Dear Editor,
In foreign countries, the condition of the elderly is even worse. But in the context of India, this situation is more worrying because in Indian society, importance has always been given to the joint family, where the place of the elderly has been paramount. In today’s changing era, in the desire of small and nuclear family, the concept of joint family is getting destroyed, due to which people are getting away from their elders, while children also love grandparents, maternal grandparents deprived of are happening. A nation-wide survey was conducted by ‘Help Age India’ to understand the massive changes in the income, health, safety, lifestyle of the elderly after Corona, which revealed that the elderly in India are largely neglected and desperate. According to the survey, about seventy one percent of the elderly in the country are not doing any kind of work and sixty one percent of the elderly felt that adequate and accessible employment opportunities are not available for them in the country. Due to corona epidemic, the symptoms of fear and despair have increased, but the cases of suicide have also increased. Cases of neglect of the elderly, however, are not limited to India alone. In foreign countries, the condition of the elderly is even worse. But in the context of India, this situation is more worrisome because in Indian society, importance has always been given to the joint family, where the elderly have a paramount position. In today’s changing times, in the desire of small and nuclear family, the concept of joint family is getting destroyed, due to which people are getting away from their elders, while children also go to grandparents, maternal grandparents being deprived of love. Due to living alone, crimes against the elderly have started increasing, while children in small families do not get the company of elders of the family, their working style is also affected negatively. Problems such as feelings of emptiness, fear of viral infection, loss of appetite and anxiety related to an uncertain future have increased. IIT Madras also conducted a survey on the health of the elderly, the report of which was published in the journal ‘Globalization and Health’. According to this survey report, diabetes, blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases were found to be more common in the elderly. The shocking fact also came to the fore that only 18.9 percent of the elderly had access to health insurance and were spending more on health did not have the capacity. In the era of corona epidemic, loneliness among the elderly has increased, which is proving to be very harmful for their health. Long-term isolation from society can cause many health problems in the elderly, such as depression and anxiety, excessive drinking or impaired brain function, dementia, etc., which can damage their immune system as well as their cardiovascular system. There is a need to provide a positive environment. Even if the elderly become physically weak in old age, it is the duty of the family members to take care of them with full respect. Apart from various diseases in old age, it is normal for physical condition to change including problems like knee and joint pain and twisting of the spine. For the elderly to get relief from such problems, it is very important for them to get proper nutrition.
Vijay.