Dear viewers, Creating content like this takes a lot of time and effort. We want to increase both the quality and quantity of our videos, but we can’t do it without your support. Please consider making a donation via PayPal or subscribing on Patreon. Your help is greatly needed and appreciated ♥ www.patreon.com/SovietBorn
Hello Julie! I am also Julie, living in Canada. I have seen worse, have lived in worse, believe me! lol At least it isn't a basement apartment, no light, no fresh air. I hope the Babushka stays safe and warm this winter. Bless ..
@@SundaysChild1966Hello Julie! You’re right, things could indeed be worse, but we’ll do our best to make things right. Thank you for your kind words and support!
US in the 1880s. My grandmother lived until 1960 without electricity or indoor bathroom, a wood stove in kitchen and a hand pump cold water sink. Then went to live with daughters. This poor lady's apt. Would be considered slum.😢
@@SundaysChild1966 : Coming from a fellow Canadian; this is the distinct, downside of Capitalism, which there most certainly, is a downside too, as well. If selfish, materialistic, pricks can't profit off of it, they simply, do not care, and the bloody, government allows them to get away with it, as well.
We live in a stone cottage in Wales that is over 400 years old. My husband is 83 and I am 72 and we just stopped working out tiny farm. We brought my mother to live with us 25 years ago, she died this year, aged 102. Before she moved here, she lived in a small home, rather like the one you showed us, but in London. Though higher than this lady's, her pension was not enough for her to make it comfortable and her friends had all died, so it was safer for her to be with us. She was not always able to eat well because the heating cost, local tax and paying water bills that are very high in London took most of her money. My husband and I can manage better because we each have a pension, though we have not travelled anywhere in the years since we had other jobs and we rarely buy new clothes. The exterior of our cottage is fully repaired now and we are putting a wood stove back in to help with warmth and cooking costs. I would like to know what older people do to pass the time in retirement in Russia? Many here seem to just watch television all day. We prefer to read and have other at home hobbies. We also look after our 8 year old grandson, sometimes for weeks at a time, because our son has to work far away and his mother has left the family. The little boy is great company. I never feel bored of lonely. I like being a pensioner.
Hello. Thank you very much for your comment. It was very interesting to learn the history of your family and home. Your house is wonderful! It’s a comfortable place to spend time in retirement, especially with a grandchild. You are a very kind person. You brought your mother to live with you and brightened the last days of her life. 102 years is an incredible age for a woman who lived through such challenging times. Our retirees spend their time in interesting ways. They visit each other, tend to their gardens, and much more. You’ve suggested a great topic. We will definitely show how our retirees spend their time. Thank you for the interesting story. I wish you all the best. Sincerely, Julie.
If the walls of your cottage in Wales could talk, I'm sure it would have some stories to tell. Some sad stories and some lovely. I have a bit of a tear thinking about this distinguished lady working nearly all her life to achieve so little. In some respects this is so much more than what some people have, but a lifetime of work should have blessed her with more comforts in her golden years. Apart from the older electic and plumbing and outdated decor and furnishings, there is a beauty to her home. She has kept it fairly clean and tidy for her advanced years. It shows pride of ownership of the little that she does have. I can learn lessons from this. My grandparents came from a generation where the husband earned an income and the wife worked on upkeeping the home. My grandmother never worked. My grandfather was given the choice to participate in SS or not. He chose not to thinking his pension would be enough. It was not, mounting medical costs ate away their lifetime of savings and in the end their house was bartered away for 24 hour care. After my grandmother passed my grandfather went to live with his home health nurses family. His home went to the nurses family. His pension check was signed over to the family. It wasn't much only about 800 dollars a month. When he passed the deed to the house was signed over to the nurse. She gave him excellent care and worked for peanuts while he was alive. I am grateful for her. Today one of her children's family lives in the house and I am glad that the home is well taken care of. 😊 While this is somewhat a positive outcome, I can't imagine all the seniors managed who were in similar situations that didn't have a good hearted person care for them. Those that didn't have the resources to barter for care. The system is broken and I don't see that it is much better for my boomer parents either. They have saved a lifetime, paid off their home, done without, didn't fix up flooring, kept the same furniture since the late 70's early 80's that they once bought through installment plan. They have SS and retirement and are only barely making it with the rising costs of utilities, groceries, medicalcare and taxes.😢
@@Soviet-BornI think that would be an interesting topic for a video. When my mother was What you call a pensioner, she had social Security and she had a pension from my father and she had an annuity which is sort of like life insurance except for you get it before you're dead Well actually my father made it and she got it after he was dead but she was still alive. And she lived on those things and she had a house. But she did not have a budget. She spent a lot of money for a while after my father died just 5 years and then I had to teach her how to make a budget. She still had the social Security and the pension but she spent the annuity. To me it was a lot of money she spent. At first she went out with her friends but for some reason they all moved to Canada and one of them stayed in Florida and got married. Sometimes she would go for walks. She watched some TV shows and she read a lot of books. She had two grown up children who were not married and she did not have grandchildren. You did not mention I don't think whether the grandmother had grandchildren. Maybe I forgot. My mother kept saying I don't want grandchildren so we didn't have any. I didn't want to have any children. Now I have ducks.
Senior homelessness is a growing problem here in the US. Since the amount you receive from our government retirement program (social security) is based on your salary when working, many who spent their working years in low wage jobs can't afford housing after they retire. Those low wages also made it impossible to save. Had I not been lucky enough to buy a very modest small house while working, I would struggle to afford current rents. I loved seeing Babushka's apartment. My kitchen and bathroom aren't modern either but I see no reason to change what's still working. Thanks so much for the interesting video and please let Babushka know she has a beautiful apartment.❤
Hello! Thank you very much for the very interesting comment. I will definitely pass along your greetings to our heroine. She will be very happy, and your compliment about the apartment will mean a lot to her. The heroine does her best to maintain her home as much as her small budget allows.
Americans have to decide if Social Security is a pension you paid for (and therefore yours) or a government benefit funded by present taxpayers. Also known as Millennials. There are billionaires in the current administration who are talking about cutting social security to fund tax cuts. They think the math makes sense in that less taxes in means less payments out. They are deaf to stories of people needing more than 100% of their social security to live. They also want to cut the military budget even though some of them escaped from generational poverty and drug abuse by joining the military.
@@caroline10081 Social Security is and should be a pension paid for by the worker throughout their years of working, which is why it goes up or down according to how much you worked. His Social Security was much larger than mine because well I did work. I was also part-time and stay at home. Mom threw all my worklife. But it was never meant to be your only income during retirement ,you were meant to have saved or invested some to go along with it. Also, some jobs sent as my husband’s also offered a pension. Both of us contributed to our 401(k)s. God knows in America. There’s enough jobs to go around. I don’t care what they say, you see hiring signs everywhere you just have to choose if you wanna work and learn some money or not.
Circam1980, I was living in Brooklyn, NY and a Russian Jewish family came to America and settled in my neighborhood. They had a little boy, I think he was about 2 and needed clothes etc. I think they "escaped" with very little. I brough then some clothes and shoes, toys that my little boy had outgrown, When the father saw the big bag of things for his boy, he was overwhelmed and kept saying "for my boy????" I said "yes" and he wept! I said "welcome to America" The mother told me stories of waiting in line all day just for an orange in Russia. I've often wondered what happened to them. This isn't the America it once was, yet I'm afraid for our future.
What a wonderful story! I think they remember you. It’s impossible to forget someone who helped in difficult times. You are a person with a very kind heart. You needn’t worry about your country. It will remain strong as long as there are people like you living in it. Thank you very much for the comment. Sincerely, Julie.
@@auntieclara1811well, I hope you can find a way to be sure of that because it’s not looking fine at all from where I’m sitting. Can’t believe so few are seeing the playbook Trump is using, He wants to blow up the system but not for the benefit of the country, just for himself and his ultra wealthy buddies. It’s plain as day but so many are distracted from understanding it. Hoping for a miracle for you all.
I’m not surprised they don’t want to leave. This is their home. I’m a widow pensioner and lived in my old house for 23 years. It’s home, it’s our security. I receive a better pension and still struggle to survive but there are many worse off these days. Australia. Enjoyed your video ty
This is what I was thinking. I'm 75 and don't have the energy to go out traveling. It takes too much energy and it's disconcerting; home is comfort since I can operate on habit which requires less energy. Younger people should understand this. Just moving to a better place would be traumatic after so many years.
I was born and live in the USA, son of a Portuguese born mother and a French born father. I worked for a well known interior design firm in Boston for over 10 years. The owner was born, raised and educated in the former Soviet Union. She was lucky because she and her mother were both engineers and they were granted a lovely flat near the Red Square in Moscow. She explained to me that she was fortunate as most uneducated Russians were allocated standard flats and basic jobs. This woman is not alone…. You would find similar flats for pensioners in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and many other developed countries. My mother’s city of Lisbon is the “Hot Spot” of Europe and as a Portuguese citizen who just spent 3 weeks in Lisbon this past August, this woman is not alone…. All governments should prioritize their elderly citizens, first and foremost! Thank you for a wonderful video and your obvious dedication to those that deserve better….
These are people from Tajikistan. The Soviet Union helped all countries, especially the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic - with free housing, free medical care and free education for children from 2 months, as well as free higher education for adults. Now Tajikistan has been an independent country since 1992 and each has its own president and its own constitution. In 1985, weavers in the USSR received a salary of 220-230 rubles, cleaners 70 rubles, students received stipends of 70 rubles, engineers received 170 rubles. That is, in the USSR, the salary of a person with a blue-collar profession was higher than the salary of a person with a higher education. The USSR always built new apartments for workers and people received them for free.
In old age , people prefer their homes better than any other modern places, a cottage is a home if it provides safety, comfort and stable life . Places change and must go under constant maintenance, what distinguish a place its residents , they give it the life and make it age gracefully.
IM in the UK. My parents both had good private pensions and full state pensions. They retired in the mid 1990s, when they were in their 50s(mum)/60's (dad) They could afford to buy a nice retirement flat , go on nice holidays including a trip to the USA by Concord, a cruise on the Nile , a trip on the orient Express and a trip to Russia to St Petersburg which they really enjoyed. They had the golden years . My father has since passed away, and my mum is 85 now and lives modestly. I fear our generation will not be so fortunate, and we will not have the wealth in our retirement our parents had, I worry for our children who have very little hope of even buying their own homes, let alone having a good retirement.
i love how many little flourishes and details are included in every corner of these apartments. the cabinet beneath the sink is pretty, the tiles and wallpapers have flowers, there are beautiful lace curtains. you can tell how much babushka and others cared about their space and wanted to make even their modest items beautiful. i admire it very much and i think it’s a nice change from the white and grey modern decor that is popular now. many elders here in the US live similarly despite how different the countries are. many are poor, have never had a chance to enjoy life even after working their whole lives and we don’t care for them properly. many can never afford to retire or end up unhoused. things were different before, retiring was more common maybe 20 years ago but cost of living is high and salaries have not risen, companies have stopped offering employees pensions or retirement benefits as they once did. the rich are very rich and everyone else is poor. everything is expensive. no one can afford to buy a home these days so unless they already owned one, even elderly people now have to rent forever. and rent is very, very expensive. it’s sad how much of the world has similar problems.
It’s really sad when people who have worked their entire lives can’t afford what they truly deserve in their old age. I’ll definitely share your kind words with our heroine-she’ll be so happy. Thank you so much for your comments. I read every single one, and they bring me so much joy and mean a lot to me. Julie.
Never owning the roof over your head has very significant psychological ramifications. You never feel 'grounded'. You always have that niggling insecurity. My husband's darling Scottish Aunt lived in the same council house all her life. Like many in post WW2, she never married because so many young men were killed, so one income all her life, she lived frugally and sensibly. In the '90's the government devised a scheme where council tenants could buy their homes but she didn't have the money. She didn't need a massive amount of money because she'd lived there for so long but it was well out of her reach. We were financially okay at that time and gave her the money to buy her home on the proviso that she would then leave it to us in her will. It made such an incredible difference to her life. She relaxed, she no longer had to worry about the rent every month, she couldn't get kicked out for some stupid new government rules because she now owned her home. The government later assisted her in modifications to make it safer because she was an elderly pensioner, we chipped in some extra money to update things and she was SO happy in her latter years. When she passed and the property was sold we didn't lose, we didn't make a fortune BUT we made SUCH a difference to a lovely, beloved family member that it was priceless. I still remember Aunt Bessie with such fondness. Cheers from Oz!!
Good morning, I am 73 years old, live in Washington State, USA. I am very blessed. I have retirement savings from being a nurse and social security, plus I have inheritance from my parents. I had the advantage of attending university. I was a single mom with one child. My daughter is 49 years old and my grandson is 26 years old and still single. We had everything we needed and did get to travel, I was and am not rich by US standards but I'm comfortable. I still get to travel to see family in other states but I also have to budget that in. I have visited many states here in the US and have also visited other countries. I live in an 1800 square foot home (167 square meters), 3 bedrooms, 2 baths on main floor. (built in 1980) I converted the basement into a one bedroom apartment, also has a bathroom, living room, washer and dryer, and kitchenette in the living room. I have an attached double car garage. I rent the basement area out to traveling nurses. I have 2 cats and a dog, a nice yard on a corner lot. The yard just has plants, no lawn. I live in a high desert and am landscaping with native plants to reduce water usage in the summer. I respect how hard pensioners worked during the Soviet era and how that beautiful lady now makes do. I have to budget my money, too, since things are really getting expensive. I try not to waste things and I share what I've got with others. Now that I am older, I prefer to stay home. Thank you so much for sharing this. Please tell that Babushka thank you for letting us see her apartment.
Hello. Thank you very much for the very interesting story about your life. You described your wonderful home in such detail that I felt as if I had visited you. I am very glad to meet you. I will definitely tell our heroine about you, and she will be very happy to receive your greeting. Wishing you and your family good health. Sincerely, Julie.
Here in the US many Seniors live in housing provided by the Department of Housing and Urban renewal (HUD) that are rent adjusted for the incomes of Seniors. They pay no more than a 4th of their income after medical expenses. I am blessed to live in one and love it. All maintenance and heating and air are included in the rent.
This is a great program. Sadly, will probably be axed by the incoming administration as "excess spending". They're gonna end Obama care (which I depend on) and probably gut social security and medicare
My mom is in one, and she only had to wait about 6 months, which was a blessing. The cap is actually 1/3 of monthly income after medical, and some places have extra fees that are not included in the cap. My mom gets one meal a day (which is very generously portioned and she uses leftovers for lunch the next day), transportation and activities but they are all added fees outside of rent, and they do add up. She can't opt out of them, either. But it's still affordable on her very modest social security income and her teeny bit of retirement assets, and her community is gorgeous. She has everything she needs in her tiny little apartment. She's made a lot of friends and is living a wonderful life that, without HUD, would have been impossible. We are hoping she can stay there as long as possible because the equation changes once she needs assisted living.
My great uncle and my grandfather both had homes here in Hawaii very similar to this babushka's home. Simple yet functional for all their needs. Humble it may be.... but home sweet home.... at the end of the day....
Thanks for honest content, appreciate the difficulties for pensioners everywhere. This woman lives alone I suspect so moving would disrupt her social life and at this time in her life not a good idea to risk that.
You’re right; it’s very hard for an elderly person to change their life. Grandma lives in her own world and knows no other. Thank you for the nice comment. We strive to show only the truth.
Once upon a time North America would say this is deplorable. Today many seniors would be happy to have a roof over their heads. The is always greener over the septic tank ❤
I'm in the U.S and fearful of what lays ahead. I don't have a pension or retirement fund. It's scary. I'd be thrilled to know that I could have an apartment of my own when I can't work anymore. The only thing I can count on here is death.
Thank you for the apartment tour. It took me right back to the children's books from the Soviet Union that a lot of Indian children grew up reading. This apartment is almost exactly like the illustrations in some of those books. (I'm thinking of one where a cat called Mishka I think, goes missing and is found in a hat.) For me, this apartment is beautiful. We have exactly those gas cylinders in India too, and in very posh houses because not all cities have piped gas. Those lofts in every space is also very Indian. So, a beautiful blend of nostalgia and shared reality.
This is a very charming and cozy apartment with soul and atmosphere. I like it. Especially the doors and the storage over the doors. I live in an old apartment in central Copenhagen, to be honest, it isn´t much more modern than this one!
Send my greetings to the Babushka of the apartment. I hope she is well. I am a Baba also with two grandsons and live in the USA. They have two other grandparents who left the Soviet Union when it fell. I must say that we are not as poor as the ones you are showing. I study Russian history and enjoy your channel. Keep going-all peoples are important. ❤
Hello. I will definitely pass on your greetings to the grandmother. I can imagine how surprised and happy she’ll be! Thank you very much for your kind words. I wish all the best to you and your big family!
The rising cost of homes and rents is really high in Toronto, Ontario Canada. There are people who live on the streets and there is a growing trend of people living in their car converted into their home. You can see videos on that. Even though the pensioner lives a very modest and low means, I am glad that the government provided housing, as they should so deserve. It is too bad they do not do more. You did a great job in doing this video and that was very sweet for you to offer to take her to see the sea. I know she declined, you should ask again and maybe show a video of what it is like. It would be so nice to see the video of her reaction. Good Luck with your channel. I subscribed. I know there is the tension with the war with Ukraine. However, life still continues in other parts of Russia away from the war zone. All the Best.
Hello. Thank you for the information about the lives of Canadian pensioners. It is very interesting. It is also nice that you mentioned my suggestion to visit the seaside. I will definitely tell our heroine about this. She will be very pleased with your recommendations. Right now, I am in a very difficult situation due to my husband’s serious illness, but I am very hopeful for the best. And maybe then I can repeat my suggestion to Grandma.
Thank you for your work and for the interesting video! It's easy to see, that this flat, even though in a crumbling house, has been somehow modernized & renovated. The tiles in the bathroom, the wallpapers, the doors & furniture are all comparably new. Many of similar flats in the different towns of former Soviet Union still have the same cheap furniture, worn-out wallpapers, cracked doors & water-damaged bathrooms from the 1940-s, 50-s, 60-s & 70-s, all in a state of disrepair. The pensioners, who live there, don't have kind relatives with enough money to help their elderly.
I love this apartment. It has character and charm. Everything doesn't need to be modern or updated. That cast iron tub is spectacular. Essentials are all a person needs. Everything else is a luxury especially in today's world
Some elderly people in the USA and other parts of the West unfortunately are having to actually live in tents on the street or in a vehicle. They would be happy with the old soviet apartment. It would actually be an upgrade for them. Some are also going without meals as they cannot afford food. Things are not always as rosy as presented in movies and in the media. Hard working people appear to be afforded very little in a lot of the world today, sadly.
Meanwhile, the West is being overrun with gimme grants that get free housing, phones, food, medical care, education, and are given preference for jobs because employers get a tax break if they hire them. All while our own are hungry and homeless. But hey, at least we can throw billions at another conflict.
Thank you for this showing us this. It is very interesting to see apartments from that era. However I too feel for pensioners everywhere who are left to struggle with so little.
Thank you for your comment. Your support is very important to us. I agree with you. The unjust life of pensioners is very upsetting. Many of them built entire eras, but in return, they received a miserable existence. This pains any reasonable person.
At least the Soviet Union gave apartments to everybody. A lot of pensioners in the West don't have a house of their own and increasingly can't afford rent.
Hi there! Back in the USSR, getting an apartment wasn’t easy. You typically had to work continuously at the same enterprise for at least 10 to 20 years. Alternatively, if you had a higher education and were a specialist, you still needed to stick to one place of work without interruptions. It’s worth noting that the apartment wasn’t private property, so selling it wasn’t an option. We’ll dive into this in more detail later-there are a lot of nuances to discuss!
It was a dog-eat-dog world to get and keep an apartment...in order to get a "fortunate" person's apartment for themself people would snitch to the authorities, fabricate stories that the apartment holder was against the Soviet Union/against communism so they would be removed from the apartment (among other severe penalties)😢
Thank you the video was very interesting, I enjoy seeing how other people live in different countries . Thank the pensioner for allowing the viewers to see her home it’s very well kept. Bless you and your family.
I am a 78 year old single grandpa in the USA. I retired 15 years ago and have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1400 sq. ft. home with a full basement, breezeway, mini-barn, 1 car garage on half an acre. It's starting to get to be a lot to take care of. I love her apartment and think if I had something like that to live in, I would have more time to do the things I want. I envy her.
Hello! I understand you. Living in your own house is probably not easy, but you have a very nice home with all the amenities. I assure you, it’s much better than the old, crumbling house of our heroine. Thank you so much for your interesting comment. Wishing you all the very best. Best regards, Julie
A pensioner in Toronto. Feeling lucky that I have a comfortable home. But I know that many many seniors live in poverty. Next time please make a video about what kind of health care your Seniors receive.
Your channel popped up on my to view list, and I’m so happy it did.My family and I emigrated to Australia in 1960, we escaped what was then communist Yugoslavia. Out flat in Rijeka was new when we moved in, in 1950. 2 bedrooms a bathroom and a kitchen big enough for a table with 6 chairs. There were 5 of us, 3 children shared 1 bedroom. Every tenant had a room in the basement that we could use to store wood for winter…We were poor but didn’t know it. The outside of the 4 apartment building looked a lot like the one you showed. My life is so different to the lady you showed, we are retired (I’m 77 ) we are working class people,but were able to buy our own home educate 3 children and travel and see a bit of the world. It didn’t come easy, we worked hard, saved as much as we could, but at our stage of life we are comfortable. I don’t think I would have this life if my parents had stayed in Yugoslavia. Today it will be impossible for my grandchildren to do the same. Housing is out of their reach, everything is so expensive I don’t know how people manage . Thank you for such a lovely and informative video, I look forward to seeing more
I like that old building, it has a solid character, which says safety to a pensioner. I am a pensioner in the US. My home is 100 years old, and old homes always need work. But this work is also beyond my reach. Many modern building materials are not healthy to live with compared to wood and plaster. One owner cannot do everything a house needs, unless they are rich, so we pick one or two important things like the plumbing or a new roof. Then the next person to own the house will do more upgrades.
I live in Michigan USA just outside of Detroit. Alot of older people live on Social Security from the government. Mine is $960 per month. Normal rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is $1200 so I live with relatives. I am disabled, 57 yrs old and spend most my day in bed. Some people are better off, some are worse off. Im depressed because I dont have hope for my life improving. My mom is still here 77 yrs old and my son has mental illness, 37 yrs old and he takes care of me. My father passed in 2018, he was 86 in good health, we were on home hospice together but I got better. 2 sisters, 1 in Arizona, 1 in Florida. I'm trusting God will take care of us. Bless you.
Hello. Thank you very much for your kind words! Our heroine is a very good person. We helped her solve some problems, so she is doing a little better now than before. We will continue to help as much as we can.
Thank you for the video ! I think it is important to see how people in other parts of the earth live plus the history of their country and their culture
Thank you so much for sharing… in the USA we are blessed with more material goods and sad to say at times we do not appreciate what we have. Rents can be very high. It took me two years on a waiting list to get an apartment that is within my income. I am very blessed to have good rent and a wonderful landlord
Most of our old folks here in Ireland live in their own house that they raised their families in. Babushka’s home is dry, clean and tidy, bar the toilet and closet being torn up for the instillation of a new sewage system. The Babushka and her generation would have seen so much hardship in the Soviet Union, but their deep love for the Motherland and the support from their families, friends and neighbours is something Westerners do not comprehend, nor understand.
What an interesting and well-presented depiction of this Dear Senior’s home. The positive response is that the home looks modest and cared for. It is well that she has her own home. I am 78 and my decision has been to live in a room in a private home with shared kitchen and bath.of course, the expenses grow while the career has stopped. May we all stay happy and healthy and prepare gifts for the young ones who are getting married. The adventure of life is to give us joy. May we look to the joy in every day. Thank you for your interest in the daily life of older folks and the energy you put into this thorough documentary.
Hello. Thank you very much for your kind wishes. I will definitely pass them on to our heroine. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you good health and many years of life ❤️
I love old houses and old furniture. My house was built over 100 years ago in 1891. The original part of the house was built of brick with rooms added on during World War 11. Those add on parts were not done as well as the older parts because materials were hard to get during the war I think. The style is Victorian but the add ons are vintage style. I am 76 years old and was able to buy this about 30 years ago after renting it for a year and a half. My plumbing had to be replaced in parts of the house as well as the electricity so I can understand the situation in the video. I actually like the old window you showed in the video. I am a single woman and working part time along with a widows pension or social security. I like to spend a large amount of time working in the yard and on the house painting and trying to make repairs. I see the apartment in the video needs a lot of repairs done to the outside but I think it is good to save these old buildings. I can appreciate how they used every available space to make storage compartments. Now with so many people going to living in tiny homes this is right in style.
Thank you for this video. My husband is 76, and disabled. We sold our old house that was built in 1910 and we moved to an apartment complex that is on a lake. More eldery live in this complex. We just could not keep up with the repairs, nor yard work or snow removal with the house. We actually feel un-burdened.
I love it. I'd live in it. Here in the USA there's numerous homeless elderly people, Military Vets these people who worked practically their entire lives, raised their kids, defended their country and are HOMELESS.
Thank you for sharing this video, I found it so interesting. I found Babushka's apartment has a charm all of it's own and would like to see her bathroom when it's finished. I'm from the UK and not retired yet. We retire at 67yrs old. I know that Russian pensioners would be surprised at the mod cons most pensioners have over here. All pensioners get the state pension, £221.20 per week, free prescriptions and bus travel and attendance allow, if needed: Higher rate: £108.55 a week Lower rate: £72.65 a week and a £10.00 bonus at Christmas. Those on a low income could also receive Pension credit which is a gateway to free dental care, free hearing aids and prescription glasses. winter fuel allowance £300 per year, free council tax (saving £1250 approx on a 2 bed residence) and a free TV licence. There are also grants available (free of charge) to update old heating systems and provide property insulation and solar power. Needless to say everyone receives free medical care . Having said that, it's true that some of pensioners have to live very modestly as well in terms of disposable income. I hope you find this interesting and would love to see more of your videos. Wendy x
Hello, Wendy. Thank you very much for your comment. It was very interesting to learn about your pension system. It inspires a sense of hope for a peaceful life after retirement. We are seeing some positive changes here as well, but they are so minor compared to the real needs of retirees. I will definitely show you the state of the bathroom after the work is done. I’ll also ask my grandmother to give me an interview. I hope you’ll find it interesting.
Hello, I've just came across your channel, and your story and history of your country was really interesting to hear and see. I did subscribed to your channel, and look forward to any stories you want to tell. I'm from New York State, USA. God bless you, and thanks for sharing.
Hello, this video is really interesting. Considering the apartment was given to Babushka it's not too bad. I assume she just pays the utilities each month. Here in Southern California United States very expensive to live. My house is about 1354 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bathrooms. Cost now would be $500,000+. Year 2006 built. Mortgage rates are very high also now. Utilities not too bad $160.00 month gas, electric, water. Many homeless people including senior citizens here in California. Thank you for the video. Best wishes --- Mary - California.
Hello Mary. Thank you for telling me about your home and the cost of utilities. It’s very interesting. You have a very nice house. I like it when there are enough bathrooms. You’re right; in today’s world, it’s very difficult to live. Everything is getting more expensive, and you have to work hard to have good living conditions. It was a pleasure to meet you. Best regards, Julie
I like the use of every available storage space. The dish drainers above the kitchen sink shows a good use of a small space! Too bad that it is so dated, worn out, and shabby.
Thank you for showing another side of living. You did it with kindness, dignity and clarity despite the meagre surroundings. I really appreciated it 💖 In Australia, most people over the age of 65 are eligible for a government Aged Pension or part pension, depending on if you are still working or what assets you have. It’s not a great deal of money but certainly a lot more than $200 a month. Many older people also live off of their superannuation (handled by a superannuation company), which is like a retirement fund that working people contribute to during their working years. They become eligible to withdraw from it once a certain age has been reached or with special permission due to emergencies or financial hardship. Many older Australians are fortunate enough to own their own homes (houses). Some even more fortunate ones own several properties as an investment which they rent out. Sadly, for the younger generation, the Australian Dream of owning your own home is very fair out of reach for many. The financial crisis, inflation and the sky high property prices make it extremely hard and keep people in rentals. You have a new subscriber ☺️👏🏻👏🏻
Hello. What an interesting story about the life of retirees in Australia. Yes, compared to our elderly people, they are in a better position. Considering the climate, expenses for utilities and clothing are much lower than ours. Thank you very much for the information, and I am very glad to have a new subscriber!
Personally love what is old but we'll kept with updates because it connects us with the past. New means new materials not made to last. I loved the tiles. The exterior structure is thick, well built. It hasn't been maintained is only problem. People on 200$ a month cannot be expected to fix it. It's a grand bldg. Flower boxes with flowers in yard. A bright painted door. New stucco. Think how lovely it was new.
Hello! You are right; the building does need major repairs. It could probably be clad in brick, but that would be very expensive. Most of the people living in this area are elderly, and they cannot manage to maintain the houses. The management company collects money from them every month for capital repairs, but nothing gets done. It’s very sad.
@@Soviet-Born Can residents/management afford seeds? No sarcasm intended. Sometimes it just takes a little push by one to get it started. It would improve morale 💯. Harvest seed year after year eliminates cost and the budget can buy new varieties. Grow herbs, too. Do you think covering exterior with brick is wise? Idk. The underneath structure would continue deteriorating? I'm really glad to know how things are for pensioners there. So many here in USA are either homeless or receiving Section 8. When the economy completely tanks so will subsidy. We the people are one ❤️
I am descended from a man who left Castlederg during the potato famine in 1847 and journeyed to Canada to make a better life. I have an auntie named Vera. She was a nice woman and an expert knitter. Greetings.
Hello, Thankyou for your video. My father is now 90 years old, born in Australia. He spent the first 3 years of his life living with his mother and 2 siblings, in a tent on someone else's property in a very hot climate here in Australia. He started working at the age of 14 years as many people did in those days. He worked very long hours taking overtime as much as possible and married at the age of 35. My grandfather loaded my parents some money so they could buy a two bedroom wooden home. Years later my parents bought a very nice home built in 1970. Dad still lives there the only thing he has replaced since it was built is the carpet. He still lives very frugally today and keeps all of his weekly costs to a maximum of $80 AUD. By Australian standards the house isn't considered appropriate for a person of his age because he lives on the second floor and there are very sharp cement steps to the entrance. I found your video so interesting. Thanks again.
I belong to a family of government empolyees in the Philippines. No housing was ever provided for my sisters or for my parents. They tried their very best to build their houses. We would be happy if we had homes like that you showed to retire in.
Your parents were able to build a house on their own. That means their salaries allowed them to do it. Our salaries are so low that building a house is impossible. Especially in our climate with temperatures as low as -35 degrees Celsius, where wall thickness reaches 1 meter. Thank you for your interesting comment about your country.
It’s a privilege to hear about the Soviet experience from the people who experienced it, directly. Every perspective will be nuanced and that’s what makes it interesting and special. It’s also good to knock down some of the things that are portrayed in past and contemporary media. Thank you for taking the time to share your lives and experiences with us. The following are suggestions I’d like to see from your channel. However, it may not be suitable for the content I suggest. Please do not use any precious resources for my suggestions. I am interested in what types of cooked meals were created and what recipes were used in the Soviet era? How was transportation in the Soviet Union? What was it really like to get every day provincials? You mentioned the pride and modesty of people who remember that time clearly. What was it like working in those days? How did the average person in the Soviet error feel about their circumstances and situation? Did all people have a chance to enjoy the arts? I understand that the arts were very much appreciated but did it allow for freedom of expression was a geared toward the survival of the Soviet Union? Please forgive my ignorance. I have a slim understanding of the Soviet experience. I grew up as a child in the 1980s so I’ve had a very different interpretation although I was never encouraged to disrespect another person‘s culture. Thank you for your time and the willingness to dismantle the misconceptions around the Soviet experience, through story telling of lived experiences.
Of course, we will do our best to cover as many diverse topics about life in the USSR as possible. All of your suggestions are very helpful and resonate with us. It saddens us to see how inaccurately and one-sidedly life in the Soviet Union is often portrayed. It is very important to us to show and tell the whole truth about the USSR while contemporaries of this significant era for the world are still with us. Thank you for your valuable comments. We look forward to further feedback.
It seems like you have documented a very sensitive and important issue. Thank you for posting this very interesting video. Graceful people are the ones who are thankful for what they have... 🙏💐
I live on the USA & am impressed by the apartment and building. Russia had just come out of a long, bloody & costly war within it's borders and had the responsibility for a vast area within the Soviet Union when your pensioner was born. The apartment building might be old, but if the building is solid, that's irrelevant; things can be repaired. As a pensioner in the US, I would be delighted to own an apartment. The last place I rented was built in 1950 and also had the same old windows and bad plumbing. The rent was raised about four years ago & I moved to share a place. I am 74 years old and work two part-time jobs now to supplement my retirement income & afford better food, etc. I don't travel; it costs too much. I suspect that most pensioners struggle with money no matter where they live. Having the "basics" is enough for folks who are realistic.
That poor woman. The apartment looks nice to me, but the plumbing work has obviously caused great disruption. Where I live in the US, in New England, someone with that sort of income would be living under a bridge. Or homeless shelter in the best case scenario. I love the house tours of ordinary Soviet people, I love Soviet history and design.
Hello. Yes, it’s very hard for our heroine to maintain her home. But she does her best by saving on everything. This is how most single pensioners live. Thank you for the comment. I’m glad you enjoy the theme of our channel.
Oh, and you asked about pensioners' lives in our countries. Honestly, they're not much better and they're often worse here in Canada and the USA, especially in the large cities. Urban apartments and homes here are extremely expensive. When I was young, I lived in homes quite similar to the one here, and I thought I was lucky. Also, conditions on Indigenous reservations are often horrendous, often without even clean drinking water. And for anyone disabled, like myself, the pension is extremely low, far below the official poverty line.
I’m 73. Still working full time. I’m living with a roommate. We share a one bedroom RV. We split into two rooms. I have the master bedroom set up like a small studio apartment. My roommate has the living/dining space set up as a studio apartment also. My living space is about 12 by 12. I would love to have that apartment. I live in California USA
Hello, You are such a strong person. Working at your age commands great respect. Thank you for sharing your life story. Wishing you all the very best. Best regards, Julie
Thank you for letting me learn about your life. I love hearing about the life styles of different countries. I am from the USA where people have to much of everything. Modesty is almost non existent here. There are lessons to be learned in this country. I will watch for more of your viedos. I'd like to see your grocery stores. Where you do your shopping for clothing. And some cooking of favorite meals. Thank you.
Hello! Thank you for your kind words. Things haven’t changed much here since Soviet times. Most people still shop at small stores and go to the market. Of course, there are supermarkets, but it’s mostly more modern folks who shop there.
Anche in Italia ci sono pensionati che vivono allo stesso modo.Personalmente non è il mio livello ma sono minimalista e conduco una vita frugale, abbandonando da tempo il consumismo sfrenato e non sostenibile.Un augurio e un caro saluto alla signora🙋🏻♀️♥️☘️
The hoarding of comforters etc. reminds me of my grandmother here in Germany, because of the war experience she had two large closets full of them, some in their original packaging and with price tags. The whole basement was also full of hundreds of preserving jars of food. In winter, the heating was always excessive and she had no central heating (although the house was built in 1969), only coal/wood and oil heating (but only for holidays because it was expensive!). Her father fell as a soldier in the last year of the war, three small children had to be fed and they starved and froze and I only understood as an adult that this trauma could never be overcome.
Hi there! Elderly people had to go through so much in their lives. After experiencing all of that, it’s no wonder your grandmother stocked up on food and warmth-it’s something that stays with them forever. Thank you so much for sharing such touching memories. It’s incredibly interesting!
It doesn't change the unjustice of that situation but I want to say, as a side note, that in Usa people simply die sooner or live as homeless because there is no pension, no health care, no public houses. There is no human dignity. I am following a channel that explain how tons of people, also old, live in their cars to survive. There is Justice in this world... Thanks to the dear babuska to permit us to see her house. 😊🙏🏻♥️
Unfortunately, people who have worked their entire live here in the US are now moving to tents and travel trailers. Working all their lives, buying and paying off a home only to have taxes and insurance go so high, they can no longer afford their homes.....I am almost at that point, my taxes and insurance went up 100 per month, While I have equity in my home it is no where mere enough to buy even a smaller home. No family to get help from......this month utilities go up as well.....
I hope you can take some measures to hold onto your home... perhaps take in a roommate? Babysitters and dogsitters are in demand in many areas and are well-paid where I live. I wouldn't hesitate to utilize food pantries. I wish you all the best!
I found your video so interesting, you would call me a pensioner as well as I no longer work and live on a monthly check from the government. I live with my son as I no longer can afford to live in my own apartment, the cost has gotten way beyond my ability to pay on my own. But I do wish I could once again have my own place but at 77, there is little chance of that happening. I have enjoyed your video and now subscribe. I subscribe to other Russian vloggers but they're young families with children. It's good to see how the elderly live and survive in other countries though I am partial to Russia. Love and blessings from Florida, USA.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your story-it’s something many people find interesting. I hope everything is going well for you. In both the USSR and modern times, older people often live with their children, which is often tied to housing and financial issues. Our heroine doesn’t have children, so she lives alone. Wishing you good health and sending my best wishes for the upcoming New Year holidays. Warm regards, Julie
The apartment is very cute. Reminds me of my first place built in 1867, with claw foot tub, separate water closet and wide plank floors. We had Direct current so needed a transformer to AC modern appliances! It was a happy time with assortment of roommates.
We lost our home & we live with the son & his wife. We really want our own place but waiting for social housing. I'd love to have that apartment. At least it is independent.
I am very sorry for your loss. Losing your home is very hard. But you have hope of getting social housing, and that is something positive. Here, it is nearly impossible to get social housing at this time. The apartment I showed you was earned by the entire family. And even now, though the apartment is owned, they struggle to afford its upkeep. The building is very old and requires a lot of investment, sometimes even pointless. I sincerely hope everything will work out well for you. Wishing you all the best.
Lifestyles vary a lot in the U.K. My parents who were children at the end of WW2 were lucky to have good working lives. They had good pensions. Very good pensions & were able to afford very nice holidays but the U.K. now is a much harder place to live. Many people now, even some couples, who are both working full-time, cannot afford to buy a home of their own but must continue renting accommodation, which is expensive and sometimes in poor condition. Some people get sick because of mould, damp & the stress of the insecurity of renting. Some people move many times trying to find a place which is O.K. or because their landlords keep putting the rent up & they cannot afford to stay. So some people do have nice homes but some are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Many people still live in their parents home although they are in their 40s or 50s. Sadly there are an increasing number of people who have no home at all but must sleep on the streets, they die much younger than others.
Hello. This is surprising to us. We thought that people in your country were much more socially protected. But in any case, I believe that the elderly in your country don’t have to choose between repairs and decent food. Thank you very much for sharing about life in the United Kingdom.
@@Soviet-Born There are elderly people and retired people in America have to choose between repairs and food and also, choose between seeing doctors and buying the medications they need and buying food. Often people need more medications as they get older and it is TERRIBLE that medications and medical help is so expensive in the US. There are some retired people who are able to move in with their adult children. There are also elderly Americans who are doing well financially. Probably most Americans at some time in their lives have been able to travel to another state or maybe the ocean or a lake though.
You requested information. I have worked more than 45 years. I can never retire/become a pensioner because I must work to live. Your apartment is nicer than mine because it has a washing machine. Is it possible that you have an expectation of life in the West? Do you think that we live better than we do? I am American. I am very, highly educated. Nevertheless, I do not expect to live in a nicer home than I do now. I have a roof/home. I have a kitchen. I have a bath. It is warm in winter. I must work to pay for it. Perhaps you think that I do not have much. I believe that I do. I can invite friends, live safely and enjoy quiet. I truly enjoy what I have! Perhaps the issue for you is not bad housing but rather discontentment? All readers: read the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It was written by the wealthiest man in history. If you do, I believe that you will be thankful for what you have.
It's a nice apartment , lots of storage nice floor, double windows for the cold , nice heating , i like that type of heating . A window in the bathroom , that's nice. It should have a shower with a seat for an older person. Bathtubs are becoming a rarity because of the water expense. But what happens to the ones that didn't work for fifty years?
Yes, the apartment is good. It’s a very old building. The roof is currently leaking, and in winter, snow will blow in. Neither the grandmother nor her neighbors have the means to repair it, as they are all elderly. But, in any case, they maintain it as best as they can. Regarding your question about those who haven’t worked, many live in their parents’ apartments, but even more people live in rented housing under very poor conditions. Thank you for your comment!
Dear viewers,
Creating content like this takes a lot of time and effort. We want to increase both the quality and quantity of our videos, but we can’t do it without your support. Please consider making a donation via PayPal or subscribing on Patreon. Your help is greatly needed and appreciated ♥
www.patreon.com/SovietBorn
Hello Julie! I am also Julie, living in Canada. I have seen worse, have lived in worse, believe me! lol At least it isn't a basement apartment, no light, no fresh air. I hope the Babushka stays safe and warm this winter. Bless ..
@@SundaysChild1966Hello Julie! You’re right, things could indeed be worse, but we’ll do our best to make things right. Thank you for your kind words and support!
Love and
US in the 1880s. My grandmother lived until 1960 without electricity or indoor bathroom, a wood stove in kitchen and a hand pump cold water sink. Then went to live with daughters. This poor lady's apt. Would be considered slum.😢
@@SundaysChild1966 : Coming from a fellow Canadian; this is the distinct, downside of Capitalism, which there most certainly, is a downside too, as well. If selfish, materialistic, pricks can't profit off of it, they simply, do not care, and the bloody, government allows them to get away with it, as well.
I appreciate the great respect that the presenter shows for this lady and her home.
Thank you so much for your kind words!
We live in a stone cottage in Wales that is over 400 years old. My husband is 83 and I am 72 and we just stopped working out tiny farm.
We brought my mother to live with us 25 years ago, she died this year, aged 102.
Before she moved here, she lived in a small home, rather like the one you showed us, but in London. Though higher than this lady's, her pension was not enough for her to make it comfortable and her friends had all died, so it was safer for her to be with us. She was not always able to eat well because the heating cost, local tax and paying water bills that are very high in London took most of her money.
My husband and I can manage better because we each have a pension, though we have not travelled anywhere in the years since we had other jobs and we rarely buy new clothes. The exterior of our cottage is fully repaired now and we are putting a wood stove back in to help with warmth and cooking costs.
I would like to know what older people do to pass the time in retirement in Russia? Many here seem to just watch television all day. We prefer to read and have other at home hobbies. We also look after our 8 year old grandson, sometimes for weeks at a time, because our son has to work far away and his mother has left the family. The little boy is great company. I never feel bored of lonely. I like being a pensioner.
Hello. Thank you very much for your comment. It was very interesting to learn the history of your family and home. Your house is wonderful! It’s a comfortable place to spend time in retirement, especially with a grandchild.
You are a very kind person. You brought your mother to live with you and brightened the last days of her life. 102 years is an incredible age for a woman who lived through such challenging times.
Our retirees spend their time in interesting ways. They visit each other, tend to their gardens, and much more. You’ve suggested a great topic. We will definitely show how our retirees spend their time.
Thank you for the interesting story. I wish you all the best.
Sincerely, Julie.
If the walls of your cottage in Wales could talk, I'm sure it would have some stories to tell. Some sad stories and some lovely. I have a bit of a tear thinking about this distinguished lady working nearly all her life to achieve so little. In some respects this is so much more than what some people have, but a lifetime of work should have blessed her with more comforts in her golden years. Apart from the older electic and plumbing and outdated decor and furnishings, there is a beauty to her home. She has kept it fairly clean and tidy for her advanced years. It shows pride of ownership of the little that she does have. I can learn lessons from this. My grandparents came from a generation where the husband earned an income and the wife worked on upkeeping the home. My grandmother never worked. My grandfather was given the choice to participate in SS or not. He chose not to thinking his pension would be enough. It was not, mounting medical costs ate away their lifetime of savings and in the end their house was bartered away for 24 hour care. After my grandmother passed my grandfather went to live with his home health nurses family. His home went to the nurses family. His pension check was signed over to the family. It wasn't much only about 800 dollars a month. When he passed the deed to the house was signed over to the nurse. She gave him excellent care and worked for peanuts while he was alive. I am grateful for her. Today one of her children's family lives in the house and I am glad that the home is well taken care of. 😊 While this is somewhat a positive outcome, I can't imagine all the seniors managed who were in similar situations that didn't have a good hearted person care for them. Those that didn't have the resources to barter for care. The system is broken and I don't see that it is much better for my boomer parents either. They have saved a lifetime, paid off their home, done without, didn't fix up flooring, kept the same furniture since the late 70's early 80's that they once bought through installment plan. They have SS and retirement and are only barely making it with the rising costs of utilities, groceries, medicalcare and taxes.😢
@@Soviet-BornI think that would be an interesting topic for a video.
When my mother was What you call a pensioner, she had social Security and she had a pension from my father and she had an annuity which is sort of like life insurance except for you get it before you're dead Well actually my father made it and she got it after he was dead but she was still alive. And she lived on those things and she had a house. But she did not have a budget. She spent a lot of money for a while after my father died just 5 years and then I had to teach her how to make a budget. She still had the social Security and the pension but she spent the annuity. To me it was a lot of money she spent.
At first she went out with her friends but for some reason they all moved to Canada and one of them stayed in Florida and got married. Sometimes she would go for walks. She watched some TV shows and she read a lot of books. She had two grown up children who were not married and she did not have grandchildren. You did not mention I don't think whether the grandmother had grandchildren. Maybe I forgot. My mother kept saying I don't want grandchildren so we didn't have any. I didn't want to have any children. Now I have ducks.
Senior homelessness is a growing problem here in the US. Since the amount you receive from our government retirement program (social security) is based on your salary when working, many who spent their working years in low wage jobs can't afford housing after they retire. Those low wages also made it impossible to save.
Had I not been lucky enough to buy a very modest small house while working, I would struggle to afford current rents.
I loved seeing Babushka's apartment. My kitchen and bathroom aren't modern either but I see no reason to change what's still working.
Thanks so much for the interesting video and please let Babushka know she has a beautiful apartment.❤
Hello! Thank you very much for the very interesting comment. I will definitely pass along your greetings to our heroine. She will be very happy, and your compliment about the apartment will mean a lot to her. The heroine does her best to maintain her home as much as her small budget allows.
Right about Social Security. I'm trying to live 2024 on an income comparable to what I made in the1980's. It doesn't work well.
Americans have to decide if Social Security is a pension you paid for (and therefore yours) or a government benefit funded by present taxpayers. Also known as Millennials. There are billionaires in the current administration who are talking about cutting social security to fund tax cuts. They think the math makes sense in that less taxes in means less payments out. They are deaf to stories of people needing more than 100% of their social security to live.
They also want to cut the military budget even though some of them escaped from generational poverty and drug abuse by joining the military.
@@caroline10081 Social Security is and should be a pension paid for by the worker throughout their years of working, which is why it goes up or down according to how much you worked. His Social Security was much larger than mine because well I did work. I was also part-time and stay at home. Mom threw all my worklife. But it was never meant to be your only income during retirement ,you were meant to have saved or invested some to go along with it. Also, some jobs sent as my husband’s also offered a pension. Both of us contributed to our 401(k)s. God knows in America. There’s enough jobs to go around. I don’t care what they say, you see hiring signs everywhere you just have to choose if you wanna work and learn some money or not.
It is definitely an older apartment, but it is beautifully kept in spotlessly clean!
Circam1980, I was living in Brooklyn, NY and a Russian Jewish family came to America and settled in my neighborhood. They had a little boy, I think he was about 2 and needed clothes etc. I think they "escaped" with very little. I brough then some clothes and shoes, toys that my little boy had outgrown, When the father saw the big bag of things for his boy, he was overwhelmed and kept saying "for my boy????" I said "yes" and he wept! I said "welcome to America" The mother told me stories of waiting in line all day just for an orange in Russia. I've often wondered what happened to them. This isn't the America it once was, yet I'm afraid for our future.
What a wonderful story! I think they remember you. It’s impossible to forget someone who helped in difficult times. You are a person with a very kind heart. You needn’t worry about your country. It will remain strong as long as there are people like you living in it. Thank you very much for the comment. Sincerely, Julie.
Yes unfortunately it is the country of Trump now (unfortunately).
Don't be afraid. America is a great country with great people. We will be fine.
@@auntieclara1811well, I hope you can find a way to be sure of that because it’s not looking fine at all from where I’m sitting. Can’t believe so few are seeing the playbook Trump is using, He wants to blow up the system but not for the benefit of the country, just for himself and his ultra wealthy buddies. It’s plain as day but so many are distracted from understanding it. Hoping for a miracle for you all.
@@OrganNLou .....why unfortunately?...........are you a communist/marxist lefty?.........do you have TDS?
Small but very very clean,, I love it..
Thank you. I will pass on your words to our heroine. She will be happy!
My Best Wishes to Babushka! 🌺
I’m not surprised they don’t want to leave. This is their home. I’m a widow pensioner and lived in my old house for 23 years. It’s home, it’s our security. I receive a better pension and still struggle to survive but there are many worse off these days. Australia. Enjoyed your video ty
This is what I was thinking. I'm 75 and don't have the energy to go out traveling. It takes too much energy and it's disconcerting; home is comfort since I can operate on habit which requires less energy. Younger people should understand this. Just moving to a better place would be traumatic after so many years.
I was born and live in the USA, son of a Portuguese born mother and a French born father.
I worked for a well known interior design firm in Boston for over 10 years.
The owner was born, raised and educated in the former Soviet Union.
She was lucky because she and her mother were both engineers and they were granted a lovely flat near the Red Square in Moscow.
She explained to me that she was fortunate as most uneducated Russians were allocated standard flats and basic jobs.
This woman is not alone….
You would find similar flats for pensioners in Portugal, Spain, France, Italy and many other developed countries.
My mother’s city of Lisbon is the “Hot Spot” of Europe and as a Portuguese citizen who just spent 3 weeks in Lisbon this past August, this woman is not alone….
All governments should prioritize their elderly citizens, first and foremost!
Thank you for a wonderful video and your obvious dedication to those that deserve better….
These are people from Tajikistan. The Soviet Union helped all countries, especially the Tajik Soviet Socialist Republic - with free housing, free medical care and free education for children from 2 months, as well as free higher education for adults. Now Tajikistan has been an independent country since 1992 and each has its own president and its own constitution. In 1985, weavers in the USSR received a salary of 220-230 rubles, cleaners 70 rubles, students received stipends of 70 rubles, engineers received 170 rubles. That is, in the USSR, the salary of a person with a blue-collar profession was higher than the salary of a person with a higher education. The USSR always built new apartments for workers and people received them for free.
In old age , people prefer their homes better than any other modern places, a cottage is a home if it provides safety, comfort and stable life . Places change and must go under constant maintenance, what distinguish a place its residents , they give it the life and make it age gracefully.
IM in the UK. My parents both had good private pensions and full state pensions. They retired in the mid 1990s, when they were in their 50s(mum)/60's (dad) They could afford to buy a nice retirement flat , go on nice holidays including a trip to the USA by Concord, a cruise on the Nile , a trip on the orient Express and a trip to Russia to St Petersburg which they really enjoyed. They had the golden years . My father has since passed away, and my mum is 85 now and lives modestly. I fear our generation will not be so fortunate, and we will not have the wealth in our retirement our parents had, I worry for our children who have very little hope of even buying their own homes, let alone having a good retirement.
I agree 💯 God bless you and yours. ❤
A lovely, clean home.
i love how many little flourishes and details are included in every corner of these apartments. the cabinet beneath the sink is pretty, the tiles and wallpapers have flowers, there are beautiful lace curtains. you can tell how much babushka and others cared about their space and wanted to make even their modest items beautiful. i admire it very much and i think it’s a nice change from the white and grey modern decor that is popular now.
many elders here in the US live similarly despite how different the countries are. many are poor, have never had a chance to enjoy life even after working their whole lives and we don’t care for them properly. many can never afford to retire or end up unhoused. things were different before, retiring was more common maybe 20 years ago but cost of living is high and salaries have not risen, companies have stopped offering employees pensions or retirement benefits as they once did. the rich are very rich and everyone else is poor. everything is expensive. no one can afford to buy a home these days so unless they already owned one, even elderly people now have to rent forever. and rent is very, very expensive. it’s sad how much of the world has similar problems.
It’s really sad when people who have worked their entire lives can’t afford what they truly deserve in their old age. I’ll definitely share your kind words with our heroine-she’ll be so happy.
Thank you so much for your comments. I read every single one, and they bring me so much joy and mean a lot to me.
Julie.
This place looks like a living hazard! Sewer gas can be dangerous
Never owning the roof over your head has very significant psychological ramifications. You never feel 'grounded'. You always have that niggling insecurity. My husband's darling Scottish Aunt lived in the same council house all her life. Like many in post WW2, she never married because so many young men were killed, so one income all her life, she lived frugally and sensibly. In the '90's the government devised a scheme where council tenants could buy their homes but she didn't have the money. She didn't need a massive amount of money because she'd lived there for so long but it was well out of her reach. We were financially okay at that time and gave her the money to buy her home on the proviso that she would then leave it to us in her will. It made such an incredible difference to her life. She relaxed, she no longer had to worry about the rent every month, she couldn't get kicked out for some stupid new government rules because she now owned her home. The government later assisted her in modifications to make it safer because she was an elderly pensioner, we chipped in some extra money to update things and she was SO happy in her latter years. When she passed and the property was sold we didn't lose, we didn't make a fortune BUT we made SUCH a difference to a lovely, beloved family member that it was priceless. I still remember Aunt Bessie with such fondness. Cheers from Oz!!
That is a lovely story and memory.
Thank you for loving your aunt in such a beautiful way.
Good morning, I am 73 years old, live in Washington State, USA. I am very blessed. I have retirement savings from being a nurse and social security, plus I have inheritance from my parents. I had the advantage of attending university. I was a single mom with one child. My daughter is 49 years old and my grandson is 26 years old and still single. We had everything we needed and did get to travel, I was and am not rich by US standards but I'm comfortable. I still get to travel to see family in other states but I also have to budget that in. I have visited many states here in the US and have also visited other countries. I live in an 1800 square foot home (167 square meters), 3 bedrooms, 2 baths on main floor. (built in 1980) I converted the basement into a one bedroom apartment, also has a bathroom, living room, washer and dryer, and kitchenette in the living room. I have an attached double car garage. I rent the basement area out to traveling nurses. I have 2 cats and a dog, a nice yard on a corner lot. The yard just has plants, no lawn. I live in a high desert and am landscaping with native plants to reduce water usage in the summer. I respect how hard pensioners worked during the Soviet era and how that beautiful lady now makes do. I have to budget my money, too, since things are really getting expensive. I try not to waste things and I share what I've got with others. Now that I am older, I prefer to stay home. Thank you so much for sharing this. Please tell that Babushka thank you for letting us see her apartment.
Hello. Thank you very much for the very interesting story about your life. You described your wonderful home in such detail that I felt as if I had visited you. I am very glad to meet you. I will definitely tell our heroine about you, and she will be very happy to receive your greeting. Wishing you and your family good health. Sincerely, Julie.
You are rich, you just don't know it. Have a blessed day.
Here in the US many Seniors live in housing provided by the Department of Housing and Urban renewal (HUD) that are rent adjusted for the incomes of Seniors. They pay no more than a 4th of their income after medical expenses. I am blessed to live in one and love it. All maintenance and heating and air are included in the rent.
And a lot more of us can’t even get on a waitlist.
@@conniemaddox7046 So sorry.
With a waitlist of 3-5 yrs lol
No one leaves once they get on Sect 8, no motivation to better their life
This is a great program. Sadly, will probably be axed by the incoming administration as "excess spending". They're gonna end Obama care (which I depend on) and probably gut social security and medicare
My mom is in one, and she only had to wait about 6 months, which was a blessing. The cap is actually 1/3 of monthly income after medical, and some places have extra fees that are not included in the cap. My mom gets one meal a day (which is very generously portioned and she uses leftovers for lunch the next day), transportation and activities but they are all added fees outside of rent, and they do add up. She can't opt out of them, either. But it's still affordable on her very modest social security income and her teeny bit of retirement assets, and her community is gorgeous. She has everything she needs in her tiny little apartment. She's made a lot of friends and is living a wonderful life that, without HUD, would have been impossible. We are hoping she can stay there as long as possible because the equation changes once she needs assisted living.
Thank you for sharing this glimpse into the lives of those living in the post Soviet era.
Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed the video!
My great uncle and my grandfather both had homes here in Hawaii very similar to this babushka's home. Simple yet functional for all their needs. Humble it may be.... but home sweet home.... at the end of the day....
Thanks for honest content, appreciate the difficulties for pensioners everywhere.
This woman lives alone I suspect so moving would disrupt her social life and at this time in her life not a good idea to risk that.
You’re right; it’s very hard for an elderly person to change their life. Grandma lives in her own world and knows no other.
Thank you for the nice comment. We strive to show only the truth.
Once upon a time North America would say this is deplorable. Today many seniors would be happy to have a roof over their heads.
The is always greener over the septic tank ❤
I do t know where you live, this is nothing like usa
Nonsense victoriaharvey, this is shocking by any standards. For someone to work for 50 years? Shameful. No one should live like this!
@@CBB672 if you think there is nowhere like this in the USA then you haven't travelled the country.
@@mysweetestdaysthank you for pointing tht out some ppl live ENTIRE LIFES in fairy- tales
I'm in the U.S and fearful of what lays ahead. I don't have a pension or retirement fund. It's scary. I'd be thrilled to know that I could have an apartment of my own when I can't work anymore. The only thing I can count on here is death.
This apartment is better than others that I've seen in some areas of America. God bless she has a place to live as some elderly don't even have that.
Fascinating video. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for the apartment tour. It took me right back to the children's books from the Soviet Union that a lot of Indian children grew up reading. This apartment is almost exactly like the illustrations in some of those books. (I'm thinking of one where a cat called Mishka I think, goes missing and is found in a hat.) For me, this apartment is beautiful. We have exactly those gas cylinders in India too, and in very posh houses because not all cities have piped gas. Those lofts in every space is also very Indian. So, a beautiful blend of nostalgia and shared reality.
This is an interesting and well made video. I will be watching for more of them. Thank you for sharing them.
Thank you for the comment. We’re very glad that you enjoyed our video.
This is a very charming and cozy apartment with soul and atmosphere. I like it. Especially the doors and the storage over the doors.
I live in an old apartment in central Copenhagen, to be honest, it isn´t much more modern than this one!
I appreciate the video and I appreciate the home owner letting us into her/his world. Greetings from the great State of Georgia, USA…God bless you ❤️
Hello. Thank you very much for the comment and the greeting. I will definitely pass it on to our heroine.
Send my greetings to the Babushka of the apartment. I hope she is well. I am a Baba also with two grandsons and live in the USA. They have two other grandparents who left the Soviet Union when it fell. I must say that we are not as poor as the ones you are showing. I study Russian history and enjoy your channel. Keep going-all peoples are important. ❤
Hello. I will definitely pass on your greetings to the grandmother. I can imagine how surprised and happy she’ll be! Thank you very much for your kind words. I wish all the best to you and your big family!
True 😊
thanks for sharing / posting
I loved all the details 💕
Thank you very much! We are very happy.
The rising cost of homes and rents is really high in Toronto, Ontario Canada. There are people who live on the streets and there is a growing trend of people living in their car converted into their home. You can see videos on that. Even though the pensioner lives a very modest and low means, I am glad that the government provided housing, as they should so deserve. It is too bad they do not do more. You did a great job in doing this video and that was very sweet for you to offer to take her to see the sea. I know she declined, you should ask again and maybe show a video of what it is like. It would be so nice to see the video of her reaction. Good Luck with your channel. I subscribed. I know there is the tension with the war with Ukraine. However, life still continues in other parts of Russia away from the war zone. All the Best.
Hello. Thank you for the information about the lives of Canadian pensioners. It is very interesting. It is also nice that you mentioned my suggestion to visit the seaside. I will definitely tell our heroine about this. She will be very pleased with your recommendations. Right now, I am in a very difficult situation due to my husband’s serious illness, but I am very hopeful for the best. And maybe then I can repeat my suggestion to Grandma.
@@Soviet-BornI am very sorry to hear about your husband's serious illness. I am sending prayers. ❤
Great video. How interesting. Amazing to see the plumbing work going on. You are right, pensioners should have better.
Thank you for your work and for the interesting video! It's easy to see, that this flat, even though in a crumbling house, has been somehow modernized & renovated. The tiles in the bathroom, the wallpapers, the doors & furniture are all comparably new. Many of similar flats in the different towns of former Soviet Union still have the same cheap furniture, worn-out wallpapers, cracked doors & water-damaged bathrooms from the 1940-s, 50-s, 60-s & 70-s, all in a state of disrepair. The pensioners, who live there, don't have kind relatives with enough money to help their elderly.
I love this apartment. It has character and charm. Everything doesn't need to be modern or updated. That cast iron tub is spectacular. Essentials are all a person needs. Everything else is a luxury especially in today's world
Some elderly people in the USA and other parts of the West unfortunately are having to actually live in tents on the street or in a vehicle. They would be happy with the old soviet apartment. It would actually be an upgrade for them. Some are also going without meals as they cannot afford food. Things are not always as rosy as presented in movies and in the media. Hard working people appear to be afforded very little in a lot of the world today, sadly.
Meanwhile, the West is being overrun with gimme grants that get free housing, phones, food, medical care, education, and are given preference for jobs because employers get a tax break if they hire them. All while our own are hungry and homeless. But hey, at least we can throw billions at another conflict.
Thank you for this showing us this. It is very interesting to see apartments from that era. However I too feel for pensioners everywhere who are left to struggle with so little.
Thank you for your comment. Your support is very important to us.
I agree with you. The unjust life of pensioners is very upsetting. Many of them built entire eras, but in return, they received a miserable existence. This pains any reasonable person.
At least the Soviet Union gave apartments to everybody. A lot of pensioners in the West don't have a house of their own and increasingly can't afford rent.
Hi there! Back in the USSR, getting an apartment wasn’t easy. You typically had to work continuously at the same enterprise for at least 10 to 20 years. Alternatively, if you had a higher education and were a specialist, you still needed to stick to one place of work without interruptions.
It’s worth noting that the apartment wasn’t private property, so selling it wasn’t an option.
We’ll dive into this in more detail later-there are a lot of nuances to discuss!
It was a dog-eat-dog world to get and keep an apartment...in order to get a "fortunate" person's apartment for themself people would snitch to the authorities, fabricate stories that the apartment holder was against the Soviet Union/against communism so they would be removed from the apartment (among other severe penalties)😢
Thank you the video was very interesting, I enjoy seeing how other people live in different countries . Thank the pensioner for allowing the viewers to see her home it’s very well kept. Bless you and your family.
Your channel is just perfect. Very honest. You’re preserving a part of history.
Thank you.
Hello! Thank you so much for your kind words about our work. It means so much to us. I hope we can continue to keep things interesting for you!
I am a 78 year old single grandpa in the USA. I retired 15 years ago and have a 2 bedroom, 1 bath, 1400 sq. ft. home with a full basement, breezeway, mini-barn, 1 car garage on half an acre. It's starting to get to be a lot to take care of. I love her apartment and think if I had something like that to live in, I would have more time to do the things I want. I envy her.
Hello! I understand you. Living in your own house is probably not easy, but you have a very nice home with all the amenities. I assure you, it’s much better than the old, crumbling house of our heroine.
Thank you so much for your interesting comment. Wishing you all the very best.
Best regards,
Julie
Very good a very interesting. Love to see more. Thank you
A pensioner in Toronto. Feeling lucky that I have a comfortable home. But I know that many many seniors live in poverty. Next time please make a video about what kind of health care your Seniors receive.
Your channel popped up on my to view list, and I’m so happy it did.My family and I emigrated to Australia in 1960, we escaped what was then communist Yugoslavia.
Out flat in Rijeka was new when we moved in, in 1950. 2 bedrooms a bathroom and a kitchen big enough for a table with 6 chairs. There were 5 of us, 3 children shared 1 bedroom. Every tenant had a room in the basement that we could use to store wood for winter…We were poor but didn’t know it. The outside of the 4 apartment building looked a lot like the one you showed.
My life is so different to the lady you showed, we are retired (I’m 77 ) we are working class people,but were able to buy our own home educate 3 children and travel and see a bit of the world. It didn’t come easy, we worked hard, saved as much as we could, but at our stage of life we are comfortable. I don’t think I would have this life if my parents had stayed in Yugoslavia.
Today it will be impossible for my grandchildren to do the same. Housing is out of their reach, everything is so expensive I don’t know how people manage .
Thank you for such a lovely and informative video, I look forward to seeing more
I like that old building, it has a solid character, which says safety to a pensioner. I am a pensioner in the US. My home is 100 years old, and old homes always need work. But this work is also beyond my reach. Many modern building materials are not healthy to live with compared to wood and plaster. One owner cannot do everything a house needs, unless they are rich, so we pick one or two important things like the plumbing or a new roof. Then the next person to own the house will do more upgrades.
I live in Michigan USA just outside of Detroit. Alot of older people live on Social Security from the government. Mine is $960 per month. Normal rent for a 2 bedroom apartment is $1200 so I live with relatives. I am disabled, 57 yrs old and spend most my day in bed. Some people are better off, some are worse off. Im depressed because I dont have hope for my life improving. My mom is still here 77 yrs old and my son has mental illness, 37 yrs old and he takes care of me. My father passed in 2018, he was 86 in good health, we were on home hospice together but I got better. 2 sisters, 1 in Arizona, 1 in Florida. I'm trusting God will take care of us. Bless you.
Same here.
You’re a very Sweet Lady … People were proud back then Hard workers . I do hope her living conditions will improve.
Hello. Thank you very much for your kind words! Our heroine is a very good person. We helped her solve some problems, so she is doing a little better now than before. We will continue to help as much as we can.
Thank you for the video ! I think it is important to see how people in other parts of the earth live plus the history of their country and their culture
Thank you so much for sharing… in the USA we are blessed with more material goods and sad to say at times we do not appreciate what we have. Rents can be very high. It took me two years on a waiting list to get an apartment that is within my income. I am very blessed to have good rent and a wonderful landlord
Most of our old folks here in Ireland live in their own house that they raised their families in. Babushka’s home is dry, clean and tidy, bar the toilet and closet being torn up for the instillation of a new sewage system. The Babushka and her generation would have seen so much hardship in the Soviet Union, but their deep love for the Motherland and the support from their families, friends and neighbours is something Westerners do not comprehend, nor understand.
What an interesting and well-presented depiction of this Dear Senior’s home. The positive response is that the home looks modest and cared for. It is well that she has her own home. I am 78 and my decision has been to live in a room in a private home with shared kitchen and bath.of course, the expenses grow while the career has stopped. May we all stay happy and healthy and prepare gifts for the young ones who are getting married. The adventure of life is to give us joy. May we look to the joy in every day. Thank you for your interest in the daily life of older folks and the energy you put into this thorough documentary.
Hello. Thank you very much for your kind wishes. I will definitely pass them on to our heroine. From the bottom of my heart, I wish you good health and many years of life ❤️
I love old houses and old furniture. My house was built over 100 years ago in 1891. The original part of the house was built of brick with rooms added on during World War 11. Those add on parts were not done as well as the older parts because materials were hard to get during the war I think. The style is Victorian but the add ons are vintage style. I am 76 years old and was able to buy this about 30 years ago after renting it for a year and a half. My plumbing had to be replaced in parts of the house as well as the electricity so I can understand the situation in the video. I actually like the old window you showed in the video. I am a single woman and working part time along with a widows pension or social security. I like to spend a large amount of time working in the yard and on the house painting and trying to make repairs. I see the apartment in the
video needs a lot of repairs done to the outside but I think it is good to save these old buildings. I can appreciate how they used every available space to make storage compartments. Now with so many people going to living in tiny homes this is right in style.
Thank you for this video. My husband is 76, and disabled. We sold our old house that was built in 1910 and we moved to an apartment complex that is on a lake. More eldery live in this complex. We just could not keep up with the repairs, nor yard work or snow removal with the house. We actually feel un-burdened.
I love old apartments, real cozy.
I love it. I'd live in it. Here in the USA there's numerous homeless elderly people, Military Vets these people who worked practically their entire lives, raised their kids, defended their country and are HOMELESS.
we have THOUSANDS of homeless old people.
in the USA
Things are getting worse in the UK. However thank you for your informative video, don't be nervous, it was excellent.
Thank you very much for the kind words!
Thank you for sharing this video, I found it so interesting. I found Babushka's apartment has a charm all of it's own and would like to see her bathroom when it's finished.
I'm from the UK and not retired yet.
We retire at 67yrs old. I know that Russian pensioners would be surprised at the mod cons most pensioners have over here. All pensioners get the state pension, £221.20 per week, free prescriptions and bus travel and attendance allow, if needed: Higher rate: £108.55 a week Lower rate: £72.65 a week and a £10.00 bonus at Christmas. Those on a low income could also receive Pension credit which is a gateway to free dental care, free hearing aids and prescription glasses. winter fuel allowance £300 per year, free council tax (saving £1250 approx on a 2 bed residence) and a free TV licence. There are also grants available (free of charge) to update old heating systems and provide property insulation and solar power.
Needless to say everyone receives free medical care .
Having said that, it's true that some of pensioners have to live very modestly as well in terms of disposable income. I hope you find this interesting and would love to see more of your videos. Wendy x
Hello, Wendy. Thank you very much for your comment. It was very interesting to learn about your pension system. It inspires a sense of hope for a peaceful life after retirement. We are seeing some positive changes here as well, but they are so minor compared to the real needs of retirees.
I will definitely show you the state of the bathroom after the work is done. I’ll also ask my grandmother to give me an interview. I hope you’ll find it interesting.
Hello, I've just came across your channel, and your story and history of your country was really interesting to hear and see. I did subscribed to your channel, and look forward to any stories you want to tell. I'm from New York State, USA. God bless you, and thanks for sharing.
Hello, this video is really interesting. Considering the apartment was given to Babushka it's not too bad. I assume she just pays the utilities each month. Here in Southern California United States very expensive to live. My house is about 1354 sq ft 3 bedroom and 2 bathrooms. Cost now would be $500,000+. Year 2006 built. Mortgage rates are very high also now. Utilities not too bad $160.00 month gas, electric, water.
Many homeless people including senior citizens here in California.
Thank you for the video.
Best wishes --- Mary - California.
Hello Mary. Thank you for telling me about your home and the cost of utilities. It’s very interesting. You have a very nice house. I like it when there are enough bathrooms.
You’re right; in today’s world, it’s very difficult to live. Everything is getting more expensive, and you have to work hard to have good living conditions.
It was a pleasure to meet you.
Best regards,
Julie
super interesting…..keep making videos and I will keep watching🙂…subscribed
Thank you so much for the kind words!
Thank you so much for sharing Babushka's cozy apartment. She has made her space nice and scrupulously clean. Thank you for your gentleness. ❤
I love this, thank you for such a special channel ❤
Thank you for sharing
Hello from Ireland 🇮🇪, interesting video, thank you
Hello. Thank you for the welcome!
Thanks for sharing. All the best to everyone.
Thank you very much for the kind words!
I like the use of every available storage space. The dish drainers above the kitchen sink shows a good use of a small space! Too bad that it is so dated, worn out, and shabby.
EXCELLENT explanation. Fascinating. I’m glad that I stumbled upon your channel and I look forward to viewing previous and future videos. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Hi there! Thank you so much for your support. I’m really glad you’re enjoying our channel!
Thank you for showing another side of living. You did it with kindness, dignity and clarity despite the meagre surroundings. I really appreciated it 💖 In Australia, most people over the age of 65 are eligible for a government Aged Pension or part pension, depending on if you are still working or what assets you have. It’s not a great deal of money but certainly a lot more than $200 a month. Many older people also live off of their superannuation (handled by a superannuation company), which is like a retirement fund that working people contribute to during their working years. They become eligible to withdraw from it once a certain age has been reached or with special permission due to emergencies or financial hardship. Many older Australians are fortunate enough to own their own homes (houses). Some even more fortunate ones own several properties as an investment which they rent out. Sadly, for the younger generation, the Australian Dream of owning your own home is very fair out of reach for many. The financial crisis, inflation and the sky high property prices make it extremely hard and keep people in rentals. You have a new subscriber ☺️👏🏻👏🏻
Hello. What an interesting story about the life of retirees in Australia. Yes, compared to our elderly people, they are in a better position. Considering the climate, expenses for utilities and clothing are much lower than ours.
Thank you very much for the information, and I am very glad to have a new subscriber!
Keep the videos coming, they are so interesting 👏🏻👏🏻
Personally love what is old but we'll kept with updates because it connects us with the past. New means new materials not made to last. I loved the tiles. The exterior structure is thick, well built. It hasn't been maintained is only problem. People on 200$ a month cannot be expected to fix it. It's a grand bldg. Flower boxes with flowers in yard. A bright painted door. New stucco. Think how lovely it was new.
Hello! You are right; the building does need major repairs. It could probably be clad in brick, but that would be very expensive. Most of the people living in this area are elderly, and they cannot manage to maintain the houses. The management company collects money from them every month for capital repairs, but nothing gets done. It’s very sad.
@@Soviet-Born Can residents/management afford seeds? No sarcasm intended. Sometimes it just takes a little push by one to get it started. It would improve morale 💯. Harvest seed year after year eliminates cost and the budget can buy new varieties. Grow herbs, too. Do you think covering exterior with brick is wise? Idk. The underneath structure would continue deteriorating? I'm really glad to know how things are for pensioners there. So many here in USA are either homeless or receiving Section 8. When the economy completely tanks so will subsidy. We the people are one ❤️
Thank you for sharing this video Julie. I wish you good luck with your you tube channel. My name is Vera and I am watching in Northern Ireland. ❤
I am descended from a man who left Castlederg during the potato famine in 1847 and journeyed to Canada to make a better life. I have an auntie named Vera. She was a nice woman and an expert knitter. Greetings.
Hello, Vera! Thank you very much for the kind wishes! I really need them.
Hello, Thankyou for your video. My father is now 90 years old, born in Australia. He spent the first 3 years of his life living with his mother and 2 siblings, in a tent on someone else's property in a very hot climate here in Australia. He started working at the age of 14 years as many people did in those days. He worked very long hours taking overtime as much as possible and married at the age of 35. My grandfather loaded my parents some money so they could buy a two bedroom wooden home. Years later my parents bought a very nice home built in 1970. Dad still lives there the only thing he has replaced since it was built is the carpet. He still lives very frugally today and keeps all of his weekly costs to a maximum of $80 AUD. By Australian standards the house isn't considered appropriate for a person of his age because he lives on the second floor and there are very sharp cement steps to the entrance. I found your video so interesting. Thanks again.
I belong to a family of government empolyees in the Philippines. No housing was ever provided for my sisters or for my parents. They tried their very best to build their houses. We would be happy if we had homes like that you showed to retire in.
Your parents were able to build a house on their own. That means their salaries allowed them to do it. Our salaries are so low that building a house is impossible. Especially in our climate with temperatures as low as -35 degrees Celsius, where wall thickness reaches 1 meter.
Thank you for your interesting comment about your country.
It’s a privilege to hear about the Soviet experience from the people who experienced it, directly. Every perspective will be nuanced and that’s what makes it interesting and special. It’s also good to knock down some of the things that are portrayed in past and contemporary media.
Thank you for taking the time to share your lives and experiences with us.
The following are suggestions I’d like to see from your channel. However, it may not be suitable for the content I suggest. Please do not use any precious resources for my suggestions.
I am interested in what types of cooked meals were created and what recipes were used in the Soviet era? How was transportation in the Soviet Union? What was it really like to get every day provincials?
You mentioned the pride and modesty of people who remember that time clearly. What was it like working in those days? How did the average person in the Soviet error feel about their circumstances and situation? Did all people have a chance to enjoy the arts?
I understand that the arts were very much appreciated but did it allow for freedom of expression was a geared toward the survival of the Soviet Union?
Please forgive my ignorance. I have a slim understanding of the Soviet experience. I grew up as a child in the 1980s so I’ve had a very different interpretation although I was never encouraged to disrespect another person‘s culture.
Thank you for your time and the willingness to dismantle the misconceptions around the Soviet experience, through story telling of lived experiences.
Of course, we will do our best to cover as many diverse topics about life in the USSR as possible. All of your suggestions are very helpful and resonate with us. It saddens us to see how inaccurately and one-sidedly life in the Soviet Union is often portrayed. It is very important to us to show and tell the whole truth about the USSR while contemporaries of this significant era for the world are still with us.
Thank you for your valuable comments. We look forward to further feedback.
It seems like you have documented a very sensitive and important issue.
Thank you for posting this very interesting video.
Graceful people are the ones who are thankful for what they have... 🙏💐
Hello. How well you said that!
Thank you very much for the comment.
I live on the USA & am impressed by the apartment and building. Russia had just come out of a long, bloody & costly war within it's borders and had the responsibility for a vast area within the Soviet Union when your pensioner was born. The apartment building might be old, but if the building is solid, that's irrelevant; things can be repaired. As a pensioner in the US, I would be delighted to own an apartment. The last place I rented was built in 1950 and also had the same old windows and bad plumbing. The rent was raised about four years ago & I moved to share a place. I am 74 years old and work two part-time jobs now to supplement my retirement income & afford better food, etc. I don't travel; it costs too much. I suspect that most pensioners struggle with money no matter where they live. Having the "basics" is enough for folks who are realistic.
More truthful than many videos coming out of the Soviet Union. I’m sorry that this is the way it is !😢🇨🇦
I’m very glad that you noticed the truthfulness of the video. Our goal is to show the real truth about the USSR. Thank you.
This is a way was ! Today they live very differently!
Thanks for sharing. Nice.....from the Ozarks USA 🇺🇸
Thank you very much for the greeting!
You did a great job with this presentation, Babushka❤
That poor woman. The apartment looks nice to me, but the plumbing work has obviously caused great disruption. Where I live in the US, in New England, someone with that sort of income would be living under a bridge. Or homeless shelter in the best case scenario. I love the house tours of ordinary Soviet people, I love Soviet history and design.
Hello. Yes, it’s very hard for our heroine to maintain her home. But she does her best by saving on everything. This is how most single pensioners live.
Thank you for the comment. I’m glad you enjoy the theme of our channel.
Oh, and you asked about pensioners' lives in our countries. Honestly, they're not much better and they're often worse here in Canada and the USA, especially in the large cities. Urban apartments and homes here are extremely expensive. When I was young, I lived in homes quite similar to the one here, and I thought I was lucky. Also, conditions on Indigenous reservations are often horrendous, often without even clean drinking water. And for anyone disabled, like myself, the pension is extremely low, far below the official poverty line.
I’m 73. Still working full time. I’m living with a roommate. We share a one bedroom RV. We split into two rooms. I have the master bedroom set up like a small studio apartment. My roommate has the living/dining space set up as a studio apartment also. My living space is about 12 by 12.
I would love to have that apartment.
I live in California USA
Hello,
You are such a strong person. Working at your age commands great respect. Thank you for sharing your life story. Wishing you all the very best.
Best regards,
Julie
Thank you for letting me learn about your life. I love hearing about the life styles of different countries. I am from the USA where people have to much of everything. Modesty is almost non existent here. There are lessons to be learned in this country. I will watch for more of your viedos. I'd like to see your grocery stores. Where you do your shopping for clothing. And some cooking of favorite meals. Thank you.
Hello! Thank you for your kind words. Things haven’t changed much here since Soviet times. Most people still shop at small stores and go to the market. Of course, there are supermarkets, but it’s mostly more modern folks who shop there.
Love this channel!
Thank you for the kind words! It means a lot to us.
Anche in Italia ci sono pensionati che vivono allo stesso modo.Personalmente non è il mio livello ma sono minimalista e conduco una vita frugale, abbandonando da tempo il consumismo sfrenato e non sostenibile.Un augurio e un caro saluto alla signora🙋🏻♀️♥️☘️
Hello. Thank you for sharing about your life in Italy. I will definitely pass on your greeting to our heroine. She will be very pleased!
The hoarding of comforters etc. reminds me of my grandmother here in Germany, because of the war experience she had two large closets full of them, some in their original packaging and with price tags. The whole basement was also full of hundreds of preserving jars of food. In winter, the heating was always excessive and she had no central heating (although the house was built in 1969), only coal/wood and oil heating (but only for holidays because it was expensive!). Her father fell as a soldier in the last year of the war, three small children had to be fed and they starved and froze and I only understood as an adult that this trauma could never be overcome.
Hi there! Elderly people had to go through so much in their lives. After experiencing all of that, it’s no wonder your grandmother stocked up on food and warmth-it’s something that stays with them forever.
Thank you so much for sharing such touching memories. It’s incredibly interesting!
It doesn't change the unjustice of that situation but I want to say, as a side note, that in Usa people simply die sooner or live as homeless because there is no pension, no health care, no public houses. There is no human dignity. I am following a channel that explain how tons of people, also old, live in their cars to survive. There is Justice in this world... Thanks to the dear babuska to permit us to see her house. 😊🙏🏻♥️
💖 Thank you.
In America we have people who are living in the streets homeless and they have a low income
Unfortunately, people who have worked their entire live here in the US are now moving to tents and travel trailers. Working all their lives, buying and paying off a home only to have taxes and insurance go so high, they can no longer afford their homes.....I am almost at that point, my taxes and insurance went up 100 per month, While I have equity in my home it is no where mere enough to buy even a smaller home. No family to get help from......this month utilities go up as well.....
I hope you can take some measures to hold onto your home... perhaps take in a roommate? Babysitters and dogsitters are in demand in many areas and are well-paid where I live. I wouldn't hesitate to utilize food pantries. I wish you all the best!
Hello. I hope everything will be good for you. Wishing you all the very best.
Thank you Julie
I found your video so interesting, you would call me a pensioner as well as I no longer work and live on a monthly check from the government. I live with my son as I no longer can afford to live in my own apartment, the cost has gotten way beyond my ability to pay on my own. But I do wish I could once again have my own place but at 77, there is little chance of that happening. I have enjoyed your video and now subscribe. I subscribe to other Russian vloggers but they're young families with children. It's good to see how the elderly live and survive in other countries though I am partial to Russia. Love and blessings from Florida, USA.
Hi there! Thank you for sharing your story-it’s something many people find interesting. I hope everything is going well for you. In both the USSR and modern times, older people often live with their children, which is often tied to housing and financial issues. Our heroine doesn’t have children, so she lives alone.
Wishing you good health and sending my best wishes for the upcoming New Year holidays.
Warm regards,
Julie
Very nicely done. Thank you.
Hello, and thank you for the content of this video.
The apartment is very cute. Reminds me of my first place built in 1867, with claw foot tub, separate water closet and wide plank floors. We had Direct current so needed a transformer to AC modern appliances! It was a happy time with assortment of roommates.
We lost our home & we live with the son & his wife. We really want our own place but waiting for social housing. I'd love to have that apartment. At least it is independent.
I am very sorry for your loss. Losing your home is very hard. But you have hope of getting social housing, and that is something positive. Here, it is nearly impossible to get social housing at this time. The apartment I showed you was earned by the entire family. And even now, though the apartment is owned, they struggle to afford its upkeep. The building is very old and requires a lot of investment, sometimes even pointless.
I sincerely hope everything will work out well for you. Wishing you all the best.
@@Soviet-Born Thankyou. I'm not sure if we will actually get social housing as there is a huge waiting list. All in God's hands.
Thank you for sharing. Very interesting.
Yes, its simple, but everything ist clean and tidy.
Blessings from Bavaria Germany
Thank you for your kind comment! I’ll definitely pass on your greetings from Bavaria to our heroine. She’ll be so happy!
Good work documenting life in Russia. Thank you for this informative video. ❤👍
Thank you! You're right, the building has problems, they deserve better.
Lifestyles vary a lot in the U.K. My parents who were children at the end of WW2 were lucky to have good working lives. They had good pensions. Very good pensions & were able to afford very nice holidays but the U.K. now is a much harder place to live. Many people now, even some couples, who are both working full-time, cannot afford to buy a home of their own but must continue renting accommodation, which is expensive and sometimes in poor condition. Some people get sick because of mould, damp & the stress of the insecurity of renting. Some people move many times trying to find a place which is O.K. or because their landlords keep putting the rent up & they cannot afford to stay.
So some people do have nice homes but some are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. Many people still live in their parents home although they are in their 40s or 50s. Sadly there are an increasing number of people who have no home at all but must sleep on the streets, they die much younger than others.
Hello. This is surprising to us. We thought that people in your country were much more socially protected. But in any case, I believe that the elderly in your country don’t have to choose between repairs and decent food.
Thank you very much for sharing about life in the United Kingdom.
@@Soviet-Born There are elderly people and retired people in America have to choose between repairs and food and also, choose between seeing doctors and buying the medications they need and buying food. Often people need more medications as they get older and it is TERRIBLE that medications and medical help is so expensive in the US. There are some retired people who are able to move in with their adult children. There are also elderly Americans who are doing well financially. Probably most Americans at some time in their lives have been able to travel to another state or maybe the ocean or a lake though.
You requested information. I have worked more than 45 years. I can never retire/become a pensioner because I must work to live. Your apartment is nicer than mine because it has a washing machine. Is it possible that you have an expectation of life in the West? Do you think that we live better than we do? I am American. I am very, highly educated. Nevertheless, I do not expect to live in a nicer home than I do now. I have a roof/home. I have a kitchen. I have a bath. It is warm in winter. I must work to pay for it. Perhaps you think that I do not have much. I believe that I do. I can invite friends, live safely and enjoy quiet. I truly enjoy what I have! Perhaps the issue for you is not bad housing but rather discontentment? All readers: read the book of Proverbs in the Bible. It was written by the wealthiest man in history. If you do, I believe that you will be thankful for what you have.
It's a nice apartment , lots of storage nice floor, double windows for the cold , nice heating , i like that type of heating . A window in the bathroom , that's nice. It should have a shower with a seat for an older person. Bathtubs are becoming a rarity because of the water expense. But what happens to the ones that didn't work for fifty years?
Yes, the apartment is good. It’s a very old building. The roof is currently leaking, and in winter, snow will blow in. Neither the grandmother nor her neighbors have the means to repair it, as they are all elderly. But, in any case, they maintain it as best as they can.
Regarding your question about those who haven’t worked, many live in their parents’ apartments, but even more people live in rented housing under very poor conditions.
Thank you for your comment!
I'm a new sub. Thanks & good luck from Australia ❤