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These citizens need care
The City of Destiny seems to be turning more materialistic in outlook. It is evident with the increase in number of old age homes in the city in recent times.
Visakhapatnam: The City of Destiny seems to be turning more materialistic in outlook. It is evident with the increase in number of old age homes in the city in recent times. The socially disturbing trend is mainly attributed to rise in nuclear families, invasion of cosmopolitan culture in the guise of development, increase in migration of youngsters to foreign countries for greener pastures and rapid decline in family values.
According to an estimate, senior citizens constitute 40 per cent of the total population in the fast developing Smart City. Some of the senior citizens are joining the old age homes run by private organisations as paying guests to overcome loneliness at home. They are left with no option as their children who have become NRIs, find little time to visit them even once a year.
Most of the NRIs and software professionals who settled in major metros, do not mind to spend money to arrange materialistic comforts for their parents on condition that the latter should not seek their constant attention. Some others are forced to take shelter in the old age homes run by the voluntary organisations unable to face the total neglect by their family. Poverty can also be blamed for the rising number of inmates in the old age homes and orphanage centres.
A majority of the households hailing from middle class, lower income groups and salaried sections, are finding it financially burdensome to look after their parents in the old age though it is their moral responsibility. Prema Samajam is a prominent voluntary organisation in the city engaged in the welfare of the old for quite a long time.
There are also several old age homes and orphanages run by Christian missionaries, which provide shelter, comfort and solace to the neglected lot. Though the government is implementing welfare schemes for the elderly people, they are not adequate. Social organisations like Vintage Visakha and Sneha are striving to ensure that the inmates of old age homes are well taken care of. Speaking to The Hans India, Prema Samajam secretary YV Ramana said ``Government should lay emphasis on welfare of senior citizens who deserve a better deal.
They need to be provided more concessions and other benefits to lead a comfortable life in their old age without being a burden on their children in the days of inflation.’’ Sneha Sandhya Senior Citizens Association member Raja Rao said: ``There is an every need to set up day care and recreation centres for the aged to ensure that they do not feel the loneliness.
Urgent measures need to be taken to check the falling family values in the materialistic world. The youth should own the moral responsibility of taking care of their parents properly after realising the fact that they too become old one day.’’
By Anuradha
