Introduction
Just like any other young energetic individual, elderly people are also part of our society. They form part of our development and they should also be highly regarded. However, this is not the case in most developing countries such as India. Poverty, discrimination, inaccessibility to social amenities, lack of proper social and health care are among the challenges facing the elderly in India. Through considerable government polices, various problems confronting elderly people in India are slowly being addressed.
Major problems facing elderly citizens in India
Poverty is one of the chief problems that elderly people are facing. In India, elderly citizens are constantly and excessively becoming poorer. Their poverty level is triggered by discrimination in employment sector where they are discharged from their employment due to age factor. Others are denied employment because of their increasing age. This has been occasioned by many firms tendency of seeking to know their applicant’s age. It therefore becomes hard for elderly to secure employment. Additionally, their level of poverty is instigated by denial of property possession and pension schemes. This has been caused by increased level of corruption and minimal government intervention. Poverty is also increased by denial to access loans from banks and credit systems. Evidently, discrimination and corruption have tremendously contributed to the tribulations of elderly people in India (Munodawafa, Krishnaswamy, 2008, p 4).
Inaccessibility to the social amenities has become a major challenge to the elderly. This is because they are weak. Lack of proper infrastructure in the country has worsened their conditions. Social amenities are unreachable to them. This is because they are located far from most residential areas in the country. Therefore, getting to these facilities is almost impossible for elderly people. However, this situation has also been worsened by the changes in the family unit. Notably, the Indian economy is not at its best. It has consequently become necessary for people to shift in the urban areas to seek for employment thereby breaking the family arrangement. Elderly people are either left alone with no one to take care of them in the suburbs or in Indian towns. Conspicuously, older people are disregarded due to the high cost of raising children and education which has led families to change spending priorities thereby favoring the young generation. Therefore, it becomes hard for them to access social amenities due to their monetary and physical weaknesses. There is also a tendency of discriminating the elderly even in health facilities due to their economic unproductively (Raj, 2007, p2). Perceptibly, elderly discrimination is prevalent in India. Lack of support from the young and energetic, poor infrastructure, discrimination and deteriorating economy make it hard for elderly citizens to access social amenities.
Lack of proper social and health care is also a challenge facing the elderly. Children are ignoring the health problems of their aged parents. When the elderly experience health problems and are unable to control their bodies, their children despises them. These elderly people desert their homes or are chased way by their children. Some are taken to homes for the aged. Nonetheless, there are very few homes despite the increasing population of elderly people in India. There are inadequate facilities in these homes (Chakraborti, 2004, p. 37). Additionally, aged citizens are left out in society’s decision making procedures. The fact that they lack the funds and physical strength to battle in elections against others, the autonomous process of making decisions is never advantageous to them (Chakraborti, 2004, p. 78). Clearly, ignorance, hatred, lack of physical and financial strength and inadequate facilities in most homes for elderly people in India has denied them proper health care intervention as well social strength.
How these problems are being tackled
To counter the problem that elderly citizens are facing in India, the government has come up with acts that defend the rights of elderly people. The acts protect the aged from being evicted from their homes unjustly, (Devi & Bagga, 2006, p. 34). These laws also grant elderly citizens rights to seek intervention for mistreatment. The communities are also asked to report any form of prejudice committed against elderly citizens to the law enforcers.
Notably, the government has established a nation wide plan on elderly people which recognizes areas that call for the state’s involvement such as monetary security, healthcare and safeguarding the lives of the aged in the nation The government has also introduced a policy that provides an allowance for old age in order to minimize the poverty level (Phillips, Chan, 2002, p .41).The government is encouraging people to form home care schemes where people are trained care giving to the aged and the challenges they are likely to face while dealing with elderly people. They are trained on how to deal with elderly people with health conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Establishment of proper care services for the elderly in health centers, and homes has also been in the frontline of the government’s guiding principles. Through introduction of Medicare, the government is able to safe-guard the health of elderly people with chronic diseases which would otherwise cause a fortune to manage. Support for elderly citizens has been integrated into the broader poverty elimination plan. Such policies identify elderly people who require support and provide them with the necessary help (Sinha, 2008, p.398).
There are policies seeking to eliminate discrimination against elderly citizens in the country. These policies ensures that elderly people are treated in due regard. They are being provided with both formal and informal care that ensures their well being. Formal care for the aged is being complemented with the care provided within the homes. Discerning corruption and discrimination against elderly citizens has been tightened by the governing authorities thereby safe-guarding the plight of elderly citizens in India (Devi & Bagga, 2006.p. 95).
Conclusion
The elderly in society are also a significant factor in supporting a country’s growth and development. Their plight should be safe-guarded since they are a source of wisdom. However, this has not been the case in India. This is because elderly people in this country are faced with poverty prompted by discrimination and corruption, inaccessibility to social amenities and poor health. Nevertheless, the government has employed policies through which the plight of elderly people catered for. This essay has as a result argued that the government has implemented policies that are dealing with various problems facing elderly people in India.
References:
Bhat, A. 2002. Ageing in India: Drifting intergenerational relations, challenges and options. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Vol.21, Issue, 5
Chakraborti R. D., 2004, The greying of India: population ageing in the context of Asia. New York: SAGE.
Devi S. D & Bagga A., 2006, Ageing in women: a study in North-East India California: Mittal Publications.
Munodawafa, D., Krishnaswamy, and B. (2008).Ageing in India: New York: Springer Science
Phillips, D., Chan, A. 2002. Ageing and long-term care: National policies in the Asia-Pacific. Hong Kong: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. p 41
Raj, M.2007. Mistreatment and harassment of senior citizens in India (Elder Abuse).and world. Journal of human rights. Bhopal: National Law Institute University (NLIU). Vol.53, No.21
Sinha, A. 2008. Bio-social issues in health. Delhi: Northern Book Centre, 2008.p398
