Safety of senior citizens a challenge

With life expectancy increasing, households getting smaller and congested, there seem to be stress in joint and extended families across India. Even if they co-reside, because of the generation gap and changing lifestyle, there is a feeling of isolation and insecurity among the senior citizens.

At the present there are 77 millions older persons living in India and the number is expected to rise to 170 million in the next 25 years. In such an ageing scenario, there will be an immense pressure on all aspects of care for the older persons.   

In the view of this rising problem, International Network for Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA)  organised an National Symposium on 'Safety And Security Of Senior Citizens: Making It A Priority'. And the main focus of discussion was, that what needs to be done in nearby future.
   
Eminent personalities like S L Passi, President, Delhi Federation of Associations of Senior Citizens,  Sandeep Goel, Additional Commissioner of Police & Incharge Senior Citizens Cell, Police Headquarters, Kiran Puri, Director, Development, Welfare & Research Foundations, were present at the seminar to share their thoughts on the matter.  Amarjit Singh Chandiok, Additional Solicitor General & President of the Delhi High Court Bar Council Association, was the Chief Guest at the occasion.

The seminar began by a welcome address by Mala Kapur Shankardass, Gerontologist, Chairperson for Asia, (INPEA) & MD- Development, Welfare & Research Foundation. Shankardass said that the  changing lifestyles have weakened the social structures which were traditionally providing the required support to senior citizens. “Projects like The Golden Estate is envisioned to provide a viable lifestyle option to the senior citizen in today’s urban environment where they can live an active, secure and dignified life,” she said. “I truly believe that such ventures will appeal to many progressive senior citizens and will lower the incidence of elder abuse in our country”.

Passi brought in light the contemporary problems faced by senior citizens. He said that police is too busy providing security to VIP's. “In the present scenario,” he said, “it's impossible for any senior citizen too feel safe. We can't walk alone after 9 in the night. Streets are unsafe. Snatchers are running all over the city and see us (senior citizens) as easy targets and if we revolt, we are shot down”.

Passi, however, did mention that he has nothing against the government, be it the present one or the one ruling in past.
 
Joining the debate, Sandeep Goel stretched the debate further and added that 'detention is the best prevention', “ If we catch a criminal who has committed 3 crimes, it means we have prevented 5 more crimes from occurring”. Giving details he said in 2011, 8 murder cases of senior citizens, 2 robbery cases were reported. Out of these, 6 murder and 2 robbery cases have been solved, the remaining are in proceedings.

Amit Vaidya said that the new product of UCC is not just commercially but economically viable too. The main focus point of the project is to cater the needs of Senior Citizens. He said that facilities like emergency call bells will be provided, and special stress will be given on 24X7 in-house medical cleaning.

The project of UCC Care Pvt Ltd, will be operational since December 2011 in Faridabad, and, Vaidya believes, the project will encourage more private investments in such projects. “The whole idea of the project has been  developed by senior citizen's advice and guidance,” Vaidya said.

Amarjit Singh Chandiok addressed the gathering. He said that the reasons for origins of such problems is that people have lost the basic concept of faith. “In every religion parents are placed first, even before God, then why is their such ignorance of senior citizens,” he said. “We have to change attitude of our children. We need to teach them what was taught to us by our parents and grandparents”.

The  120 minutes of an eye opening conference finally concluded as Kiran Puri,  gave a vote of thanks and and as every one departed, there was a glimpse of hope of a better future in every eye.