Old age traditions that were around for centuries, are now becoming a more familiar site on the streets of Turkey, as the older population rely on the older ways of delivery for their basic items. For a few weeks now to help curb the spread of Coronavirus in the older generation people over 65 have been advised to stay at home, so for 83 year old Yuksel who lives on the fourth floor of her apartment block in Istanbul, she now gets her basic items & fruit/vegetables via basket delivery on a rope from her local corner shop.
The local grocer Zafer used to receive around 10 orders a day but they’ve seen this increase significantly, as they now get on average 50 per day, and they are on hand for whatever their elderly clientele need from the hours of 7am until 10pm.
In line with many other countries, Health ministers are urging everyone to stay at home and Fahrettin Koca has done the same in Turkey, appealing to elders quoting ‘this society needs your life experience, please do not risk your life and stick to the measures’. So, for the local butcher Zeynel, this also means that they deliver newspapers, bread and other essentials, not just meat!
Just before the lockdown came into force, even with the imminent outbreak, people were taking advantage of the weather heading to parks, green areas & the beach, but as more and more young people became worried about their parents & grandparents the government acted, and discouraged older people from going out, resulting in the lockdown.
It is difficult but there are still things to be done, especially for 83 year old Mehmet who has a big garden with plenty of memories, and a good interest in pictures as he continues to collect old family photos from the last 35/40 years.
