The State has assumed care of an elderly man who has been living alone in poor conditions in GDh. Faresmaathoda.

A Faresmaathoda resident told Mihaaru News that the man has been living alone for over a decade despite having relatives living on the same island. He also has two adult children, although they no longer reside on the island. 

"He has siblings. He also has two grown children. The two children don't live on this island though. They're both married. I know one of them a little. They are also not very well to do," they said. 

According to the resident, the man has been living alone for approximately 15 years now. Although used to living alone, his health has significantly deteriorated over the past five years, bringing with it more challenges in living independently, the resident said. 

The man has entirely lost sight in one eye, and vision is blurred in the other eye as well. These reasons have made it hard for him to maintain basic personal hygiene as well, the resident explained. 

"He has been ill for four or five years. Some disease led him to losing sight in one eye. Old age has made vision blurry in the other eye as well."

It has been learned that his children only seldomly visit the island. In the past, his daughter had lived on the same island, at which time she had cared for the man as well. However, a family conflict led to the daughter refusing to allow the father to continue living with her, the resident said.

The man does not possess a house of his own and had been living in premises that belonged to someone else, they said. At the time the man moved into those rooms, it was not equipped with running water or electricity. 

"The man lived there alone. The place didn't even have electricity when he moved in. Lights, fan and things were later added on through help from the island's community. The place was not in good condition," they said. 

The island's residents had taken pity on the man's situation and helped him over the years, the resident explained. The man, however, wished to be taken care of by his own children and often spoke to people about his sorrow at being neglected by them. 

"He talks to me a lot as well. He actually wished to be cared for by his children or his family. But that just wasn't happening. This wasn't very convenient for him and he complained about it a lot, making some people upset sometimes. But the island's residents did help him out," the resident said. 

With his living conditions coming to the attention of the island's council and police, the authorities appealed to the State to take him under their care.