Elderly residents of Grindavík express frustration over lack of support following evacuation

Ingveldur Kristjana Eiðsdóttir, a resident of the nursing home Víðihlíð in Grindavík, expresses her disbelief over the lack of support available to the elderly following the town’s evacuation nearly a year ago due to increased seismic activity. Currently, she finds herself isolated in a rented apartment in Sandgerði, far from her children and the community she cherished.

Ingveldur, along with her daughter Guðrún Kristjana Jónsdóttir, was forced to leave their home amidst the turmoil. Last November, they met at a holiday apartment provided by Guðrún’s husband, a firefighter, where they lived with three young boys, and Guðrún shared a bed with one of her grandchildren.

As they reflect a year later, unresolved issues persist, and the longing for life in Grindavík remains strong. Ingveldur mentions her physical difficulties, stating, “I have trouble walking up to the second floor,” highlighting the challenges she faces living away from her loved ones. The construction work around her apartment complicated her mobility further.

Guðrún’s mother, Sjana, who resided at the nursing home that partially collapsed, is frustrated by the insufficient assistance for herself and other elderly residents. “It seems unbelievable that there hasn’t been better support for us old people,” she remarks. Gudrún echoes this sentiment, expressing her anger over the lack of action taken to help her mother during this difficult time.

The sense of loss and the unresolved trauma from the displacement continue to affect them deeply as the community seeks to recover from the devastating events earlier this year.