Old age homes in India need regulations to ensure better living conditions

Posted by satyanand Hospital on March 13th, 2018

India is a young nation, but that doesn’t mean there are no senior people. The only thing is their presence gets overshadowed by the huge population of energetic and brisk youth.

Statistics say that 105 Million people are above 60 years of age in India. Indeed it is a big number. More importantly, it is going to rise at a constant pace.

So far their problems and issues are hidden under the carpet because traditionally, elderly people are supposed to be the most respected members of the family.

Their likes and dislikes are given importance, and they are consulted when there is any problem, big or small.

However, the situation is changing rapidly with the changing socio-economic structure. An Old age Home in Pune is not very uncommon thing nowadays.

The senior people in India face a variety of problems

Interestingly, senior people in our country face the whole spectrum of problems.

• With the changing family structure and family values, they are not the most respected and important members of the family. Rather, they are neglected and ignored by other ‘busy’ people in the family.
• Sometimes, they do not get enough importance and care because of the financial crunch. The new generation gets the priority.
• Physical and psychological ailments come with the old age. When there is nobody to take care of, the elderly people are forced to live in pitiable conditions.

When traditional values get replaced rapidly with modern concepts, large joint families break down into nuclear families, and children go abroad or some remote place within the country for better job prospects; elderly people get the maximum hit.

They can’t get adjusted to the changing lifestyle. Sometimes, they are so much attached to their native place that they can’t move to the new place.

When physical disability makes it impossible to live alone, an Old age Home in Pune comes out to be the right solution for all the problems mentioned here.

The elderly people get care, attention by the caregivers.  They find companions of the similar age-group. Hence, senior people feel quite comfortable there.

It is the need of the day to put regulations in place

Experts feel that the increasing population of elderly people and the rising number of senior citizens living in the old age homes are big social problems.

Hence, it is high time that the government should intervene and enforce clear and unambiguous rules and regulations to provide safe and comfortable living conditions to the senior citizens.

They must get the care and respect that they are deserved for.

• A minimum service guarantee has to be defined for every Old age Home in Pune or any other city for that matter.
• The guidelines for the number of caregivers and their minimum qualifications should be defined in the service manual.
• The living conditions and facilities need to be standardized.
• Like the developed countries, each senior citizen should be covered by social security fund.

The government is taking steps to provide better and happier life to the elderly people. Certainly, we will be in line with the international standards.