cIk1IfIcA1I

This is to certiIy that the project report entitled RECENT DEVELOPMENT

AND LEGISLATION OF OLD AGE HOMES is an original work done by the
candidate, whose Reg. No. is H06132 under my guidance and supervision. This
is submitted in partial IulIillment oI the PROJECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS oI
1
st
year (1st Semester) Ior the academic year 2011-2012.




Signature oI the Iaculty

IcIAkA1ION


I Hereby declare that this project work entitled to 'RECENT
DEVELOPMENT AND LEGISLATION OF OLD AGE HOMES, a non-
doctrinal socio-legal research, has been carried out by me under the guidance oI
Lecturer Mrs.Revathy Reddy, towards the partial IulIillment oI the Project Ior
the subject Human Rights in The Tamil Nadu Dr, Ambedkar Law University,
Chennai and this work is not submitted elsewhere.


Vijendher.S

AcLNOWIIIMIN1


It is my duty to record my gratitude Ior all the help and suggestions that I
have Irom diIIerent sources in the presentation oI this work. I wish to express
my gratitude to Lecturer Mrs. Revathy Reddy, TNDALU, Ior his scholarly
guidance. The magnitude oI my task was rendered easy by the valuable and
supervision oI Lecturer TNDALU, to whom I am greatly indebted and obliged.
I am also grateIul to my Iriends and parents. My sincere thanks to the aged
people in Charus Home Ior Aged,Thiruvanmiyur and Aikya Care Senior Citizen
Center,T.Nagar, Ior patiently answering my questions during my interview.

kecent evelopment and Iegislation o

Old Age Homes

Introduction

Ageing is a universal biological Iact and a natural process. It begins Irom the
day we are born, or perhaps even beIore. The perception oI age, however, is
socially constructed. Isolation, exclusion and marginalization oI older persons
are the consequences oI age discrimination. It not only undermines the status oI
older persons in society but also threatens the overall development oI a society.
The quality oI liIe oI the older person, however, can be improved by
mainstreaming their concerns systematically into the overall
developmental agenda.

HYPOTHESIS:

For this research Iollowing hypothesises were Iormulated:
The rise in NUCLEAR FAMILIES have led to the increase in more
number oI OLD AGE HOMES.
Even in joint Iamilies, aged people are exposed to somewhat emotional
neglect and a lack oI physical support.
The rapid socio-economic transIormation has aIIected the age old joint
Iamilies.

ETHODOLOGY

This study is based on primary and secondary sources. I have done a socio-legal
research relating to old age homes and various Iactors contributing to the rise
and development oI old age homes. I also adopted observation method and
questionnaire method Ior the purpose oI my study and the research delivers with
the conclusion and suggestions also.

SCOPE OF THIS RESEARCH:

The data has been collected Ior the purpose oI this study Irom leading
newspapers with wide circulation and coverage. I have also collected
inIormation Irom Iew old age homes situated in Chennai Ior a detailed study on
the living oI the aged people and the various laws and organisations governing
and helping them.

POLICIES AND PROGRAES ON POPULATION AGEING:

In the modern times, the role oI Iamily has been undergoing signiIicant changes.
Even in traditional societies oI Asia or AIrica there is a visible change taking
place so Iar as the role and Iunction oI Iamily is concerned. The traditional joint
Iamily system is gradually making way Ior nuclear Iamily mode. Family,
nevertheless, occupies a unique place in the traditional as well as modern
societies even today. It assumes diverse Iorms and Iunctions that vary Irom
region to region. In a society, as large and culturally diverse and complex as
India, changes take place at diIIerent speeds and at diIIerent levels oI
population. As such, the directions and pattern oI change tend to vary not only

among diIIerent segments oI society, but also in diIIerent kinds oI Iamily

organizations, which vary considerably both structurally and Iunctionally.

Indian Iamily, which has been predominantly joint or extended one, remained
stable despite some marked and drastic social, political, economic and religious
changes over the last Iew decades. It has, however, retained certain structural
Iorms and traditional values. The historical cultural tradition oI care and respect
Ior the elderly within the Iamily and the community has made the task oI caring
and empowering the aged relatively smooth and easy both Ior the society and
the Government in India.

Director, National Institute oI Social DeIence, Ministry oI Social Justice &
Empowerment, Government oI India. Since the traditional norms and values oI
the Indian society laid stress on respect and care Ior the aged, the aged member
oI the Iamily were normally taken care oI in the Iamily itselI. In recent times the
rapid socio-economic transIormation has aIIected every aspect oI traditional
Indian society. Industrialization with resultant urbanization and migration oI
population has aIIected institutions like the age old joint Iamily. Technological
advancement, impact oI mass media and higher degree oI mobility have
inIluenced long established liIe styles, conventional value systems and
customary place oI aged and women in the society. Thus, the society is
witnessing a gradual but deIinite withering oI the joint Iamily system as a result
oI which a section oI the Iamily, primarily the elder, are exposed to somewhat
emotional neglect and a lack oI physical support.

As a result oI demographic changes and the changing Iamily context, it can no
longer be assumed that the older persons live comIortably at home receiving
care Irom Iamily members. Given the trend oI population ageing in India, the
older persons Iace a number oI problems ranging Irom absence oI ensured and

suIIicient income to support themselves and their dependants, to ill-health, to

absence oI social security, to loss oI a productive social role and recognition, to
non-availability oI opportunities Ior creative use oI Iree time. The trend clearly
reveals that ageing poses a major challenge, and vast resources are required
towards the support, care and treatment oI the older person. There is an
emerging need to pay greater attention to ageing issues and to promote holistic
policies and programmes Ior dealing with an ageing society. Care oI older
persons is a growing concern oI every individual and social security oI the
elderly is one oI the prime responsibilities oI the State.

DEOGRAPHIC TRANSITION

As per Census 2001, the number oI older persons in 2001 was 70.6 million
(6.9) which was projected to be 83.5 million in 2006 (7.5). As per the
projections the percentage oI older persons will be 94.8 million in 2011 (8.3),
118 million in 2016, (9.3) 143.7 million in 2021(10.7) and 173.1 million in
2026 (12.4).

The gender position oI the elderly reveals that the liIe expectancy oI women is
expected to remain higher. For the period 2006-2010 the liIe expectancy oI
Iemale is 68.1 against 65.8 oI males which will rise to 72.3 Ior Iemale against
69.02 Ior males during the period 2011-2016. This indicates that the population
oI elderly women will account Ior a larger chunk compared to their male
counterpart in 60 age bracket.

In absolute terms, the projection Ior male population in 60 age group was 35
million in 2001, projected to be 40.7 million in 2006 and 48 million in 2011 as
against the Iemale population in same age group was 36 million in 2001, 42
million in 2006 and 50.2 million in 2011. From the projected Iigures Ior the

year 2006-2011 and 2016, 2021 and 2026, it is also clear that percentage oI
Iemale population in 70 age group will outnumber their male counterpart in
the same age group. This accounts Ior a larger Iemale population in the overall
60 age group compared to the male population in the years to come. Many oI
women in the 70 age group would be either widow or single without any
ostensible support Ior themselves.

A comparison oI rural elderly and the urban establish the Iact that around 74.97
per cent oI older persons live in rural areas and 25.02 in urban areas. This
involves planning Ior post retirement socio-economic security through
continued skill up-gradation, employment and participation in other creative and
gainIul activities.

With the changing liIestyle oI modern society the young generation are
migrating Irom not only rural to urban area rather one country to another as
well; leading to increase in old age dependency ratio. The old age dependency
ratio (number oI old persons 60 years) to the working age group (15-59 years)
has increased Irom 9.8 per cent in 1981 to about 12.6 per cent by the year 2001.
(Census oI India,2001)

DEOGRAPHIC TRANSITION & EERGING ISSUES

The increase in liIe expectancy with better health care, nutritious Iood and
socioeconomic status, has led to the demographic transition which impacts the
prosperity and health oI the people. This necessitates old age speciIic health
management to address the age-linked health problems like cataract related
blindness, osteoarthritis, hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke,
heart Iailure, Alzheimer`s disease and other dementias, Parkinson`s disease
osteoporosis, and Iractures, cancer, enlarged prostate and depression, etc.

The needs oI older persons living in rural areas that accounts Ior about 62.5
million oI them, require special attention. The Government is concerned to
provide the rural elderly access to health system, socio-economic security, the
institutional care and homes Ior the destitute.


National Policy on Older Person

Demographic Trends

Demographic ageing, a global phenomenon has hit Indian shores as well.
People are living longer. Expectation oI liIe at birth Ior males has shown a
steady rise Irom 42 years in 1951-60 to 58 years in 1986-90, it is projected to be
67 years in 2011-16, an increase oI about 9 years in a twenty Iive year period
(1986-90 to 2011-16). In the case oI Iemales, the increase in expectation oI liIe
has been higher -about 11 years during the same period, Irom 58 years in 1986-
90 to 69 year in 2011-16. At age 60 too, the expectation oI liIe shows a steady
rise and is a little higher Ior women. In 1989-93, it was 15 years Ior males and
16 years Ior Iemales.

Improved liIe expectancy has contributed to an increase in the number oI
persons 60 Irom only 12 million persons 60 in India in 1901, the number
crossed 20 million in 1951 and 57 million in 1991. Population projections Ior
1996-2016 made by the Technical Group on Population Projections (1996)
indicate that the 100 million mark is expected to reach in 2013. Projections
beyond 2016 made by the United Nations (1996 Revision) has indicated that
India will have 198 million persons 60 in 2030 and 326 million in 2050. The

percentage oI persons 60 in the total population has seen a steady rise Irom 5.1
percent in 1901 to 6.8 percent in 1991. It is expected to reach 8.9 percent in
2016. Projections beyond 2016 made by United Nations (1996 Revision) has
indicated that 21 percent oI the Indian population will be 60 by 2050. Growth
rate on a large demographic base implies a much larger increase in numbers.
This will be the case in the coming years. The decade 2001-11 is expected to
witness an increase oI 25 million persons 60 which is equivalent to the total
population oI persons 60 in 1961. The twenty Iive years period 1991 to 2016
will witness an increase oI 55.4 million persons 60 which is nearly the same as
the population oI persons 60 in 1991. In other words, in a twenty Iive years
period starting 1991 the population 60 will nearly double itselI.

Sixty three percent oI the population in 1991 (36 million) is in the age group 60-
69 years, oIten reIerred to as young old` or not so old` while 11 percent (6
million) is in the age group 80 years and over i.e., in the older old` or very old`
category. In 2016, the percentages in these age groups will be almost the same,
but the numbers are expected to be 69 million and 11 million respectively. In
other words, close to six tenths oI population 60-69 years can be expected to be
in reasonably good physical and mental health, Iree oI serious disability and
capable oI leading an active liIe. About one third oI the population 70-79 years
can also be expected to be Iit Ior a reasonably active liIe. This is indicative oI
the huge reserve oI human resource.

Men outnumber women in India even aIter age 60 (29 million males, 27 million
Iemales 60 in 1991). This will continue to be the situation in 2016 when there
will be an estimated 57 million males and 56 million Iemales 60. Incidence oI
widowhood is much higher among Iemales 60 than among males oI the same
age group because it is customary Ior women to get married to men older by
several years; also, they do not remarry and live longer. There were in 1991,

14.8 million widowed Iemales 60 compared to 4.5 million widowed males. In

other words, there were Iour times as many widowed Iemales as widowed
males.

Implications

The demographic ageing oI population has implications at the macro and also at
household level. The sheer magnitude oI numbers is indicative both oI the huge
human reserve and also oI the scale oI endeavours necessary to provide social
services and other beneIits.

Demographic transition has been accompanied by changes in society and
economy. These are oI a positive nature in some areas and a cause oI concern in
others.

A growing number oI persons 60 in the coming decades will belong to the
middle and upper income groups, be economically better oII with some degree
oI Iinancial security, have higher proIessional and educational qualiIications,
lead an active liIe in their 60s and even Iirst halI oI the 70s, and have a positive
Irame oI mind looking Ior opportunities Ior a more active, creative and
satisIying liIe.

Some areas oI concern in the situation oI older persons will also emerge, signs
oI which are already evident, resulting in pressures and Iissures in living
arrangements oI older persons. It is true that Iamily ties in India are very strong
and an overwhelming majority live with their sons or are supported by them.
Also, working couples Iind the presence oI old parents emotionally bonding and
oI great help in managing the household and caring Ior children. However, due
to the operation oI several Iorces, the position oI a large number oI older

persons has become vulnerable due to which they cannot take Ior granted that
their children will be able to look aIter them when they need care in old age,
specially in view oI the longer liIe span implying an extended period oI
dependency and higher costs to meet health and other needs.

Industrialisation, urbanization, education and exposure to liIe styles in
developed countries are bringing changes in values and liIe styles. Much higher
costs oI bringing up and educating children and pressures Ior gratiIication oI
their desires aIIects transIer oI share oI income Ior the care oI parents. Due to
shortage oI space in dwellings in urban areas and high rents, migrants preIer to
leave their parents in their native place. Changing roles and expectations oI
women, their concepts oI privacy and space, desire not to be encumbered by
caring responsibilities oI old people Ior long periods, career ambitions, and
employment outside the home implies considerably reduced time Ior care
giving. Also, adoption oI small Iamily norms by a growing number oI people
implies availability oI Iewer care givers specially since in a growing number oI
Iamilies, daughters, too, are Iully occupied, pursuing their educational or work
career. The position oI single persons, particularly Iemales, is more vulnerable
in old age as Iew persons are willing to take care oI non-lineal relatives. So also
is the situation oI widows an overwhelming majority oI whom have no
independent source oI income, do not own assets and are totally dependent.

The andate

Well-being oI older persons has been mandated in the Constitution oI India.
Article 41, a Directive Principle oI State Policy, has directed that the State shall,
within the limits oI its economic capacity and development, make eIIective
provision Ior securing the right oI public assistance in cases oI old age. There
are other provisions, too, which direct the State to improve the quality oI liIe oI

its citizens. Right to equality has been guaranteed by the Constitution as a

Fundamental Right. These provisions apply equally to older persons. Social
security has been made the concurrent responsibility oI the Central and State
Governments.

The last two decades have witnessed considerable discussion and debate on the
impact oI demographic transition and oI changes in society and economy on the
situation oI older persons. The United Nations Principles Ior Older Persons
adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1991, the Proclamation on
Ageing and the Global Targets on Ageing Ior the year 2001 adopted by the
General Assembly in 1992, and various other Resolutions adopted Irom time to
time, are intended to encourage governments to design their own policies and
programmes in this regard.

There has Ior several years been a demand Ior a Policy Statement by the State
towards its senior citizens so that they do not Iace an identity crisis and know
where they stand in the overall national perspective. The need has been
expressed at diIIerent Iorums where ageing issues have been deliberated. The
Statement, by indicating the principles underlying the policy, the directions, the
needs that will be addressed and the relative roles oI governmental and non-
governmental institutions, is expected to Iacilitate carving out oI respective
areas oI operation and action in the direction oI a humane age integrated
society.

The National Policy Statements

The National Policy seeks to assure older persons that their concerns are
national concerns and they will not live unprotected, ignored or marginalized.
The goal oI the National Policy is the well-being oI older persons. It aims to
strengthen their legitimate place in society and help older persons to live the last
phase oI their liIe with purpose, dignity and peace.

The Policy visualizes that the State will extend support Ior Iinancial security,
health care, shelter, welIare and other needs oI older persons, provide protection
against abuse and exploitation, make available opportunities Ior development oI
the potential oI older persons, seek their participation, and provide services so
that they can improve the quality oI their lives. The Policy is based on some
broad principles.

The Policy recognizes the need Ior aIIirmative action in Iavour oI the elderly. It
has to be ensured that the rights oI older persons are not violated and they get
opportunities and equitable share in development beneIits, diIIerent sectors oI
development, programmes and administrative actions will reIlect sensitivity in
older persons living in rural areas. Special attention will be necessary to older
Iemales so that they do not become victims oI triple neglect and discrimination
on account oI gender, widowhood and age.

The Policy views the liIe cycle as a continuum, oI which post 60 phase oI liIe is
an integral part. It does not view age 60 as the cut oII point Ior beginning a liIe
oI dependency. It considers 60 as a phase when the individual should have the
choices and the opportunities to lead an active, creative, productive and
satisIying liIe. An important thrust is thereIore, on active and productive
involvement oI older persons and not just their care.

The Policy values an age integrated society. It will endeavour to strengthen
integration between generations, Iacilitate two way Ilows and interactions, and
strengthen bonds between the young and the old. It believes in the development
oI a social support system, inIormal as well as Iormal, so that the capacity oI
Iamilies to take care oI older persons is strengthened and they can continue to
live in their Iamily.

The Policy recognizes that older persons, too, are a resource. They render useIul
services in the Iamily and outside. They are not just consumers oI goods and
services but also their producers. Opportunities and Iacilities need to be
provided so that they can continue to contribute more eIIectively to the Iamily,
the community and society.

The Policy Iirmly believes in the empowerment oI older persons so that they
can acquire better control over their lives and participate in decision making on
matters which aIIect them as well as on other issues as equal partners in the
development process. The decision making process will seek to involve them to
a much larger extent especially since they constitute 12 percent oI the
electorate, a proportion which will rise in the coming years.

The Policy recognizes that larger budgetary allocations Irom the State will be
needed and the rural and urban poor will be given special attention. However, it
is neither Ieasible nor desirable Ior the State alone to attain the objectives oI the
National Policy. Individuals, Iamilies, communities and institutions oI civil
society have to join hands as partners.

The Policy emphasises the need Ior expansion oI social and community services
Ior older persons, particularly women, and enhance their accessibility and use

by removing socio-cultural, economic and physical barriers and making the

services client oriented and user Iriendly. Special eIIorts will be made to ensure
that rural areas, where more than three-Iourths oI the older population lives, are
adequately covered.

Financial Security

A great anxiety in old age relates to Iinancial insecurity. When the issue is seen
in the context oI Iact that one-third oI the population (1993-94) is below the
poverty line and about one-third are above it but belong to the lower income
group, the Iinancial situation oI two-thirds oI the population 60 can be said to
Iragile. Some level oI income security in old age is a goal which will be given
very high priority. Policy instruments to cover diIIerent income segments will
be developed.

For elderly persons below the poverty line, old age pensions provide some
succour. Coverage under the old age pension scheme Ior poor persons will be
signiIicantly expanded Irom the January 1997 level oI 2.76 million with the
ultimate objective oI covering all older persons below the poverty line.
Simultaneously, it will be necessary to prevent delays and check abuses in the
matter oI selection and disbursement. Rate oI monthly pension will need to be
revised at intervals so that inIlation does not deIlate its real purchasing power.
Simultaneously, the public distribution system will reach out to cover all
persons 60 living below the poverty line.

Employees oI government and quasi government bodies and industrial workers
desire better returns Irom accumulations in provident Iunds through prudent and
saIe investment oI the Iunds. Issues involved will be given careIul
consideration. It will be ensured that settlement oI pension, provident Iund,

gratuity and other retirement beneIits is made promptly and superannuated

persons are not put to hardship due to administrative lapses. Accountability Ior
delays will be Iixed. Redressal mechanisms Ior superannuated persons will
ensure prompt, Iair and humane treatment. Widows will be given special
consideration in the matter oI settlement oI beneIits accruing to them on the
demise oI husband.

Pension is a much, sought aIter income security scheme. The base oI pension
coverage needs to be considerably expanded. It would be necessary to Iacilitate
the establishment oI pension schemes both in the private as well as in the public
sector Ior selI-employed and salaried persons in non-governmental
employment, with provision Ior employers also to contribute. Paramount
considerations in regard to pension schemes are total security, Ilexibility,
liquidity and maximisation oI returns. Pension Funds will Iunction under the
watchIul eye oI a strong regulatory authority which lays down the investment
norms and provide strong saIeguards.

Taxation policies will reIlect sensitivity to the Iinancial problems oI older
persons which accelerate due to very high costs oI medical and nursing care,
transportations and support services needed at home. Organisations oI senior
citizens have been demanding a much higher standard deduction Ior them and a
standard annual rebate Ior medical treatment, whether domiciliary or hospital
based, in cases where superannuated persons do not get medical coverage Irom
their erstwhile employers. There are also demands that some tax relieI must be
given to son or daughter when old parents co-reside and also allow some tax
rebate Ior medical expenses. These and other proposals oI tax relieI will be
considered.

Long term savings instruments will be promoted to reach both rural and urban
areas. It will be necessary Ior the contributors to Ieel assured that the payments
at the end oI the stipulated period are attractive enough to take care oI the likely
erosion in purchasing power due to erosion. Earners will be motivated to save in
their active working years Ior Iinancial security in old age.

Pre-retirement counselling programmes will be promoted and assisted.
Employment in income generating activities aIter superannuation should be the
choice oI the individual. Organisations which provide career guidance, training
and orientation, and support services will be assisted. Programmes oI non-
governmental organizations Ior generating incomes oI old persons will be
encouraged. Age related discrimination in the matter oI entitlement to credit,
marketing and other Iacilities will be removed. Structural adjustment policies
may aIIect the older workers in some sectors more adversely, specially those in
household or small scale industry. Measures will be taken to protect their
interests.

The right oI parents without any means to be supported by their children having
suIIicient means has been recognised by Section 125 oI the Criminal Procedure
Code. The Hindu Adoptions and Maintenance Act, 1956, too secures this right
to parents. To simpliIy the procedure, provide speedy relieI, lay down the
machinery Ior processing cases, and deIine the rights and circumstances in a
comprehensive manner, the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly passed the
Himachal Pradesh Maintenance oI Parents and Dependents Bill, 1996. The
Government oI Maharashtra has prepared a Bill on similar lines. Other States
will be encouraged to pass similar legislation so that old parents unable to
maintain themselves do not Iace abandonment and acute neglect.

Health Care and Nutrition

With advancing age, old persons have to cope with health and associated
problems some oI which may be chronic, oI a multiple nature, require constant
attention and carry the risk oI disability and consequent loss oI autonomy. Some
health problems, specially when accompanied by impaired Iunctional capacity,
require long term management oI illness at time, and oI nursing care. Health
care needs oI older persons will be given high priority. The goal should be good
aIIordable health services, very heavily subsidised Ior the poor and a graded
system oI user charges Ior others. It will be necessary to have a judicious mix oI
public health services, health insurance, health services provided by not Ior
proIit organizations including trusts and charities, and private medical care.
While the Iirst oI these will require greater State participation, the second
category will need to be promoted by the State, the third category given some
assistance, concessions and relieI, and the Iourth encouraged by subjected to
some degree oI regulation, preIerably by an association oI providers oI private
care.

The primary health care system will be the basic structure oI public health care.
It will be strengthened and oriented to be able to meet the health care needs oI
older persons as well public health services, preventive, curative, restorative and
rehabilitative, will be considerably expanded and strengthened and geriatric care
Iacilities provided at secondary and tertiary levels. This will imply much larger
public sector outlays, proper distribution oI services in rural and urban areas,
and much better health administration and delivery systems.

The development oI health insurance will be given high priority to cater to the
needs oI diIIerent income segments oI the population and have provision Ior
varying contributions and beneIits. Packages catering to the lower income

groups will be entitled to state subsidy. Various relieIs and concessions will be
given to health insurance to enlarge the base oI coverage and make them
aIIordable.

Trusts, charitable societies and voluntary agencies will be promoted,
encouraged and assisted by way oI grants, tax relieI and land at subsidized rates
to provide Iree beds, medicines and treatment to the very poor elder citizens and
reasonable user charges Ior the rest oI the population.

Private medical care has expanded in recent years oIIering the latest medical
treatment Iacilities to those who can aIIord it. Where land and other Iacilities
are provided at less than market rates, bodies representing private hospitals and
nursing homes will be requested to direct their members to oIIer a discount to
older patients. Private general practitioners will be extended opportunities Ior
orientation in geriatric care.

Public hospitals will be directed to ensure that elderly patients are not subjected
to long waits and visits to diIIerent counters Ior medical tests and treatment.
They will endeavour to provide separate counters and convenient timings on
speciIied days. Geriatric wards will be set up.

Medical and para-medical personnel in primary, secondary and tertiary health
care Iacilities will be given training and orientation in health care oI the elderly.
Facilities Ior specialization in geriatric medicine will be provided in the medical
colleges. Training in nursing care will include geriatric care. Problems oI
accessibility and use oI health services by the elderly arise due to distance,
absence oI escort and transportation. DiIIiculties in reaching a public health care
Iacility will be addressed through mobile health services, special camps and
ambulance services by charitable institutions and not Ior proIit health care

organizations. Hospitals will be encouraged to have a separate WelIare Fund

which will receive donations and grants Ior providing Iree treatment and
medicines to poor elderly patients.

For the old who are chronically ill and are deprived oI Iamily support, hospices
supported or assisted by the State, public charity, and voluntary organizations
will be necessary. These are also needed to cater to cases oI abandonment oI
chronically ill aged patients admitted to public hospitals. Assistance will be
given to geriatric care societies Ior the production and distribution oI instruction
material on selI care by older persons. Preparation and distribution oI easy to
Iollow guidance material on health and nursing care oI older persons Ior the use
oI Iamily care givers will also be supported.

Older persons and their Iamilies will be given access to educational material on
nutritional needs in old age. InIormation will be made available on the Ioods to
avoid and the right Ioods to eat. Diet recipes suiting tastes oI diIIerent regions
which are nutritious, tasty, Iit into the dietary pattern oI the Iamily and the
community, are aIIordable and can be prepared Irom locally available
vegetables, cereals and Iruits, will be disseminated. The concept oI health
ageing will be promoted. It is necessary to educate older persons and their
Iamilies that diseases are not a corollary oI advancing age nor is a particular
chronological age the starting point Ior decline in health status. On the contrary,
preventive health care and early diagnosis can keep a person in reasonably good
health and prevent disability.

Health education programmes will be strengthened by making use oI mass
media, Iolk media and other communication channels which reach out to
diIIerent segments oI the population. The capacity to cope with illness and
manage domiciliary care will be strengthened. Programmes will also be

developed targeting the younger and middle age groups to inIorm them how liIe
styles during early years aIIect health status in later years. Messages on how to
stay healthy Ior the entire liIe span will be given. The importance oI balanced
diets, physical exercise, regular habits, reduction oI stress, regular medical
check up, allocation oI time Ior leisure and recreation, and pursuit oI hobbies
will be conveyed. Programmes on yoga, meditation and methods oI relaxation
will be developed and transmitted through diIIerent channels oI communication
to reach diverse audiences.

Mental health services will be expanded and strengthened. Families will be
provided counselling Iacilities and inIormation on the care and treatment oI
older persons having mental health problems.
Non-governmental organizations will be encouraged and assisted through
grants, training and orientation oI their personnel and various concessions and
relieI to provide ambulatory services, day care and health care to complement
the eIIorts oI the State.

Shelter

Shelter is a basic human need. The stock oI housing Ior diIIerent income
segments will be increased. Housing schemes Ior urban and rural lower income
segments will earmark 10 per cent oI the houses/house sites Ior allotment to
older persons. This will include Indira Awas Yojana and other schemes oI
government. Earning persons will be motivated to invest in their housing in
their earning days so that they have no problems oI shelter when they grow old.
This will require speedy urban land development Ior housing, time bound
provision oI civic services and communication links, availability oI loans at
reasonable rates, easy repayment installments, time bound construction
schedules and tax relieIs. Development oI housing has to be a joint endeavour

oI public and private sectors and require participation oI Housing Development

Boards, civic authorities, housing Iinance institutions and private developers
and builders. Older persons will be given easy access to loans Ior purchase oI
housing and Ior major repairs, with easy repayment schedules.

Layouts oI housing colonies will have to respond to the liIe styles oI the elderly.
It will have to be ensured that there are no physical barriers to mobility, and
accessibility to shopping complexes, community centres, parks and other
services is saIe and easy. A multi-purpose centre Ior older persons is a necessity
Ior social interaction and to meet other needs. It will thereIore, be necessary to
earmark sites Ior such centres in all housing colonies. Segregation oI older
persons in housing colonies has to be avoided as it prevents interaction with the
rest oI the community. Three or Iour storied houses without liIts are unIriendly
to older persons, tend to isolate them, restraints their movement outside the
home, and are a serious barrier to access to services. PreIerences will be given
to older persons in the allotment oI Ilats on the ground Iloor.

Group housing oI older persons comprising Ilatlets with common service
Iacilities Ior meals, laundry, common room and rest rooms will be encouraged.
These would have easy access to community services, medicare, parks,
recreation and cultural centres. Education, training and orientation oI town
planners, architects and housing administrators will include modules on needs
oI older persons Ior saIe and comIortable living.

Older persons and their Iamilies will be provided access to inIormation on
prevention oI accidents and on measures which enhance saIety, taking
cognizance oI reduced physical capacity and inIirmities. Noise and other Iorms
oI pollution aIIect children, the sick and older persons more adversely. Norms
will be laid down and strictly enIorced.

Civic authorities and bodies providing public utilities will be required to give
top priority to attending complaints oI older persons. Payment oI civic dues will
be Iacilitated. Older persons will be given special consideration in promptly
dealing with matters relating to transIer oI property, mutation, property tax and
other matters. Harassment and abuses in such cases will be checked.

Education

Education, training and inIormation needs oI older persons will be met. These
have received virtually no attention in the past. InIormation and educational
material specially relevant to the lives oI older people will be developed and
widely disseminated using mass media and non-Iormal communication
channels.

Discriminations, iI any, against older persons Ior availing opportunities Ior
education, training and orientation will be removed. Continuing education
programmes will be encouraged and supported. These would cover a wide
spectrum ranging Irom career development to creative use oI leisure,
appreciation oI art, culture and social heritage and imparting skills in
community work and welIare activities. Assistance oI open universities will be
sought to develop packages using distance learning techniques. Access oI older
persons to libraries oI universities, research institutions and cultural centres will
be Iacilitated.

Educational curriculum at all stages oI Iormal education as also non-Iormal
education programmes will incorporate material to strengthen intergenerational
bonds and mutually supporting relationships. Interactions with educational
institutions will be Iacilitated whereby older persons with proIessional

qualiIications and knowledge in science, arts, environment, socio-cultural

heritage, sports and other areas could interact with children and young persons.
Schools will be encouraged and assisted to develop out-reach programmes Ior
interacting with older persons on a regular basis, participate in the running oI
senior citizens centres and develop activities in them. Individuals oI all ages,
Iamilies and communities will be provided with inIormation about the ageing
process and the changing roles, responsibilities and relationships at diIIerent
stages oI the liIe cycle. The contributions oI older persons inside the household
and outside will be highlighted through the media and other Iorums and
negative images, myths and stereotypes dispelled.

elfare

The main thrust oI welIare will be to identiIy the more vulnerable among the
older persons such as the poor, the disabled, the inIirm, the chronically sick and
those without Iamily support, and provide welIare services to them on a priority
basis. The policy will be to consider institutional care as the last resort when
personal circumstances are such that stay in old age homes becomes absolutely
necessary.

Non-institutional services by voluntary organizations will be promoted and
assisted to strengthen the coping capacity oI older persons and their Iamilies.
This has become necessary since Iamilies, as they become smaller and women
work outside the home, have to cope with scarcity oI Iull time care givers.
Support services will provide some relieI through sharing oI the Iamily`s caring
responsibilities.

Assistance will be provided to voluntary organizations by way oI grants-in-aid
Ior construction and maintenance oI old age homes. Those Ior the poor will be

heavily subsidized. It is important that such institutions become lively places oI

stay and provide opportunities to residents to interact with the outside world.
Non-governmental organizations will be encouraged to seek proIessional
expertise in the designing oI old age homes, keeping in view needs oI group
living at this stage oI the liIe cycle and the class oI clients they serve. Minimum
standards oI services in such homes will be developed and Iacilities provided
Ior training and orientation oI persons employed in these homes.

Voluntary organizations will be encouraged and assisted to organize services
such as day care, multi-service citizen`s centres, reach-out services, supply oI
disability related aids and appliances, assistance to old persons to learn to use
them, short term stay services and Iriendly home visits by social workers. For
old couples or persons living on their own, helpline, telephone assurance
services, help in maintaining contacts with Iriends, relatives and neighbours and
escorting older persons to hospitals, shopping complexes and other places will
be promoted Ior which assistance will be given to voluntary organizations.
Older persons will be encouraged to Iorm inIormal groups oI their own in the
neighbourhood which satisIy the needs Ior social interaction, recreation and
other activities. For a group oI neighbourhoods/villages, the Iormation oI senior
citizen`s Iorums will be encouraged.

A WelIare Fund Ior older persons will be set up. It will obtain Iunding support
Irom government, corporate sector, trusts, charities, individual donors and
others. Contributions to the Fund will be given tax relieI. States will be
expected to establish similar Funds. The need Ior plurality oI arrangements Ior
welIare services is recognised. Government, voluntary organizations and private
sector agencies all have a place, the latter catering to those who have the means
and desire better standards oI care.

Protection of Life and Property

Old persons have become soIt targets Ior criminal elements. They also become
victims oI Iraudulent dealings and oI physical and emotional abuse within the
household by Iamily members to Iorce them to part with their ownership rights.
Widow`s rights oI inheritance, occupancy and disposal are at times violated by
their own children and relatives. It is important that protection is available to
older persons. The introduction oI special provisions in IPC to protect older
persons Irom domestic violence will be considered and machinery provided to
attend all such cases promptly. Tenancy legislation will be reviewed so that the
rights oI occupancy oI older persons are restored speedily. Voluntary
organizations and associations oI older persons will be assisted to provide
protective services and help to senior citizens through helpline services, legal
aid and other measures.

Police will be directed to keep a Iriendly vigil on older couples or old single
persons living alone and promote mechanisms oI interaction with
neighbourhood associations. InIormation and advice will be made available to
older persons on the importance oI keeping contacts on phone with relatives,
Iriends and neighbours and on precautions to be taken on matters such as
prevention oI unauthorized entry, hiring oI domestic help, visits oI repair and
maintenance persons, vendors and others, and the handling oI cash and
valuables.

Other Areas of Action

There are various other areas which would need aIIirmative action oI the State
to ensure that policies and programmes reIlect sensitivity to older persons.
Among these are issue oI identity cards by the administration; Iare concessions
in all modes oI travel; preIerence in reservation oI seats and earmarking oI seats
in local public transport; modiIications in designs oI public transport vehicles
Ior easy entry and exit; strict enIorcement oI traIIic discipline at zebra crossings
to Iacilitate older persons to cross streets; priority in gas and telephone
connections and in Iault repairs; removal oI physical barriers to Iacilitate easy
movement, concessions in entrance Iees in leisure and entertainment Iacilities:
art and cultural centres and places oI tourist interest. Speedy disposal oI
complaints oI older persons relating to Iraudulent dealings, cheating and other
matters will go a long way in providing relieI to them. Machinery Ior achieving
this objective will be put in place.

Issues pertaining to older persons will be highlighted every year on the National
Older Person`s Day. The year 2000 will be declared as the National Year Ior
Older Persons. Activities during the year will be planned and executed with the
participation oI diIIerent organizations. Facilities, concessions and relieIs given
to older persons by the Central and State governments and the agencies will be
complied, updated at regular intervals and made available to associations oI
older persons Ior wide dissemination.

Non-Governmental Organisations

The State alone cannot provide all the services needed by older persons. Private
sector agencies cater to a rather small paying segment oI the population. The
National Policy recognizes the NGO sector as a very important institutional
mechanism to provide user Iriendly aIIordable services to complement the
endeavours oI the State in this direction. Voluntary eIIort will be promoted and
supported in a big way and eIIorts made to remedy the current uneven spread
both within a state and between states. There will be continuous dialogue and
communication with NGOs on ageing issues and on services to be provided.
Networking, exchange oI inIormation and interactions among NGOs will be
Iacilitated. Opportunities will be provided Ior orientation and training oI
manpower. Transparency, accountability, simpliIication oI procedures and
timely release oI grants to voluntary organizations will ensure better services.
The grant-in-aid policy will provide incentives to encourage organization to
raise their own resources and not become dependent only on government
Iunding Ior providing services on a sustainable basis. Trusts, charities, religious
and other endowments will be encouraged to expand their areas oI concern to
provide services to the elderly by involving them on ageing issues.

Older persons will be encouraged to organize themselves to provide services to
Iellow senior citizens thereby making use oI their proIessional knowledge,
expertise and contacts. Initiatives taken by them in advocacy, mobilization oI
public opinion, raising oI resources and community work will be supported.
Support will be provided Ior setting up volunteer programmes which will
mobilize the participation oI older persons and others in community aIIairs,
interact with the elders and help them with their problems. Volunteers will be
provided opportunities Ior training and orientation on handling problems oI the
elderly and kept abreast oI developments in the Iield to promote active ageing.

Volunteers will be encouraged to assist the home bound elderly, particularly

Irail and elderly women and help them to overcome loneliness.

Trade unions, employers organizations and proIessional bodies will be
approached to organize sensitivity programmes Ior their members on ageing
issues, and promote and organize services Ior superannuated workers.

Realising the Potential

The National Policy recognizes that 60 phase oI liIe is a huge untapped
resource. Facilities will be made available so that this potential is realized and
individuals are enabled to make the appropriate choices. Older persons,
particularly women, perIorm useIul but unsung roles in the household. EIIorts
will be made to make Iamily members appreciate and respect the contribution oI
older persons in the running oI the household specially when women, too, are
working outside the home. Special programmes will be designed and
disseminated through the media targeted at older persons so that they can enrich
and update their knowledge, integrate tradition with contemporary needs and
transmit more eIIectively socio-cultural heritage to the grandchildren.

Family

Family is the most cherished social institution in India and the most vital non-
Iormal social security Ior the old. Most older persons stay with one or more oI
their children, particularly when independent living is no longer Ieasible. It is
Ior them the most preIerred living arrangement and also the most emotionally
satisIying. It is important that the Iamilial support system continues to be

Iunctional and the ability oI the Iamily to discharge its caring responsibilities is
strengthened through support services.

Programmes will be developed to promote Iamily values, sensitise the young on
the necessity and desirability oI inter-generational bonding and continuity and
the desirability oI meeting Iilial obligations. Values oI caring and sharing need
to be reinIorced. Society will need to be sensitized to accept the role oI married
daughters in sharing the responsibility oI supporting older parents in the light oI
changing context where parents have only one or two children, in some
situations only daughter. This would require some adjustment and changes in
perceptions oI in-laws in regard to sharing oI caring responsibilities by sons and
daughters as a corollary to equal rights oI inheritance and the greater emotional
attachment that daughters have with their parents.

State policies will encourage children to co-reside with their parents by
providing tax relieI, allowing rebates Ior medical expenses and giving
preIerence in the allotment oI houses, persons will be encouraged to go in Ior
long term savings instruments and health insurance during their earning days so
that Iinancial load on Iamilies can be eased. NGOs will be encouraged and
assisted to provide services which reach out to older persons in the home or in
the community. Short term stay-in Iacilities Ior older persons will be supported
so that Iamilies can get some relieI when they go out. Counselling services will
be strengthened to resolve inter-Iamilial stresses.

Research

The importance oI a good data base on older persons is recognised. Research
activity on ageing will require to be strengthened. Universities, medical colleges
and research institutions will be assisted to set up centres Ior gerontological
studies and geriatrics. Corporate bodies, Banks, Trusts and Endowments will be
requested to institute Chairs in Universities and medical colleges in gerontology
and geriatrics. Funding support will be provided to academic bodies Ior research
projects on ageing. Superannuated scientists will be assisted so that their
proIessional knowledge can be utilized. An interdisciplinary coordinating body
on research will be set up. Data collecting agencies will be requested to have a
separate age category 60 years and above. ProIessional associations oI
gerontologists will be assisted to strengthen research activity, disseminate
research Iindings and provide a platIorm Ior dialogue, discussion, debate and
exchange oI inIormation.

The necessity oI a national institute oI research, training and documentation is
recognised. Assistance will be given Ior setting up resource centres in diIIerent
parts oI the country.

Training of anpower

The policy recognizes the importance oI trained manpower. Medical colleges
will be assisted to oIIer specialization in geriatrics. Training institutions Ior
nurses and Ior the paramedical personnel need to introduce speciIic courses on
geriatric care in their educational and training curriculum. Inservice training
centres will be strengthened to take up orientation courses on geriatric care.
Assistance will be provided Ior development oI curriculum and course material.

Schools oI Social Work and University Departments need to give more

attention in their organization oI services Ior them. Facilities will be provided
and assistance given Ior training and orientation oI personnel oI non-
governmental organizations providing services to older persons. Exchange oI
training personnel will be Iacilitated.

Assistance will be given Ior development and organization oI sensitization
programmes on ageing Ior legislative, judicial and executive wings at diIIerent
levels.

edia

The National Policy recognizes that media have a very important role to play in
highlighting the changing situation oI older persons and in identiIying emerging
issues and areas oI action. Creative use oI media can promote the concept oI
active ageing and help dispel stereotypes and negative images about this stage
oI the liIe cycle. Media can also help to strengthen inter-generation bonds and
provide individuals, Iamilies and groups with inIormation and educational
material which will give better understanding oI the ageing process and oI ways
to handle problems as they arise.

The Policy aims to involve mass media as well as inIormal and traditional
communication channels on ageing issues. It will be necessary to provide
opportunities to media personnel to have access to inIormation apart Irom their
own independent sources oI inIormation and reporting oI Iield situations. Their
participation in orientation programmes on ageing will be Iacilitated.
Opportunities will be extended Ior greater interaction between media personnel
and persons active in the Iield oI ageing.

Implementation

The National Policy on Older Persons will be very widely disseminated Ior
which an action plan will be prepared so that its Ieatures remain in constant
public Iocus. The Policy will make a change in the lives oI senior citizens only
iI it is implemented. While the government and its principal organs have some
basic responsibilities in the matter, other institutions as well as individuals will
need to consider how they can play their respective roles Ior the well-being oI
older persons. Collaborative action will go a long way in achieving a more
humane society which gives older persons their legitimate place. Apex level
organisations oI older persons have special responsibilities in this regard so that
they can Iunction as a watchdog, energise continuing action, mobilize public
opinion and generate pressure Ior implementation oI the Policy.

The Ministry oI Social Justice and Empowerment will be the nodal Ministry to
coordinate all matters relating to the implementation oI the Policy. A separate
bureau oI older persons will be set up. An Inter-Ministerial Committee will
coordinate matters relating to implementation oI the National Policy and
monitor its progress. States will be encouraged to set up separate Directorates oI
Older Persons and set up machinery Ior coordination and monitoring. Five year
and Annual Action Plans will be prepared by each Ministry to implement
aspects which concern them. These will indicate steps to be taken to ensure Ilow
oI beneIits to older persons Irom general programmes and Irom schemes
specially Iormulated Ior their well-being. Targets will be set within the
Iramework oI a time schedule. Responsibility Ior implementation oI action
points will be speciIied. The Planning Commission and the Finance Ministry
will Iacilitate budgetary provisions required Ior implementation. The Annual
Report oI each Ministry will indicate progress achieved during the year.

Every three years a detailed review will be prepared by the nodal Ministry on
the implementation oI the National Policy. There will be non-oIIicial
participation in the preparation oI the document. The review will be a public
document. It will be discussed in a National Convention. State Governments
and Union Territory Administrations will be urged to take similar action. An
autonomous National Council Ior Older Persons headed by the Minister Ior
Social Justice and Empowerment will be set up to promote and co-ordinate the
concerns oI older persons. The Council will include representatives oI relevant
Central Ministries and the Planning Commission. Five States will be
represented on the Council by rotation. Adequate representation will be given to
non-oIIicial members representing Non-Government Organisations, Academic
Bodies, Media and Experts on Ageing issues Irom diIIerent Iields. An
autonomous registered National Association oI Older Persons (NAOPS) will be
established to mobilize senior citizens, articulate their interests, promote and
undertake programmes and activities Ior their well being and to advise the
Government on all matters relating to the Older Persons. The Association will
have National, State and District level oIIices and will choose its own bearers.
The Government will provide Iinancial support to establish the National and
State level oIIices while the District level oIIices will be established by the
Association Irom its own resources which may be raised through Membership,
subscriptions, donations and other admissible means. The Government will also
provide Iinancial assistance to the National and State level oIIices to cover both
recurring as well as non-recurring administrative costs Ior a period oI 15 years
and thereaIter the Association is to be expected to be Iinancially selI-suIIicient.
Panchayati Raj institutions will be encouraged to participate in the
implementation oI the National Policy, address local level issues and needs oI
the ageing and implement programmes Ior them. They will provide Forums Ior
discussing concerns oI older persons and activities that need to be taken. Such
Iorums will be encouraged at Panchayat, block and district level. They will have

adequate representation oI older women. Panchayats will mobilize the talents

and skills oI older persons and draw up plans Ior utilizing these at the local
level. Amongst others, the help oI the Social Justice Committees oI the village
panchayats will be taken to advocate diIIerent measures Ior giving eIIect to the
Policy.

In order to ensure eIIective implementation oI the policy at diIIerent levels,
Irom time to time the help oI experts oI public administrations shall be taken to
prepare the details oI the organizational set up Ior the implementation,
coordination and monitoring oI the Policy.

AVAILABLE SUPPORT SERVICES

National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

The National Social Assistance Programme came into eIIect Irom 15th August,
1995. NSAP is a social assistance programme Ior the poor households and
represents a signiIicant step towards the IulIillment oI the Directive Principles
enshrined in Article 41 and 42 oI the Constitution oI India, recognizing
concurrent responsibility oI the Central and State Governments in the matter.

The National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS)

The Scheme covers older persons/destitutes having little or no regular means oI
subsistence Irom his/her own source oI income or through Iinancial support
Irom Iamily members or other sources. The age oI applicant must be 65 years or
above. At present 50 oI the older persons under Below Poverty Line (BPL)
destitutes are covered under NOAPS. The Central Government contributes

Rs.200/- per month per beneIiciary. The State (Provincial) Governments are
advised to add matching amount or more as their contribution in the Iederal set-
up. During the Tenth Five Year Plan (2002 07) a total oI 110,793,860 elderly
were covered and US $ 1002.20 million approximately was incurred on this
count.

Annapurna Scheme

Annapurna Scheme covers all the other elderly below poverty line who are not
covered under the NOAPS. A provision oI 10 k.gs. oI rice or wheat is provided
to the needy elderly. Under the scheme US $ 56 million was incurred and
43,03,491 elderly were covered in tenth plan (2002-07)

Concessions/Tax Rebate/Other Incentives

Presently persons oI 60 years oI age are entitled Ior 30 concessions in train
Iare in all classes. There are diIIerent airlines providing 45 to 50 concession
in air journey to senior citizens.

Older persons who are above 65 years oI age also enjoy income tax rebate upto
15,000 oI actual tax with provision Ior deduction oI Rs.20,000 spent on account
oI medical insurance premium and Rs.40,000 spent on account oI medical
treatment Irom taxable income. Senior citizens are exempted Irom Income Tax
upto 1.95 lakh as per the union Annual Budget, 2007.

Banks are providing 0.5 -1 additional interest to older persons oI 65 years
and above on Iixed deposit. The public Iacilities Ior the elderly are initiated by

the Government which include reservation oI seats Ior elderly in the public
transport, railways and airways etc.

Insurance Coverage

Some oI the public sector insurance companies provide liIe insurance coverage
upto 75 years oI age and many private insurance companies have 55 years as the
last entry age. The Insurance Policy Schemes announced Ior older persons
include Jeevan Dhara (18-65 years), Jeevan Akshay (30-75 years), Jeevan
Suraksha (25-60 years), Senior Citizen Unit Plan (18-54 years). In addition,
Health Insurance Schemes covering Mediclaim Policy and other individual and
Group Mediclaim Policies are also oIIered by Nationalized as well as
private insurance companies. The government is taking steps to enIorce a
uniIorm policy on all Insurance Companies as regards entry age oI Senior
Citizens.

The government has launched a Reverse Mortgage System Ior senior citizens to
extract value out oI their property and lead a hassle Iree liIe by securing a
regular income as loan against their existing property.

Integrated Programmes for Older Persons

Ministry oI Social Justice & Empowerment, Government oI India is
implementing an Integrated Programme Ior Older Persons with an aim to
empower and improve the quality oI liIe oI older persons. The basic thrust oI
the programme is on older persons oI 60 years and above particularly the inIirm,
destitute and widows. Under the scheme, Iinancial assistance is provided to

Non-Governmental Organizations, Autonomous Bodies, Educational

Institutions, Cooperative Societies, etc., up to 90 per cent oI the project cost
Ior setting up and maintenance oI Day Care Centres, Mobile Medi-care Units,
Old Age Homes and Non-Institutional Service Centres. During the Tenth Five
Year plan, Ministry provided Iinancial assistance to voluntary organizations to
the tune oI US $ 18.6 million.

Construction of Old Age Homes

The scheme Ior Assistance to construction oI Old Age Homes provides one time
grant to Local Bodies, NGOs etc. Ior construction oI Old Age Homes or Multi-
Service Centres Ior older persons. The Ministry also incurred an expenditure oI
US $ 70,000 Ior construction oI Old Age Homes during Tenth FiveYear Plan.

Health Security

Growing old is also marked by Iailing health and advancing age may bring with
it enumberable health complications. Restricted physical mobility coupled with
crippled health makes it diIIicult Ior older persons to access the health Iacilities
iI they do not enjoy the support oI the Iamily or have a care institution within
their easy access. Realizing the real situation wherein the older persons live,
Para 36 oI the National Policy envisages covering oI health insurance and
Iinancial security towards essential medical care and aIIordable treatment
process.

Some oI the initiatives by the Government is enabling a separate
counters/O.P.D. in hospitals and Iree medical services in Central Government

Health Scheme, Government Hospitals to Iacilitate easy accessibility to the

elderly including Geriatric Units in the Hospitals.

Care of Alzheimer`s Disease and other Dementias

Dementia due to Alzheimer`s disease and other causes is one oI the most
serious degenerative diseases that aIIects the older persons. The loss oI memory
with advancing age is a common phenomenon. However, dementia, which is a
progressive disease oI the brain, aIIects memory, personality and intellect. OI
all the dementia, Alzheimer`s disease is the commonest and the severest.

Many oI the Government and public hospitals have started Memory Clinics,
Mental Health Programmes to Iacilitate proper diagnosis oI Dementia to enable
slowing down the process and preparing the care-givers and the Iamily to
manage Alzheimer`s and Dementia Care . The National Institute oI Social
DeIence under the Ministry oI Social Justice & Empowerment has initiated
training oI care-givers and Iunctionaries as a special initiative on the centenary
oI Alzheimer`s .

PROTECTION OF LIFE AND PROPERTY

A Legislation On The Anvil

The older persons become soIt target Ior miscreants within and outside Iamily.
Disputes relating to maintenance and property and inheritance adds to their
vulnerability. It is, thereIore, necessary to ensure the saIety and well-being oI
Older Persons through creation oI necessary inIrastructure and legal provisions.

It is Ielt that it is high time to back the moral obligation oI children to look aIter
their parents in their old age by a legal obligation. India is moving ahead to
saIeguard and protect the Best Interest oI Older Persons through Central
Legislation, which is on the anvil, by

Ensuring Care and Protection oI Older Persons within the Iamily
Ensuring early settlement oI maintenance claim through a Tribunal
Prevention oI destitution by enough Institutional Iacilities
Provision Ior Old Age Homes covering all the districts to ensure that Iacility to
accommodate 150 needy elderly in each oI them.

Helpline Services for Older Persons

The State Governments. and OIIice oI the Commissioner oI Police in
collaboration with NGOs have initiated special protective measures Ior
saIeguarding the elderly and one such innovative approach is 'Helpline
Services in some big cities.

Training & Human Resource Development for Home Care

In the changing Iamily context, role oI proIessionally trained home carers
become very crucial.

ThereIore, preparing a Irontline cadre oI care givers to ensure quality care at
home as well as in the institutions is one oI the important strategies. In the wake
oI disintegration oI Joint Family System, it is ensured that proIessionally trained
carers are available to meet the demand. In order to meet this objective,
Ministry oI Social Justice & Empowerment launched the Project NICE`

(National Initiative on Care Ior Elderly) through National Institute oI Social

DeIence (NISD) an autonomous body oI the Ministry oI Social Justice &
Empowerment in 2000. The NISD organizes one year P.G. Diploma Course and
Six Month CertiIicate Courses under Project NICE to meet the demand Ior care
givers. In addition, Short Terms Courses varying Irom 5 days to One Month are
also organized Ior skill upgradation oI Service Providers working in Old Age
Homes, etc. In the X Five year plan, NISD as so Iar organised 85 training
programme and 2535 care givers and service providers were trained

INNOVATIVE INITIATIVES OF NISD IN THE CHANGING
CONTEXT

Community Training in Computer for Elderly

'There is a foundational connection between information and social obligation,
since the moral and of course the political need to pay attention to others
depends greatly on our knowledge and information about them.. More
information in itself goes a long way to breaking that chain of apathy and
indifference.` - Amartya Sen, Nobel Laureate

To Ioster active and productive ageing NISD has initiated a novel programme
Ior the older people. It aims at imparting computer training to the elderly
people. The success oI a Iew trainings conducted earlier had leIt no doubt that
older people not only love to learn at the ripe age` but beneIit Irom it. This
programme is launched with a view to help Older Persons dispel their
inhibitions to adopt to new technology and take advantage oI IT enabled
services like e-Ticketing, e-Banking, e-Business etc.

By demonstrating that elders can use computers comIortably. We are

countering the stereotypical mind-set and attitude on the one hand and instill
conIidence among elderly on the other. This is bound to go a long way in
bringing a neglected segment oI population in digital mainstream.

Single indow System

Facilities to disseminate inIormation on various
concessions/reservations/rebates provided to senior citizens by diIIerent
Ministries oI the Government oI India is placed on the website oI the Ministry
oI Social Justice & Empowerment. NISD has also taken such initiatives by
developing a User Friendly Document on Geriatric Care. Which is available on
www.nisd.gov.in The inIormation is also disseminated to the elderly through
Helpline Services. Some oI the NGOs such as Helpage India have also brought
out Senior Citizens Guide.

Voluntary Bureau of Elderly

Volunteers Bureau oI Elderly is a network oI elderly who could be available Ior
diIIerent kinds oI services on demand. The International Longevity Centre,
Pune an NGO working Ior welIare oI elderly has successIully used this concept
over the years Ior gainIul engagement oI elderly post-retirement. The NISD in
collaboration with them organized Workshops to showcase the successIul
models oI Government and NGO interventions including the volunteers Bureau
Ior winder replication and laying thrust on the concept oI volunteerism, inter-
generational bonding and successIul experiences sharing.

Inter-Generational Bonding

Bridging the intergenerational gap is another innovative project has been pilot
tested by the Ministry oI Social Justice & Empowerment The programme would
be carried out Ior school children by creating awareness and sensitizing them on
the issue.

Innovative public training

Creating broader awareness oI the issues, available services, rights and redressal
mechanisms are an important means to create an elderly Iriendly environment.
NISD has taken it up in a serious manner and had developed a number oI video
spots to be aired on popular TV channels. It has developed an innovative do-it-
yourselI` publicity material like an interesting cataract awareness wall
hanging. In addition, there are other useIul publications and exhibits giving
latest inIormation about schemes, concessions, rights and available services Ior
the elderly people.

INITIATIVES BY OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

There are a number oI specialized NGOs coming up to join hands with the
eIIorts oI the government towards creating an elderly Iriendly environment in
the country. The Senior Citizen Forums and WelIare Associations have been
Iormed by the elderly themselves in various localities in Delhi. Senior Citizens
Council, New Delhi has more than 500 members Irom all walks oI liIe. They
assemble at a Public Park everyday Ior an hour in the morning to attend
religious discourses. The other activities oI the Forum includes yoga, Iree health

checkup camps, special care oI senior citizens who were living alone Helpage
India is dedicated to the service oI elderly through various programmes. In
one oI the major initiatives in the State oI Gujarat it has got 63 SelI Help
Groups Iormed consisting oI an overall 1000 elderly women. Servants oI People
Society at Chandigarh, a national level NGO, is working Ior the cause oI elderly
and stresses upon the value systems oI our tradition.

The Hopes

The dream oI the people all over the world to live long lives is now becoming a
reality due to the socio-economic development oI people and advancement in
sciences, particularly medical sciences. In India about 7.5 oI the population is
above 60 years and the liIe expectancy is increasing gradually.

Old age was never a problem in India. Old age homes were alien in concept and
elder abuse was considered a Western problem. Not any more. As liIe
expectancy has increased Irom 41 years in 1951 to 64 years today, hundreds oI
old age homes have sprung up in India. Neglect oI parents has become a big
issue, so much so that the Indian government has passed "The maintenance and
welIare oI parents and senior citizens bill 2006", which makes it imperative Ior
adult children to look aIter their parents.

As oI 1998, there were 728 Old Age Homes in India. Detailed inIormation
about 547 oI these is available. Out oI these, 325 homes are Iree oI cost while
95 old age homes are on pay & stay basis, 116 homes have both Iree as well as
pay & stay Iacilities and 11 homes have no inIormation. A total oI 278 old age
homes all over the country are available Ior the sick and 101 homes are
exclusively Ior women. Kerala has 124 old age homes which is the maximum in
any state.

Healthy ageing is not only related to the advances in medical technology but
also to a wide range oI other Iactors like enabling the aged to lead a stimulating
liIe, being Iully involved in society and having meaningIul social relationships.
Today's "post-retirement complexes" have a whole range oI built-in Iacilities
like 24 hour medical service, a book-shop, bank and post oIIice Iacilities etc.
Some oI the high-end complexes also oIIer open theatres, trips to places oI
common interest etc Ior their inmates. But these are only Ior the elite section oI
the aged who have the resources to enjoy such Iacilities.

As the role oI Iamilies as a social saIety net Ior the elderly is Iast eroding, the
poor among the elderly have become the most vulnerable sections oI society in
India. The Indian government is waking up to meet this challenge head on. At
present over 500 NGOs are given grant-in-aid to provide services like old age
homes, day care centers, medical Iacilities etc. Ior the aged. The Delhi-based
International Federation on Aging has been campaigning Ior Iree health care Ior
senior citizens; decrease in the age limit Ior pension; a bigger, respectable living
allowance; change in the eligibility criteria so that even iI the combined Iamily
income is Rs.8,000 the senior citizen is entitled to pension, creation and
implementation oI a social security scheme and so on.

Old age homes are a necessity in the present day scenario as the younger
generation do not have the time or in many cases the resources to meet their
needs (like medical expenses, special Iood etc). But old age homes should be
considered only as a secondary option. Elders in the Iamily are deIinitely an
asset. It is they who can impart the much needed ethical values and code oI
conduct in the younger generation. Old age homes as an option should be
considered only Ior the betterment oI the senior citizens by way oI better
physical and mental status, greater possibility Ior social bonding etc. Under no

pretext should the aged be made to Ieel that they are a burden and hence turned
away. Builders can also consider allocating a Iew houses Ior the senior citizens
within an integrated township (at subsidized rates), so that the Ieeling oI
isolation goes away while proximity to dear ones is maintained.

An Aggressive Stance

HalI a century ago, old age homes were looked at with antagonism and
resentment. They were perceived to be a reIuge Ior those helpless elderly
victims who were "cast away" by brutally, ungrateIul children.

This idea is however changing rapidly. Today, a Iair number oI people opt to
move into a retirement retreat, where parents oI aIIluent children well settled
abroad, live in a home which provides vigilant security, prompt state-oI-art
medical Iacilities, clubhouses Ior entertainment, and most oI all an environment
where people understand each other, connect and relate with their
contemporaries and are well taken care oI.

Ten Facts of India`s Gray Revolution

Aging has become more burdensome in the post war consumer world.
Everything is calculated in terms oI business- 'what is the monetary beneIit Ior
me? Though due to progress in science, human age span has increased, aged
people Iind it more diIIicult to cope with the society. Or the growing
generations consider the aged people more troublesome.

In the most populated countries like India, aged people are Iinding it extremely
diIIicult to pull on their evening days! Yes, India is struggling in gray
revolution. Currently, India is entering the gray revolution, ranking second

among the countries population. Increasing number oI old age homes is the
proving evidence Ior this unhealthy trend oI changing culture!

hy old age homes are on the increase?

Ten Facts

1) Day by day the number oI old age homes in India is increasing. The changes
in the social and cultural liIe oI the present nucleus Iamilies have made the old
age people stand in the streets. They have no body to care Ior them.

2) Urbanization has Iorced both men and women seek jobs in distant places
leaving the aged elders behind. They preIer to send them to old age home rather
than keeping them in their houses. Private as well as government old age homes
are Iilled to their maximum. This shows clearly that old age homes have
become a necessity.

3) The survey studies oI 30 old age homes in Delhi and the National Capital
Region conducted last year revealed that Iamily problems had prompted 70 per
cent oI old age home residents to seek the reIuge oI such homes. More than ten
per cent oI the residents opted Ior these homes because their children live
abroad, another ten per cent did so because they had only daughters (social and
cultural customs did not allow them to live with their married daughters) and
yet another ten per cent had never married and, thereIore, had no children to live
with.

4) Living in old age homes is considered to be a curse. It is their Karma oI the
past that has made them to be separated Irom their children and live like exiled

people! Hence these old people preIer living in Iaraway homes unknown to their
relatives and they Iear that they may be recognized as thrown out people! Such
people even dare to end their liIe in some way!

5) Some seek old age homes because they Ieel that it gives old parents their
Ireedom. It hurts the old when the children do not listen to them or do not have
time to spend Ior them. Children want to be Iree Irom their old and the old do
not want to tax their children any more!

6) In this busy age there is no other reIuge Ior the widows and widowers to live
in, than these old age homes. Moreover, nowadays the number oI divorced and
single is on the increase and old age homes have become a necessity Ior these
people, especially Ior women.

7) Civilizations are changing and people live longer and have Iewer children
transIorming the Iamily structures. This has very important implications in
terms oI providing care to older people. As a result oI this Iamily structure trend
and the global trend toward having Iewer children, people will have less
Iamilial care and support as they age. Old age homes have become a necessity
oI change!

8) Although health conditions oI the modern world have improved with
advanced medical knowledge, reports say that in the next 10 to 15 years, the
loss oI health and liIe in every region oI the world, including AIrica, will be
greater Irom non communicable or chronic diseases, such as heart disease,
cancer, and diabetes, than Irom inIectious and parasitic diseases. This represents
a shiIt in disease epidemiology that has become the Iocus oI increasing attention
in light oI global aging. Children do not have time or patience to take care oI
these sick. This is another danger signal Ior the old age people oI the Iuture!

9) Formerly caring the old was considered a Dharma or an act oI charity. Aged
people had to rely on their wards completely. But now the trend has changed.
Pension schemes and retirement income assured by the governments are
changing the attitudes oI both elders and their next children. Even old people
want to stand on their own and live independently.

10) Globalization has brought new economic challenges. Only productive
population is expected to live, whereas non productive population is considered
as a waste to be eliminated in some way. People look to governments to take
care oI these than sharing the responsibility themselves.

In the Vedic times, human liIe oI a hundred years was divided into Iour
segments or ashrams. A seven year old was supposed to live in Brahmacharya -
ashram / gurukul or a present day distant equivalent oI a boarding school till his
twenties. The second quarter oI his liIe was to be spent as a householder or a
Grhasthya. In the third quarter, he was to retire Irom routine household
activities and set out into the Iorests, which was called Vanaprastha - ashram.
This was the stage where contemporaries lived together, in probably what could
be called a rough equivalent oI a "retirement retreat". The last quarter oI his liIe
was to be spent in his search Ior God and to be lived in "Sannyas" in complete
renunciation.

We don't live a hundred years today, but the rationale oI retiring Irom hectic,
routine liIe and moving into an area where one could Iinally, lead a healthy,
peaceIul liIe, and leisurely enjoy all that one has worked and earned Ior in his
youth, is not a modern-day idea, but one borrowed Irom our roots in the Vedas.

Conclusion and Suggestions

In the consumer world oI today, aIIection is actually dying. Families are

shattering. Human values and responsibilities are neglected. Seeking pleasure
and careIree liIe at any cost is the growing trend oI modern liIe. The increasing
number oI old age homes reveals clearly the death oI human heart.

Vicissitudes oI liIe have contributed to the misery oI elders with none to depend
on, no means oI income, no emotional security making them destitute with a
question, about how to carry on with their lives. The growing intolerance among
youth, coupled with their inability to adjust with the elderly, is just one oI the
prime reasons Ior the rise in the number oI old age homes in India.

The Iading joint Iamily system in India and other innumerable Iactors have
given rise to west-inspired phenomena oI old age homes. Surprising cost oI
living and scanty return on savings have almost pushed these senior citizens on
roads. Such an act has triggered the security net oI the helpless, which has
almost vanished in many states in India with Kerala topping the list.

They have started walking out oI their own home in search oI a journey that
promises peace, joy and celebration oI liIe with a group oI people who share the
same boat oI liIe (the wrecked one). However not may rather none oI them
receive it. Young people with vigor and strength Iorget that its not too late Ior
them to be in the same shoes. Its just one liIe that we all have,why can't we be a
support to the needy who is not a stranger? Why cant we build a world oI love
that shelters all, irrespective oI age? Why can't liIe just begin aIter retirement,
than end?

II we respect the one who has moulded you into a Iine being, we should then
just hold their hand and lead them straight into your home. They don't need your
money or luxury, they just need a shoulder to lean. Help them lead the last Iew
days oI their liIe that doesn't trigger loneliness.

-----------------------------------

Bibliography

Books Reffered
Old Age Homes In India Nirupama Narayanan
Ageing and India K.C.Karthik

Newspapers Referred
The Andhra Times
The Hindu
Deccan Chronicle

ebsites Referred
www.legalserviceindia.com
www.growingindia.com
www.childIuture.in