Sunset years, many aged and sick treated as trash, Oct 1, elders day

Mangalore Today News Network

Oct 01, 2016: October 1, is marked as elder’s day. Several cosmetic celebrations for the forgotten people in old aged homes will be held all over during month of October , most of them will be done NOT out of concern and care for the aged sick and suffering, but to ensure the inflow of funds allotted for departments and institutions including NGOs’ to make hay.

Survey of age people everywhere in private home, old-age homes is vital to identify necessary amendments to senior citizens’ Act.   Old-age homes have to ensure that residents get nutritious food, adequate clothing, linen, and so on at reasonable and correct payment, which is usually not so.   The assessment of old-age homes to check the standard of living they offer to people is a very necessary matter.  There is an immediate need here that a department and even a ministry is essential to look in to day to day the needs of the elderly in families and old aged homes, the departments looking after this great responsibility is far from adequate. There is an urgent need to have a regulatory body for old-age homes. These institutions must be put in line as per laws and rights of elders/senior citizens.

In many community institutions today, aged and elderly are a spent force and not counted. They are considered as ’Trash and scrap’. They are accorded the last place and acknowledged only where profit and benefit of money, property and valuables are seen. Yet, when polling day comes vested interests and political goons, hand in glove with authorities running old aged institutions cart them in a pathetic manner and ensure that that a vote is cast to benefit our ’netas’.

Surveys are on to make suitable amendments to the existing provisions of the Senior Citizens Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, to improve the quality of care. Once the study is over, recommendations will be sent to the government. “We will also recommend a regulatory and licensing body that can monitor old-age homes,” S. Premkumar Raja, co-founder of Nightingales Medical Trust.

As of now, the Senior Citizens Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, has set some minimum standards to be followed. According to the Act, homes should have residential areas with separate rooms for men and women, adequate water facilities, electricity, fan and heating arrangements, kitchen, dining hall, adequate toilets, recreation facilities, and first-aid facilities.

But experts argue that the guidelines are not detailed, and leave room for managements to take advantage of them. “There are around 86 homes in the city and a majority of them could do with better facilities to enhance the dignity of life of senior citizens in old-age homes. Some of them have facilities in tin sheds and others don’t even have proper toilets,” said Shiv Kumar, advocate and convener, Elders’ Helpline.

Old-age homes have to ensure that residents get nutritious food, adequate clothing, linen, and so on. They should make arrangements with nearest hospitals in cases of emergency. However, many of them don’t follow this as they are run for commercial purposes. “They get a grant from the Union government to run the homes, and some of them just exist on paper,” said Mr. Kumar. Though he adds that there are a few exceptions that provide excellent care.

“There is an urgent need to have a regulatory body for old-age homes. Only if they meet certain standards should they be given a licence,” said Mr. Raja.

Meanwhile, M. Bharanidharan, partner, Faith Elder Health Care Centres, said that medical attention is important for the elderly and it should be available at old-age homes “We run one which is free and another that is chargeable. But the inmates of both enjoy same facilities. Proper healthcare is also given,” he said.

According to 75-year-old C.V. Sastri, who retired from Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd., it would be beneficial if big corporates build and run old-age homes as part of their CSR, Corporate Social Responsibility. “The government should become a facilitator and bring the companies together,” he said.

State 7th in murder of senior citizens :  Bengaluru was ranked 7 when it came to murder of senior citizens and third in terms of robbery in 2015. According to National Crime Records Bureau data, Karnataka had 44 victims, while Maharashtra topped with 173.   Meanwhile, when it came to elders becoming robbery victims, Karnataka reported 118 cases. The topper was Maharashtra with 720 cases, followed by Tamil Nadu with 88. P.N. Geetha, a senior citizen living in K.R. Puram, said the safety of senior citizens do not depend on the police alone. “Most often, elders living alone in bungalows become easy targets. They should think of moving into apartment complexes where they will be more secure,” she said.  A senior police officer said that most often, elders become victims of attention diversion. “Whenever senior citizens sense danger, they can call the Elders’ Helpline. Our police officers also keep a check on homes where they live alone,” said a police officer.  Old helpless people in homes and elders institutions are left there by the children who are abroad and have limited options, the elders too find it hard to adjust these days with rampant changes in life styles. They are willing to give some money but are not able to help first hand or monitor.  Those responsible for care often scheme against such people and often eliminate them after good gains. There is no authority from the Govt to monitor or certify such deaths and what we know is only the tip of the ice berg. It’s time to take up this vital matter, sooner than later it will be your turn too.