New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee on October 1st called
for measures to enable the elderly to lead a life of “dignity.” Speaking at a
function organised by HelpAge India to mark the International Day of Older
Persons, Mr. Mukherjee expressed concern over the growing neglect and abuse of
seniors in the country. Mr. Mukherjee said: “I have to confess my deep alarm
and dismay in this context over the findings of the 20 city survey conducted by
HelpAge which reveals that one out of three elders have faced abuse. It is even
more shocking to learn that those surveyed describe their sons and
daughters-in-law as the primary abusers. Many report such abuse as having
continued for more than five years and most do not complain to anyone in order
to uphold family honour.”
The President pointed to the
withering away of family values and expressed hope that the shocking
revelations about elderly abuse would serve as a warning. “We must do
everything possible to ensure that our elders can live a life of dignity,
enjoying the best of medical attention, economic security as well as emotional
stability. Our culture, history, traditions, religion and philosophy all enjoin
us to respect our elders and to fill their lives with abundant love and
affection.” To the nation, with a very large young population, the President’s
message included a reminder, “…India is what it is today because of the
contributions made by our elders in their youth. If those hands steadied you
when you learned to walk, then you need to support them when they need help and
hope there will be others who will do the same for you when you grow old.”
“It’s just another phase”: “Society and the government should be
sensitised to the fact that old age is just another phase of life with its
special needs and characteristics just like childhood and youth,” the President
said, adding that efforts should be made to provide health care and economic
security to the aged. “The real
challenges that lie in the field of health security are accessibility and
affordability of medical health facilities. The elderly require special
geriatric care… their medical expenses increases with age whereas their income
decreases or remains static. Private hospitals are reluctant to provide concessions
to the elderly and insurance companies unwilling to insure the elderly,” he
said.
“Proud to be an elder”: Earlier, the President made a reference to
his own age and urged the elderly to refrain from thinking of old age as an
inhibitor. “I turn 77 a few months
from now. Our honourable Prime Minister has just celebrated his 80th birthday.
Ms. Lata Mangeshkar celebrated her 83rd birthday a few days back. Justice V.R.
Krishna Iyer is going strong at the age of 97, intellectually vibrant and
deeply concerned about the welfare and progress of our nation. Many more
illustrious persons can be added to this list, but I stop here… There is in
this audience and all around us a large number of elders who are making
extremely valuable contributions to our country and to our society. I salute
them and am proud to be one of them, an ‘elder’ leading a productive and
fruitful life.”
The President said with
advancement of medical science and technology, age is by no means a disabling
factor. Quoting W. Somerset Maugham and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the
President encouraged the elderly “to get out of a ‘retirement mentality’ and
think about old age as a second innings.”
***
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