Creating awareness on elders’ rights

Management consultant MC Das exhorted the youth to uphold the Indian tradition of respecting the elders, while speaking at a round table meeting organised by Krishna District Senior Citizens Welfare Association on Monday. The event was held to commemorate the World Elder Abuse Prevention Day.

“Majority of the younger generation in these days are completely ignoring their responsibilities in taking care of senior citizens. Isolation is the main curse for the elders these days as majority of them were lacking a person to look after them,” Das observed.

According to a survey conducted by an NGO in 2013 nearly 23 per cent of elders faced abuse; the percentage has gone up to 60 in 2014. “Many elders who face abuse from family members are afraid reporting it to police and seeking assistance,” MC Das lamented.

Krishna District Senior Citizens Welfare Association secretary M Venkateswara Rao said that programme was aimed at creating awareness among people, particularly the youth, against the growing abuse of elders. “Awareness should be created among elders about their rights and the provisions under the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 to avoid abuse,” he said.

Amma Nanna Old Age Home founder and film producer Chalasani Venkateswara Rao, Vasvaya Mahila Mandali program manager Dr B Keerthi, Gandhi Co-operative Urban Bank chairman Vemuri Basava Kutumba Rao, AP Senior Citizen Welfare Association member TV Hanumanth Rao, general surgeon M Venkata Ratnam and others presided the meeting.