Managing trash can be difficult for seniors who want to stay in their own homes. Those big, ugly heavy trash containers must be hidden from the street except on trash collection days. When it got too hard to drag the big cans along our driveway, we prevailed upon the city garbage collectors to give us two smaller cans, which made the entire task doable. They grudgingly agreed to bring us two of the smaller containers. That went on for a few years. But then, last week, the city bashed our senior trash cans.
Here how it happened.: When I went to get the morning newspaper, I saw that the cans hadn’t yet been emptied. While I walked upstairs, my husband heard the rumble of the garbage truck. By the time we had our coffee and read the newspaper, we saw that the blue cans had disappeared!
Our city has a contract with a waste management company, and believe me, there are big bucks involved. Once upon a time, they provided the handicapped and elderly with smaller, lightweight containers. Then, they decided it was too much bother picking them up with their automated trucks. They made it clear they weren’t happy when we demanded the smaller cans. Grudgingly, they went along with the deal, but finally, they put an end to it all this week by throwing our cans into their shredder.
When I called to complain, I was informed by both the company and the mayor’s office that they couldn’t locate any more of the little containers. They could only provide us with another, large container. It had to be done their way, or no way.
Many seniors have children living nearby who can help out. Unfortunately, our children are scattered across the country. These are the kinds of problems that force seniors into retirement homes before they really want to give up their independence.
After I voiced my unhappiness with their blatant disregard for the needs of the elderly/ handicapped , the mayor’s office called my husband. They said that if we would leave our trash can out where it was in plain view from the street, a trash collector would perform the difficult??? task of walking a few feet to manually pick up the can and feed the contents into the truck. It remains to be seen how long they are willing to do this. Or, will they pull another vanishing act?
We have paid our taxes in this community for over 50 years. Is it too much to ask for a little consideration for citizens over the age of 80? Maybe so.
Follow Up: Trash can was not picked up when promised and as of today, May 19, it is still full, despite repeated e mails from mayor’s office saying that Republic will pick it up.