Almost 8.6% of the total population in India, as per the latest census figures available, comprises senior citizens. Over the years, due to varied reasons, elders are facing many issues and abuses.
To ameliorate their living standards, a number of schemes exist. One is the National Policy on Older Persons, 1999, which envisages State support to ensure financial and food security, health care, shelter, protection and other needs of older persons to improve quality of their lives.
Also under the Umbrella Scheme of Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana, the government informed the parliament which is in monsoon session, that the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment implements various welfare schemes for improving the living standard of senior citizens including Integrated Programme for Senior Citizens (IPSrC) under which grants in aid are given for running and maintenance of Senior Citizens Homes, Continuous Care Homes, Mobile Medicare Units etc. to the Implementing Agencies (IAs) such as Registered Societies/ Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / Local bodies; Non-Governmental/Voluntary Organizations.
Besides, there is another scheme—State Action Plan for Senior Citizens (SAPSrC), Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) under which aids and assistive living devices are provided to senior citizens belonging to BPL category or those senior citizens who earn less than 15000 per month and suffer from age related disabilities such as low vision, hearing impairment, loss of teeth and loco-motor disabilities. There is also a scheme by name Livelihood and Skilling Initiatives which aims to supplement the efforts of the senior citizens by providing them opportunities to enhance their earning and sense of self-respect.
While the schemes are there, implementation in a befitting manner remains important.
The government is expected to plan and strategize taking into account local considerations and frame action plans for the welfare of senior citizens. According to the United Nations, elder abuse is a problem that exists in both developing and developed countries yet is typically under-reported globally. Even though the exact extent of elder mistreatment is unknown, its social and moral significance is obvious. As such, it demands a multifaceted response, one which focuses on protecting the rights of older persons.
There is a need for recognizing greater attention to the specific challenges affecting older persons. Importantly also, people should address geriatric problems on their own and treat the elders as assets to be respected and care for them.