Ensure a life of
dignity for the aged: Pranab
President Pranab
Mukherjee on Monday called for measures to enable the elderly to lead a life of
“dignity.”
Speaking at a
function organised by HelpAge India to mark the International Day of Older
Persons, Mr. Mukherjee expressed concern over the growing neglect and abuse of
seniors in the country.
Mr. Mukherjee said:
“I have to confess my deep alarm and dismay in this context over the findings
of the 20 city survey conducted by HelpAge which reveals that one out of three
elders have faced abuse. It is even more shocking to learn that those surveyed describe
their sons and daughters-in-law as the primary abusers. Many report such abuse
as having continued for more than five years and most do not complain to anyone
in order to uphold family honour.”
The President
pointed to the withering away of family values and expressed hope that the
shocking revelations about elderly abuse would serve as a warning.
“We must do
everything possible to ensure that our elders can live a life of dignity,
enjoying the best of medical attention, economic security as well as emotional
stability. Our culture, history, traditions, religion and philosophy all enjoin
us to respect our elders and to fill their lives with abundant love and
affection.”
To the nation, with
a very large young population, the President’s message included a reminder,
“…India is what it is today because of the contributions made by our elders in
their youth. If those hands steadied you when you learned to walk, then you
need to support them when they need help and hope there will be others who will
do the same for you when you grow old.”
“It’s just another
phase”
“Society and the
government should be sensitised to the fact that old age is just another phase
of life with its special needs and characteristics just like childhood and
youth,” the President said, adding that efforts should be made to provide
health care and economic security to the aged.
“The real
challenges that lie in the field of health security are accessibility and
affordability of medical health facilities. The elderly require special
geriatric care… their medical expenses increases with age whereas their income
decreases or remains static. Private hospitals are reluctant to provide
concessions to the elderly and insurance companies unwilling to insure the
elderly,” he said.
“Proud to be an
elder”
Earlier, the
President made a reference to his own age and urged the elderly to refrain from
thinking of old age as an inhibitor.
“I turn 77 a few
months from now. Our honourable Prime Minister has just celebrated his 80th
birthday. Ms. Lata Mangeshkar celebrated her 83rd birthday a few days back.
Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer is going strong at the age of 97, intellectually
vibrant and deeply concerned about the welfare and progress of our nation. Many
more illustrious persons can be added to this list, but I stop here… There is
in this audience and all around us a large number of elders who are making
extremely valuable contributions to our country and to our society. I salute
them and am proud to be one of them, an ‘elder’ leading a productive and
fruitful life.”
The President said
with advancement of medical science and technology, age is by no means a
disabling factor. Quoting W. Somerset Maugham and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow,
the President encouraged the elderly “to get out of a ‘retirement mentality’
and think about old age as a second innings.”
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