Maria House for the Elderly was founded and built by Mrs. Cynthia Sands, and dedicated to the memory of her late aunt and friend, Maria Cooper. The home is equipped to care for up to 10 residents and is situated on an acre of property.
“God gave us a woman like Mrs. Cynthia Sands, who had a vision to look after the pillars of this Andros community, and as the hand of God continues upon the life of Cynthia Sands, we pray that she, together with her son, Kevin Ferguson, continue to provide the splendid leadership and examples for emulation by young and old alike,” said Deputy Prime Minister Pratt.
The late Mrs. Cooper headed the National Women’s Movement in Freeport, Grand Bahama, and worked closely with the late Senator Dame Dr. Doris Johnson, founder and president of the National Women’s Movement who also directed a self-help housing project called the National Women’s Housing Co-operative.
M.P., Minister of Social Services and Community Development, and Vincent Peet, Minister of Labour and Immigration and the Member of Parliament for the area, were also on hand for the home’s opening.
Minister Griffin commended Mrs. Sands for honouring Mrs. Cooper in this fashion. “As Mrs. Cooper was instrumental in touching the lives of so many,” said Minister Griffin, “so, too, will Maria’s House, and in doing so improve the quality of life for older persons in this community.”
In pledging the support of the government for the project, Minister Griffin noted that “many families are often not emotionally or financially prepared for and/or equipped to care for this special group of persons in our society, and need some assistance from the government and non-governmental agencies.”
She also told her audience, “The success of this home depends on the entire community, and I encourage you to support it in whatever way you can. I urge the staff members to resolve to provide the residents with the highest level of care that you possibly can give.”
Minister Griffin chided those persons who seek to relinquish their responsibilities for older relatives to institutions like this home, and tend to forget them.
“The government and relevant non-governmental agencies must be able to step in and assist with services for senior citizens to supplement and support that which is done by relatives,” she said; “hence the need for facilities like Maria’s House.” Minister Griffin said legislation relating to technical assistance for residential care facilities would soon be presented and enacted in Parliament to ensure that appropriate standards are established and maintained.
Minister Peet said, “We in Andros are very proud to produce individuals who have a social conscience. Those who needed to find some evidence of how big is the heart of an Androsian, and how much we have to offer to our people and to the country, need only look to see what Mrs. Cynthia Sands has done here today. She typifies the real Androsians who really set out to help people.
“Today is a red-letter day, a positive day for Andros, for Bahamians, for what we see here to day is a labour of love, tangible evidence of commitment, dedication and love of people. Here is a young, dedicated and energetic woman who recently lost her husband, who decided that she had this mission in life that she must complete in memory of her aunt and her friend,
Maria Cooper.
She spent her own money to do something that would achieve a dream for this part of Andros, where there is a great need for this type of service.
“She had a rough time building this place, and persevered through some rough times to make this a reality,” said Minister Peet as he commended Mrs. Sands and her children for seeing the project to completion, and pledged the government’s assistance to see that the home is run properly.
Deputy Prime Minister Pratt said, “Too often we tend to forget the pillars of our society, the ones who have actually built the foundation on which we stand. In other parts of the world they believe in cherishing the elderly.
Certain opportunities and privileges are given to them, and I am concerned that we have not done as much as we can for the elderly.
“The time has come for the government to support even more those who are elderly, those who are underprivileged, and those in Mrs. Cynthia Sands� vision, and the government will assist.”
Commenting on other homes for the elderly she has visited, Minister Pratt said, “There are not enough activities that go on for the elderly, and they just sit there, and they tend to fade out earlier. We must assist with programmes in most of the homes where the elderly reside. If they are given the opportunity to do a lot more, they will live a lot longer. There are certain things they can do that can assist the public, and we can use them as they are able to do some things. They only want to feel useful and to do something useful.”
Deputy Prime Minister Pratt said Mrs. Sands is a special woman who had some valleys, some mountaintops, and some periods when there was second-guessing whether it made any sense to go on with this project.
“She was criticised over and repeatedly because of what she was doing,” Deputy Prime Minister Pratt said, “but she had a vision and a love for the elderly; because what she has done for the gems, the elderly, those people who spent nights and days on their knees praying for us — because of what she has done, she does not have room to store the blessings from the Lord.”
By Gregory S. Christie, Bahamas Information Services
