Don't Banish Them to Old Age Homes
The global elderly population is rapidly increasing. All credible projections indicate that by 2030, individuals aged 65 and older will outnumber youth for the first time in history. This demographic shift is particularly pronounced in Asia and Europe. In India, traditional joint family structures are giving way to smaller families. This trend is leading to a rise in old age homes as families become smaller and more dispersed. Tish Malhotra’s article below, explores the implications of this trend. It advocates for a return to familial support systems that respect and care for our elders.
Don't Banish Them to Old Age Homes
Tish Malhotra
Whether it is the Mother’s day or the Father’s day, or the first day of the new year, it is time to pause and introspect. It is somewhat worrisome to note that India is gradually turning out to be a country for old people. It is touching to learn from various reports that India is becoming increasingly concerned about its rapidly growing elderly population. This is expected to reach 193.4 million by 2031. The challenges senior citizens face include healthcare, financial dependency, social exclusion, and quality of life, among others. Another grave challenge is that traditional family structures are gradually collapsing. Therefore, the need for comprehensive policies and community initiatives to support elderly population becomes increasingly urgent
The government has put in place the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Both the Centre and State Governments have launched various integrated programmes for senior citizens. But at the fag end of the life, they become victims of insecurities and vulnerabilities. The main problems relate to the treatment being faced at home.
Cases are increasing with alarming proportions in which our elderly people are helplessly suffering disrespect, neglect and abuses at the hands of their own children, particularly the sons. One fails to understand how in a country, where all religions exhort children to love, respect and serve parents as living gods, the formers are being insulted in their own homes and pushed to old age homes?
It is good that a large number of youngsters in our country are scaling new heights on the professional fronts. But with this, the number of the cases related to apathy, heartlessness, and unkindness towards elders are rising disturbingly. Even the metro cities like Kolkata, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, where the level of literacy and economic prosperity is very high, have got the gloomy distinction of ill-treating their elders.
Accepting the cruel reality, there is an urgent need to have a holistic countrywide plan to take care of our elderly people. The government and its agencies should collaborate with NGOs, religious and charitable organisations, social welfare agencies and other stakeholders to do the needful. All of them together should ensure that elders do not suffer for want of food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, financial security, elder-friendly public spaces, proper mobility options, etc. Therefore, everything possible must be done to safeguard their self-respect in the old age. It needs to be underlined that various schemes already put in place by government agencies are not adequate to address the problems of elderly persons, both in urban and rural areas. In the rural areas the problems of elderly persons get accentuated all the more due to lack of access to possible facilities.
At another level, it is essential to nurture the right values in children from a very young age until they are grown-ups. Influencers in society, whether on social media or in other spheres of public life, should impress upon the younger generation the importance of feeling responsible towards their parents. Children who, out of ignorance, mistreat their parents should realize that what they are doing is not right. They must discharge their responsibilities towards their parents with utmost kindness, affection, care, and respect. After all, it is the parents who have enabled them to achieve all their success in life.
Swami Akhandananda Giriji Maharaj underlines that serving one’s mother is the supreme spiritual discipline. He exhorts us that we should serve our parents in all possible ways. Similarly, the great saint Swami Krishan Devji Maharaj instructed that we should begin our day by paying respect to our parents. He also added that if you keep doing this, you will not have to teach your own children how to respect you. By seeing your conduct towards your own parents, they will learn the desired lesson on their own.
So, remembering the theory of boomerang, start respecting, serving and loving parents as living God. Instead of banishing them to old age homes, let them continue to be part and parcel of your everyday life. Let them bask in the glory of being the leading light of the home where each shares the warmth of living and loving relationship.
The theme of the international day of older persons in 2024 was: 'Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide '. Are we rightly moving in that direction? The search for the answer should begin in every heart and home.
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Tish Malhotra is an experienced journalist with nearly four decades of writing experience across various journals and newspapers as an independent author. Despite being a relatively new contributor to this web-magazine, his extensive professional background brings substantial depth and expertise to his writing.