The Amberwood Estates: the Seniors’ Diaries: Predicting a Brighter Future for the Elderly

By Salma Hamid Hussain

The novel touches on today’s rapidly-changing landscape, in which, despite the undercurrents of pessimism, and incidence of elderly abuse, encountered by “Empty Nesters,” who may be financially well-off, but despite emotional deprivation, there emerges a bright picture of the empowerment of the mature population. They come across as the repositories of rich experience, and valuable advice for the next generation!
The theme of the book is to provide hope to the elderly, that they will not be left to “fade away into the sunset,” but will enrich the lives of the younger people, with “the light of their amber glory!”
For the seniors, whose lives are enriched by a gamut of activities, for boosting their emotional and physical health, their lives are highlighted in various episodes, against the backdrop of “Amberwood Estates,” a sprawling Housing complex—the brainchild of Afshin, her husband Akhtar, and her mother, Asiya.
Amberwood Estates is a veritable utopia for the elderly, motivated by a curriculum for boosting their physical and emotional well-being. These include classes in Reiki, Tai Chi, cruises, cultural activities, and social gatherings.
The novel begins with the objectionable treatment of a mother, who had devoted her whole life to her children, after she was widowed young. She had worked hard to facilitate their higher education, so that they could live luxurious lives. The daughter-in-law, Elham, is an avaricious and insolent person, who does not care for her mother-in-law’s comfort, or her quality of life, despite the fact that her son had provided her an opulent lifestyle.
The mother is rescued from her squalid life by her daughter, Afshin, who lives in Kuwait. Afshin’s neighbour, Sarah, is a forward-looking lady, who has set up a seniors’ club for Assisted Living. With Sarah’s guidance, Afshin sets up a similar, Seniors’ Housing complex in Karachi, in her home country, Pakistan. It gains so much popularity, that dignitaries from various countries visit it regularly, and similar clubs are mushrooming all over Asia, and the Middle East, due to Sarah’s, and Afshin’s pioneering efforts. Sarah and Afshin were awarded a Special prize for their humanitarian efforts.
In the Book, the lives of other senior citizens are highlighted in various episodes, with individual circumstances of parents being abandoned by immigrating offspring, who are endowed with hope of a better lifestyle at Amberwood Estates. The lives of some of the elderly residents become intertwined at times, and some surprising unions take place at the end!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Apr 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781543772920

Salma Hamid Hussain

SALMA HAMID HUSSAIN was born in Lahore, Pakistan. She was educated at St. Joseph’s Convent Girls’ High School, and at St. Joseph’s College in Karachi. She then got her post-graduate degree in Education from Karachi University. She was married at age 19, widowed while she was teaching in Iran, when she was in her thirties, and had had three children. After teaching for a year at St. Patrick’s High School in Karachi, she got a job as a Persian translator , which took her to various countries including the Gulf, Cyprus, and the United States. She won many kudos for her work, including the Editor’s Choice Award, as a member of the International Society of Poetry. Currently, the author is resident in Dubai, UAE. The latest edition of her book on Inspirational Poetry, titled: “Through The Eyes of The East,” has been published by AuthorHouse and Partridge Publishers.

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Copyright © 2023 Salma Hamid Hussain. All rights reserved.

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Illustrations by: Sajida Majeed, Pakistan

ISBN

ISBN: 978-1-5437-7291-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5437-7293-7 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5437-7292-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023901764

03/31/2023

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CONTENTS

PARADISE REGAINED!

PARADISE—THAT WAS LOST

CHINESE CHECKERS!

‘MIRROR, MIRROR ON THE WALL…

SOULS APART !

A CRY IN THE WILDERNESS

SATURDAY’S SPECIAL SPORTS

MOST UNLOVED!

THE GRAND FINALE !

2-ParadiseRegained.jpg

PARADISE REGAINED!

It was a hot and humid day at the Karachi airport, as Afshin rolled her luggage trolley to the exit, and looked around for her brother’s car. She recognized her brother’s chauffeur of many years, waving out to her. He came forward and took her luggage, and loaded it in the car.

Afshin was a bit disappointed that her brother, who was an executive in a multinational company, had not tried to make time to receive her. Instead, he had sent a message saying that an unscheduled meeting had come up, and he would see her at home later.

As the car sped along the familiar route, Afshin was lost in her reverie. She was anxious to meet her mother, who seemed to be getting older, and was trying to cope with her health problems. She had spoken to her mother on Skype a few days ago—thank heavens for modern technology, she mused—and had been alarmed by how frail she looked, and had appeared a bit disoriented. That is why she had decided to pay a visit.

Her mother, who had been a vibrant, astute career woman, as well as a versatile homemaker, was a perfectionist. She was an indefatigable multi-tasker, even before the term was invented!

Afshin was glad that her brother and his wife were taking care of her mother, and hoped that she was happy. Afshin entered the house, and was greeted by her niece and nephew, aged 8 and 5 respectively. Where is Ammi [vernacular for ‘Mom,’] ? Her sister- in-law, Elham hugged her cursorily, and said that she was in bed, as she had been under the weather. She is looking forward to seeing you."

Afshin dropped her bag, and ran to see her mother. The room seemed very neat with new covers on the bed, and a vase of fresh flowers on the bedside.

Salaams, Ammi, so nice to see you! Her mother’s face lit up as she hugged her daughter. There was a strong smell of disinfectant, but Afshin felt assured that her sister-in-law was keeping everything hygienic.

An hour elapsed, as the mother and daughter caught up with the news. Afshin could not fail to notice that her mother looked weak and tired easily.

Are you eating well, Ammi? Yes, dear. Elham sees to that, her mother replied in a stilted voice. Elham had laid out a futon so that Afshin could sleep in her mother’s room.

Her brother, Zeeshan, came in and enjoyed talking to his sister about her family, and their life in Kuwait. Afshin was tired from her journey, though a short one, but she made sure to put a jug of water on her mother’s bedside. She applied some coconut oil in her mother’s hair, as she used to do, when she was younger, and rubbed some balm in her mother’s arthritic hands. Gradually, her mother dozed off.

Afshin lay in her bed, but felt a strange sense of unease. She could not fathom what it was, and attributed it to the stress of travel. Eventually, she fell into a fitful sleep.

Suddenly, she woke up with a start. Against the dim nightlight in the room, she saw her mother’s silhouetted figure trying to get up with her cane in her hand. Afshin rushed to her side and, asked if she could help her, presuming