Ashok Kumar Arora
The international net work and WHO at the United Nations launched this day on 15th of June 2006. The day is celebrated every year throughout the world to bring together the senior citizens, their children, their caregivers, close relations and the government to combat the problem, supported by the United Nations and the World Health Organisations. The international network for the prevention of elders abuse (INPEA) was founded in 1997. It is a global body dedicated to the cause of disseminating information on the prevention of elders abuse. INPEA defines elders abuse as neglect, violation of human legal and medical rights and deprivation of the elderly. It serves as a call to action for individuals, organisations and communities to raise awareness about elders abuse. Elders abuse is a knowingly intentional act by a care giver that causes harm to a vulnerable adult. There are many examples of abuse such as
i) Physical abuse like slapping, brusing, restraining.
ii) Sexual abuse i.e non consensual sexual act
iii) Neglect -Not to provide shelter, food health care etc.
iv) Exploitation concealment of funds, properties or assets of a senior elder.
v) Emotional abuse inflicting mental pain, anguish or distress through verbal acts, humiliating etc.
vi) Abondonment desertionof an elderly person by a care giver.
And lastly the self neglect which is characterised as a failure of a person to perform self care which is most unfortunate and not attributed to any caregiver.
Self neglect results in changes in personality and behavior. Such changes are indication of elders abuse and is borne in silence.
Social development studies carried out in our country reveal alarming figures. Nearly 2/3rd of elderly people in our country are neglected by their families while as 1/3rd remaining face physical and verbal abuse. The studies further reveal that elders in urban areas face more brunt than those in the rural areas. In our country still family ties are strong and elders enjoy respect and live in dignity in rural areas. They live together and nuclear families are the ones left for the urban areas only. With the fast changing times the things are going to change in the rural areas also.
Mostly younger people consider elders as burden on them. With extended life span and more expenses on medicines and hospitalisation the younger ones abstain from taking care of the elders and as such they are left high and dry and also often subject to elders abuse. The sufferers of elders abuse are both men and women but over all the women are the more sufferers. Women generally live longer than the men as it is customary to marry men of higher age. Once widowed they are the main target of elders abuse. Elders are mostly fragile, with poor reflexes and vulnerable in all respects and are dependent on the youngers and thus are subject to elders abuse at some time or the other.
There are no laws to protect the elders from the elders abuse However Govt. Of India has enacted an act ‘Maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens Act 2007’ which protects the elders from elders abuse. Unfortunately the Act has not been extended to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Neither extending the Act nor having their own Act is nothing but State elders abuse. Anti dowry laws are further cause of elders abuse when reported by the daughters in law. A detailed study further reveals that the cases reported are just a tip of the iceberg and mostly the cases go unreported. A recent study has further revealed that 30 per cent of the Indian elderlies are subject to one or the other abuse by their families including elder sons ,daughters in law or any other care givers. But ironically one out of six report this abuse for redressal.
There are nearly eight crore elderly people in our country. Most of them do not have access to basic pension. They are poor people like labourers, rickshaw pullers, daily wagers, teastall owners and so on and who are the main sufferers of elderly abuse. Under social security a few are being paid old age pension. Rs.7 per day pension to such people is nothing but an elders abuse. At one stage nearly 125 oldies from 10 states sent back Rs 7 each to the PM to show their resentment. In some cases the pensioner has to spend more on his transportation than the pension he is to get from the government. This is nothing but an elderly abuse.
Providing some basic facilities like financial safety, health care, personal safety etc. is the social responsibility of the State. Even the State pensioners are not covered under any health insurance. Most of the Insurance Cos. do not insure people for health insurance after a particular age. Even the Govt. hospitals refuse to admit a patient without an attendant. These are also the cases of elderly abuse.
As mentioned earlier there are no laws to prevent elders abuse. Fast track systems need to be provided to enable older persons to seek early justice. There is need to bring awareness in the younger generation through print and electronic media. Acts, plays and dramas can really leave a print on the minds of youngers. Elders abuse is not a new phenomena. It is as old as the civilization.It is human nature to exploit the weak and weakness in any form ,may be physical ,financial, intellectual etc. Any one of these or unfortunately all these weaknesses can inflict any person. Younger people exploit these weaknesses for their benefit. However this may not be true in all cases but it is and has been present all along in all ages with of course with varying degree. There is empirical evidence to suggest that in India the elders abuse is increasing both within families and institutions. It also prevails across castes and religions. Its ingress is more in urban areas than the rural. Women in general are more prone to elders abuse than the men. In our country these abuses are confined to the four walls of the houses and not made public. Very few cases are reported or relief is sought.
Problems are many but there are solutions also. Till such time the ‘State Act for the Maintenance of Parents and senior Citizens’ is enacted the seniors are deprived of the
provisions in the Act which can prevent elders abuse. However many other steps can be taken by the State to minimise the elders abuse. A few of these can be
i) Beds in hospitals be provided to all senior citizens as far as possible.
ii) Separate queues for senior citizens where ever public services are provided by the Govt.
iii) Facilities for treatment of chronic, terminal and degenerative diseases are expanded.
iv) Earmarked seats in road transport.
v) Health insurance.
vi) Police protection against criminals.
vii) Earmarked facilities for geriatric patients in every district hospital and many more to avoid elders abuse.
Even the Supreme Court oF India agreed to dwell on the issue of evolving of acceptable solutions and schemes for the welfare of senior citizens and most importantly establishment of old age homes at each district of the state. Former Law Minister said before the Judges that a very large number of oldies, the figure which is increasing day by day, are living without roof, proper clothes and food ,not to talk of medical facilities and the budgetary provisions are very paltry. Providing an old age home at all the districts can be seen as an alternative to elders abuse. To do so it may not be possible for the State due to many constraints, the civil society has to come forward. The Old Age Home at Amphalla, Jammu is an example before us. The State Govt can at least come forward for liberal Grant in Aid for such homes. This can encourage the civil society in other districts to come forward. We believe that if this is done a large number of oldies can get relief from elders abuse.
With the affluence increasing , many senior citizens are opting for or aspire to live in retirement homes. The finances of retirees and many others are better compared with earlier generations. Also the stigma earlier associated with such living is reducing. With nuclear families, children away from homes, the children shall welcome if such places are made available . At least they can feel satisfied that their parents are comfortable. Thus pay and stay homes is the other alternative. Most of the senior citizens want to spend their silver years with less physical and mental stress, with chores such as cooking ,housekeeping, health care taken care of . One most dreaded disease in the old age is loneliness. This is taken care of in pay and stay homes where people live in a family of oldies. Day care centers for the senior citizens is another option. It takes very little investment by the State Govt .as the Central Govt. bears most of the expenditure. The Social Welfare Department should come forward for such a relief ,at least for the day ,for the oldies to be away from the home . Thus we have a number of solutions to the problem of leaders abuse. Both the State Govt. as well as the civil society have to come forward and avoid leaders abuse.
A society is judged by how it treats it’s seniors. Let our society come forward and make it true.