A small group of elderly men recently had a luncheon in a hillside resort as a way of socialising and reminiscing about their heydays. This was mainly done to achieve and maintain mental stability for the elderly men.
The outing was made possible by the director of Munna Ndi Nnyi, Dr Bardwell Mufunwaini, who also runs the Estate Orchard Resort at Lwamondo Tshifulanani village.
The elderly gentlemen who took part in the luncheon included Messrs Jeffrey Phalanndwa (80), Wilson Tshamaano (82), Nelson Mphephu (86), Zwanga Mukwevho (63) and Calvin Mphephu (63).
A jubilant Mr Mphephu said he was pleased to attend an outdoor luncheon with other elderly men and added that he had never felt as "young and strong" in his old age as he did at the resort. "The 'guys' with me here are full of life – I am loving their company, from all the jokes and talking about the old days, when our days were still the good days," he said.
Mr Jeffrey Phalanndwa remembered how he had grown up in the olden days, and all the people around smiled with pleasure as he spoke. "Our childhood was filled with jollity and frivolity, and we savoured every moment just as one savoured the taste of wild fruit in summer," Mphephu said. "There were hardly any heinous crimes reported in our district. What we are seeing and hearing today on our radios and reading in newspapers is horrifying – killings, rapes, and all that kind of abuse and disorder in our communities."
Mufunwaini added that in many families the children placed all the focus on female parents or elderly and took them out for lunch or picnics, leaving the male ones on their own.
"The male elderly are overlooked and left alone for the biggest part of their days, and this happens mostly when they are no longer working or moving around in public spaces," said Mufunwaini. "So, it is a good thing to spoil them now and again, since it also adds more days to their lives."