Old Age and its related problems

Today’s the youth generation well modernised have lost their sensitivity, respect & mutual love towards their parents and sympathy towards the helpless and handicapped senior citizens who are actually in need of physical, financial or sincere love. The emergence of “new generations” on a new scale — large numbers of young being prepared to enter into a rapidly changing social world and growing numbers of women and men reaching older ages — is a special distinguishing feature of this time. These new generations are linked by more than a coincidence of time. To a large extent the prospects of both groups depend on the strength, adaptability and foresight of families. Around the world, family support networks are in decline and the proportion of single-parent-headed households is growing & it often leads to young people being separated from their grandparents, who previously played a special role in the traditional education and socialization of the young. Thousands of elderly people are being abused and neglected in their homes by their family members and society. In some cases the treatment is so appalling that the pensioners have left ‘wanted to die’. It comes after studies exposing the shocking standard of care for old people in hospitals and care homes across the globe.

The elderly are neglected and “forgotten” by society because people don’t want to be reminded of their own mortality. Most people in this stage of life with depression have been experiencing episodes of the illness during much of their lives. As the twenty first century arrives, the growing security of older persons in India is very visible. With more older people living longer, the households are getting smaller and congested, causing stress in joint and extended families. Even where they are co residing marginalization, isolation and insecurity is felt among the older persons due to the generation gap and change in lifestyles. Increase in lifespan also results in chronic functional disabilities creating a need for assistance required by the older person to manage chores as simple as the activities of daily living. With the traditional system of the lady of the house looking after the older family members at home is slowly getting changed as the women at home are also participating in activities outside home and have their own career ambitions. There is growing realisation among older persons that they are more often than not being perceived by their children as a burden.

Findings:

During the introduction, in the focus groups with the older persons, care was taken about avoiding the word “Abuse”.

Main problems as faced by elderly men and women

MALES

Discussions with male groups indicated that the middle income group listed “economic ” problems on priority. The second male group from the upper middle class prioritised “mental health problems ” focusing more on lack of work, lack of facilities for utilisation of leisure time and a general feeling of loneliness “talking to walls “. The problem here did not seem to be lack of money but lack of time by the “others ” for the older persons Second to economic problem came “lack of emotional support ” from family members and both the groups felt that they felt a need to talk to their family who did not seem to have time for them The Words were many – ranging from “neglect ” from family, “experience of loneliness in everything “, “a sense of insecurity ” and feeling of “burden “, and “Old Age itself was a disease ” A glaring problem faced by the males group was older couple being asked to live separately when they had more than one child i.e. the older woman to stay with one child and the man to stay with another – according to the convenience of their support in whatever housework /outside work they could contribute to Health problems however took a back seat coming in at the third position and linked with lack of mobility and economic problems Lack of accommodation was also a “problem ” identified by the older persons who had houses of their own and were not staying in apartments, where there is only a specified area.

FEMALES

Economic Hardships became very prominent in the women of the lower socioeconomic group while the higher socio economic category put loneliness as the primary problem affecting the older persons today. The lower socio economic group felt that if the woman has money, she had power or else she had to be dependent on children for financial support and also “illtreatment “, humiliation and complete neglect from family members. This mental agony also led to various mental health problems some of which could not even be described.

MIXED

Health problems surfaced as being the most common problems faced by the older persons in the mixed group both in the lower and upper middle strata of society followed by financial problems. The views were similar in both the focus groups. They stressed on the physical disabilities and problems of mobility, as well as problems of living alone with disabilities. In the lower group, the problem of women surfaced as the next major issue.

Where in there was a general consensus was women were the worst sufferers with no income of their own and dependent on spouses for everything. They also tended to underplay their health problems for the sole reason of causing inconvenience to the other family members by way of escorting them to the doctor and/or spending money by way of consultation fee and medicines. They further voiced that if the women were widows, the situation was even worse because the finances then came from children for their welfare and it was the sole discretion of children to “decide whether she needed medical assistance or not ” even if she said she did. This problem however did not get priority in the upper middle level group. While the lower income group faced a very obvious problem of lack of space within the existing housing structure, causing the older persons to be moving to smaller rooms, or open spaces covered now for the sake of the “elderly “, the upper middle group complained of lack of adjustment from the younger generation causing a great deal of turmoil among the older generation. They felt neglected by the family members and also felt a sense of resentment against their own children at times.

National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse is an association of researchers, practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to protecting the safety, security, and dignity of America’s most vulnerable citizens. It was established in 1988 to achieve a clearer understanding of abuse and provide direction and leadership to prevent it.

The Center for Elders and the Courts serves as a national resource center dedicated to serving courts throughout the United States on issues related to aging, probate, and elder abuse. The Center for Elders and the Courts provides information on current legislation on elder abuse in each state throughout the United States.

Fundamental rights is a charter of rights contained in the Constitution of India. It guarantees civil liberties such that all Indians can lead their lives in peace and harmony as citizens of India. These include individual rights common to most liberal democracies, such as equality before law, freedom of speech and expression, and peaceful assembly, freedom to practice religion, and the right to constitutional remedies for the protection of civil rights by means of writs such as habeas corpus. Violation of these rights result in punishments as prescribed in the Indian Penal Code or other special laws, subject to discretion of the judiciary. The Fundamental Rights are defined as basic human freedoms which every Indian citizen has the right to enjoy for a proper and harmonious development of personality. These rights universally apply to all citizens, irrespective of race, place of birth, religion, caste or gender.

The six fundamental rights recognised by the Indian constitution are as follows:

1. Right to equality, including equality before law, prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, gender or place of birth, and equality of opportunity in matters of employment, abolition of untouchability and abolition of titles.
2. Right to freedom which includes speech and expression, assembly, association or union or cooperatives, movement, residence, and right to practice any profession or occupation (some of these rights are subject to security of the State, friendly relations with foreign countries, public order, decency or morality), right to life and liberty, right to education, protection in respect to conviction in offences and protection against arrest and detention in certain cases.
3. Right against exploitation, prohibiting all forms of forced labour, child labour and traffic in human beings;
4. Right to freedom of religion, including freedom of conscience and free profession, practice, and propagation of religion, freedom to manage religious affairs, freedom from certain taxes and freedom from religious instructions in certain educational institutes.
5. Cultural and Educational rights preserving Right of any section of citizens to conserve their culture, language or script, and right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice.
6. Right to constitutional remedies for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.

Right to property was originally a fundamental right, but under 44th Amendment Act, right to property ceased to be a Fundamental right. Instead the right to property is mentioned under 300A of Indian Constitution, stating that no person can be deprived of his property save by law.

Fundamental rights for Indians have also been aimed at overturning the inequalities of pre-independence social practices. Specifically, they have also been used to abolish untouchability and thus prohibit discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth.

Perceptions of the contexts in which elder abuse occurs, and its perceived causes.

Virtually the entire community in all the focus groups believed that lack of value system and negative attitude of the younger generation was the most obvious cause of “maltreatment ” in the present day scenario.

Lack of adequate housing leading to a lack of physical and emotional space or basic necessities, that make the older parent shift to one corner of the house was also perceived as another major cause.

Dependence of the older parent due to extreme physical and mental impairments, requiring a constant support of a caregiver. The “burden ” was perceived both in the capacity of time and money. Caregers became non caring or not caring enough for the older parents and subjecting them to neglect Lack of adjustment from the side of older persons. This point was emphasised by majority of groups pointing to the fact the growing realisation that, to survive, they shall have to adjust with the younger generation. Those old citizens feel no place in the world remains alone. At this stage we extend our hands of moral sympathy & harmony towards them improving their dignity amongst all. To make best efforts to provide security, shelter, respect, employment & other required/necessary facilities to make them independent. To help them in the pre-retirement stage to prepare them for the life-after retirement from service. To create a forum for the Senior Citizens where they can exchange their various views & experiences. To take care of their health & to supply the medical needs like medicines, treatments whenever needed. To open/establish old age homes, dharamsalas, health care centres, hospitals, libraries, reading rooms etc for the old age people/senior citizen.