Old Age homes
An old age home, sometimes known as an old people’s home, is a facility where older citizens live together. Approximately 138 million elderly people live in India, with 18 million of them homeless.
These folks have been abandoned by their relatives or simply do not have a source of livelihood or financial assistance. We are used to/have seen the notion of joint families in the country, but there has recently been a shift in the paradigm as more and more people migrate towards a nuclear or smaller unit of a family. As a result, the older population came to be considered as a burden, and many were eventually abandoned or forgotten by their own relatives.
Some slightly more worried relatives transferred their parents and elderly relatives to Old Age Homes.
But what about those who have been abandoned by their relatives, with no belongings and nowhere to go?
Many old age facilities in the country and around the world charge exorbitant fees to care for its wards. There are only a few institutions that accept senior persons at no cost and provide them with care without discrimination. The issue then becomes, how did this happen? When did such savagery become the norm?
Although Old Age Homes in the country are relatively new phenomena that is rapidly developing, there is still a long way to go before they can meet the needs of the present population. There are currently 728 old age facilities in India, with 325 of them providing free care to the elderly. Given that the net capacity of all old-age facilities in India is a measly 97,800, this deficit creates a big imbalance.
To put this in context, this means that 17.9 million of the 18 million homeless elderly citizens are still homeless. COVID-19 did not assist this trend either, as it left an increasing number of older individuals heartbroken by its financial and social ramifications. This emphasizes how dire the scenario is and begs for immediate action. The NGO Manav Kalyan Seva Charitable Trust has taken a significant step in providing older adults with the love and respect they deserve at the prime of their life, allowing them to live as valued members of society.
Because of their life experiences, the elderly are full of wisdom and worldly knowledge. This is why we seek advice from elderly people and frequently follow their advice before making major decisions. Unfortunately, in today’s fast-paced world, we have a tendency to forget or become oblivious to their requirements. Furthermore, Covid has not only imposed constraints but has also posed significant threats to the emotional and physical well-being of the elderly. It is critical to understand their challenges and to support them unconditionally, just as they do.
