No one can stem the tide of youth, for old age catches up with everyone. It is a global phenomena and one that needs to be addressed. The aspect of elderly care gathers greater significance in the light of the fact that families are becoming nuclear and want to stay that way. Hence this is not only a private concern but also a public one where the state or social institutions come into play.
Elders do not always air their problems for fear of getting hurt, so learning to anticipate and doing things for them before they ask is appreciated greatly. It could be something as simple as giving a parent a hot water bag or massaging aching parts and it could be something a little bit more serious like administering the correct dose of insulin at the correct time for a diabetic patient or rendering timely first aid in the case of an asthmatic attack. Talking to them, cajoling them, and making them feel that they are needed are very important. They need to be humored and their views need to be considered in order to give them a sense of importance.
In India, when there were joint families and people were not hard pressed for time, there was always someone to take care of the elderly. Now times have changed. The Indian elderly population is growing rapidly because science and technology has created a revolution in the healthcare system and the health care needs of the elderly Indian has increased. Poverty and illiteracy have exacerbated the problem of elderly care and has rendered them more vulnerable. In rural India, the problem is worse. In such a situation, having to depend on their children to look after them brings a lot of fundamental values and the principles of ethics into play. Morally one is bound to look after one’s parents, but what happens when the children are so poor that they cannot even take care of themselves. They are surrounded by a sense of moral responsibility on one hand and an inability to look after on the other. A piquant situation indeed and one perhaps which has no real solution. The role of health insurance in India and the old age pension schemes for the elderly are woefully inadequate. Hence in such a set up to render elderly care without allowing the seniors to lose their sense of dignity and independence is very very difficult.
About Help Age India
HelpAge India is a national level secular, non-political, non-profit and non-government organization working for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons. We endeavor to improve their quality of life and have been doing so for the last 31 years. The cause of the elderly needs attention because we are a society in transition with changing values, which has led to the breakdown of the joint family, resulting in lack of security for the elderly. We voice the needs of India’s 90 million (current estimate)“grey” population, and directly impact the lives of lakhs of elders through our services every year. Website: http://www.helpageindia.org/
Elders do not always air their problems for fear of getting hurt, so learning to anticipate and doing things for them before they ask is appreciated greatly. It could be something as simple as giving a parent a hot water bag or massaging aching parts and it could be something a little bit more serious like administering the correct dose of insulin at the correct time for a diabetic patient or rendering timely first aid in the case of an asthmatic attack. Talking to them, cajoling them, and making them feel that they are needed are very important. They need to be humored and their views need to be considered in order to give them a sense of importance.
About Help Age India
HelpAge India is a national level secular, non-political, non-profit and non-government organization working for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons. We endeavor to improve their quality of life and have been doing so for the last 31 years. The cause of the elderly needs attention because we are a society in transition with changing values, which has led to the breakdown of the joint family, resulting in lack of security for the elderly. We voice the needs of India’s 90 million (current estimate)“grey” population, and directly impact the lives of lakhs of elders through our services every year. Website: http://www.helpageindia.org/
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The role of health insurance in India and the old age pension schemes for the elderly are woefully inadequate.
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