MINA PATTEL

India


I came to Haringey in 1989 and now I’m the responsible of the Asian Carers Support Group. We help elderly Asian people who can’t express themselves in English to solve their problems and feel cared. These people are carers and thus can have tough moments and need support.
Many of them feel isolated because of the language, so we provide them a place to speak their own language with other people and also we offer them help to communicate in English. We give them a voice. And we are a meeting point for them, as well. They spend their leisure time here playing cards or just exchanging stories. We give them a reason not to stay at home all day long. People’s response, the satisfaction and the happiness they show is what keeps me going.

If you have a problem, as they do with the language, do something to find a solution, never give up.

Haringey is good for elderly people, they would do more for them here than in other boroughs. In a way is good, because you become one.