora is that they usually and immediately become solely responsible for their subsistence in terms of housing, food, transportation, and other living expenses. They must now find a job, pay rent, drive, and live on their own with only token support from relatives. Even in situations where elder couples cohabitate, they experience signification physical and emotional isolation from relatives, eventually leading to depression and despondency. Of all the underlying and interrelated causes of the increasing death rate among Liberian elders, none has been more devastating than the double edged sword of unhealthy nutrition and sedentary lifestyles. The staple diet in most Liberian households includes dishes such as palm butter, fish gravy, collard greens, potato greens, and, my favorite, palava sauce. Albeit tasty and a key part of our heritage, these dishes, laden with smoked fish, meats, and oils, are high in cholesterol and saturated fat. This artery clogging diet combined with lack of regular exercise and depression brought on by isolation are the core lifestyle trends that are metastasizing into cancer, heart disease, and diabetes among Liberian elders. To reverse this trend will require an active but subtle, intervention from all Liberians with a relative—an aunt, uncle, mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, OldMa, OldPa—living in the Diaspora; and at home. Some of the measures we can take to reach out to our Liberian elders are simple and some are elaborate, but all have the objective of ensuring that our OldMa and OldPa are around a bit longer, and if they eventually succumb to the afterlife, they will be prepared and it will be their time. Here is an overview of some common sense measures that we can all undertake to help our Liberian elders live dignified, comfortable, and healthy lives in the Diaspora: Call More Often: We are inundated with devices for facilitating communication between one another yet still communicate less than we have the potential to. Pick up the phone and call an elder relative. If you have children, encourage them to call their elder relatives often. This simple act can go far in reducing the isolation felt by many Liberian elders and bring them closer to their relatives who may be disbursed over great distances throughout the world. Scrutinize their Living Conditions: If your relative lives in an apartment building, make sure that the building is handicap accessible or transfer them to one that is. If they live in their own home, ensure that their home allows for optimal mobility. If it snows in their area, stop by and volunteer to shovel their walkways or encourage them to seek snow clearing help if you live far away. If they live alone, encourage them to subscribe to the Life Alert system for seniors. Remember that 14% of all fatal accidents are caused by falling. Encourage Active Lifestyles: People are creatures of habit and the older we get the harder it is to break bad habits. Encourage your elder relative to leave the television, the phone, and the lounging behind and get out more often. Most communities in the US have a plethora of low impact exercise activities that seniors can subscribe to. Volunteer to pay the fee for your elder relative’s gym membership or group activity. If you live nearby, jointly attend these activities with your relative to discourage complacency. Habitual exercise can add years to one’s life. Encourage Better Nutrition: Garbage in, garbage out, so goes the saying. Liberian food may be the tastiest thing on earth, but it can also cause obesity related health problem if consumed daily and without exercise. Insist that your elder relative, and yourself, develop healthy eating habits, take vitamins, and regularly visit a doctor for cholesterol, blood pressure, sugar, and other tests. If they insist that “white people food does not agree with them”, tell them that there are ways around it and food does not have to taste bad to be good for you. They can steam their greens and refrain from accessorizing their dishes with bony, pig feet, cow skin, AND heavy meats. They can also reduce their dependency on “chicken soup” maggi cubes which is loaded with MSG (monosodium glutamate). Soda and alcohol should also be eliminated from their beverage diet. Drinking water frequently is one of the best things you can do for an aging kidney and colon. Prepare them for the Inevitable: The total cost of a funeral in Liberia is likely four or five time less than one in the US. Nevertheless, the risk and costs associated with dying in the Diaspora can be mitigated with life and funeral insurance. Life insurance will help reduce the burden imposed on the elder’s immediate dependants in the event of their death. With the average funeral costing $20,000 to $50,000, funeral insurance is a sensible and absolute necessity for an elder living in the Diaspora. No family wants to endure the unpleasant experience of scrambling for money to cover a relative’s burial cost. If you are a trustee or trusted relative of an elder Liberian relative, take steps to preparing a dossier that includes all medical, insurance, estate, benefits, and significant documents belonging to that relative; then make copies and place in a safe deposit. It may be an unpleasant undertaking, but if you fail to prepare, be prepared for even more unpleasantly during a period when grief and remembrance should be the main focus. Make a Will: The troubling conflicts over property and money can largely be sedated with a succinct will outlining the decease’s wishes for allocating their accumulated wealth to their relatives. Encourage your elder relative to consult a lawyer to prepare a will particularly if they have a terminal ailment. Send them Back Home to Rest: If you have the means to do so, sending your elder relative back home to a place they long for should improve their overall health and well being. Nearly every single Liberian elder I know yearns to return to the simplicity of their home country. Recent security and economic improvements are turning those yearning into active preparation to repatriate to Liberia. Discuss the realities of returning with your elder Liberian relative. Make them aware that their need for health care, housing, and stable income will remain the same and should be assessed in their planning. I recommend that you encourage your elder relative to either wait until they quality for social security benefits or, if they insist on moving earlier, develop a financial plan that includes you, and other relatives, subsidizing their livelihood in Liberia for the long term. I recently asked a Liberian OldMa I know why she was so keen on returning home. Here is her reply: “Liberia sweet oh my son. Dis place fulla hard time. Every day you jeh gwen so, gwen so, you na know where you gwen. Dis cold here sef I na able eh. You jeh siddown you can go no where. I will go make market. Ma chirren here, my gran chirren here too. Dey will sen me sonthing. We will manage by grace of God.”