The new construction of the senior nursing home “Vortik Gulbenkian” in Gyumri
The life in the northern Armenian city of Gyumri has changed completely after the severe earthquake of December 1988. The population of the second largest city in the country has fallen by about half (from 200 000 to about 100 000 inhabitants). Further to this loss, many of the city’s inhabitants migrated, as the earthquake had also serious impact on the economy. All efforts to ameliorate the conditions of the city have largely failed. Consequently, the young male inhabitants moved to Russia or Western Europe in search of employment.
Among those who had to stay were the elderly. Their living conditions are particularly difficult, especially for those who do not have relatives who can take care of them. The state’s efforts are not enough to ensure a dignified life for these elderly. Many of them still “live” in the notorious metal containers that were put up after the earthquake. They have no prospect of a proper apartment or a place in a nursing home.
The catastrophic living conditions of the elderly inhabitants of Gyumri have deeply touched the founder, who often visits this city. Consequently, the founder decided to establish a nursing home for the elderly, as a central aid project of the Foundation in Armenia, so that these elderly do not have to spend their last years of life under inhumane conditions. The first elderly home will be in Gyumri, and several more homes are planned to be built across the country in the future.
The establishment is named after the founder’s grandfather, “senior citizen nursing home Vortik Gulbenkian”. When his grandfather died, the founder was two years old only. He later learned from the stories told by other family members that Vortik Gulbenkian was a meritorious, well respected, and a good person.
So that such people won’t be forgotten after their death, it is important to remember them. Through naming the senior nursing home in Gyumri as “senior citizen nursing home Vortik Gulbenkian”, the memory of Vortik Gulbenkian is honored as an exemplary human being.
