Preventing elders’ abuse

Sir,
This has reference to the writeup’Time to stop Elders Abuse'(DE, June 15, 2019) It is really sad to read that 5 to 10 percent older people across the globe experience some kind of abuse.As per a survey conducted by a Delhi based NGO, over 71% senior citizens in India are victims of abuse by family members and every second senior citizen is being harassed or maltreated or humiliated by none other than their own family members, children, relatives or others.As a result of breakthroughs in medical science and other facilities coupled with rise in standard of living, there is expected to be a substantial increase in population of elderly people all over the world in the coming years.Surely,it is a big challenge to ensure that the elderly people are looked after properly and given due care and respect.But it is sad that more often than not they are abused by their own children for whom they sacrificed everything.It is quite a sad commentary on our society when we read news or watch videos of the ailing and helpless elderly people being physically or verbally abused by their own family members, especially their children. Ours is a tradition where service of the elderly is a part of our culture and neglecting an elderly people is considered to be a grave sin.But while technology and globalization is bringing us together, loneliness in elderly people is rising.Many children desert their parents in the autumn of their life to fend for themselves and they spend their last days in oldage homes away from their children and grandchildren suffering from severe psychological and mental problems.They need love, care and attention which their children are obliged to give.They need love and warmth of their children more than food ,medicine and other material comforts.
We must remember that old people are the storehouse of wisdom and experience and they ought to be respected as such.They must be consulted by their children while taking important decisions to convince them that they have a say in the domestic affairs and that they are not unwanted’. Children and grandchildren should spend quality time with them.They need closeness of their children and relatives.
Recently, on the directions of the Chief Justice of J&K High Court,the awareness compaign ‘Ageing with Dignity’was organised in various Districts by respecive District Legal Services Authority, in collaboration with other Departments, in which,various activities such as Intergenerational walkathon were also organised.Such programmes definitely help in raising awareness among the elders about their legal rights, welfare schemes for them, and duties of the young generation towards them.Such initiatves need to be launched more often to sensitise the people about their duties towards the senior citizens.
Ashok Sharma,
Housing Colony, Udhampur.

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