MAKKAH – Many of the homes in Makkah for the elderly are old, dirty, and do not have basic amenities, let alone fulfill basic safety standards. Residents of the homes say they also suffer from constant power cuts and overflowing of sewage. “The condition of the building has been deteriorating for years, and the water supply is sporadic. Yet, if I don't pay rent, the water and electricity are cut off. Most of us living in this building are old, poor and sick. We have no place to go. We have to put up with this dilapidated building, and the miserable conditions that come with it,” said Umm Saleh, a resident of a shelter in Makkah. Umm Saleh, who lives in a one-bedroom apartment with a tiny bathroom, has been living in the home for the elderly since her divorce. The walls in her bedroom are cracked and look as though they will collapse at any moment. Electric cables protrude from various corners. The Okaz reporter who visited another house for the elderly found it in similar condition. Muhammad Al-Mutairi complained about the rusty stairway at the entrance of the building he has been living in for the past thirteen years. Al-Mutairi said he wants to leave but cannot afford a different home. Residents called on the government to help repair their homes and said good samaritans who visit them periodically provide them with food and clothes.
