Abuse of elderly a growing problem in India as lifestyles change

(July 18, 2012) Despite India’s age-old tradition of respect and concern for old people, abuse of the elderly is on the rise. According to a recent study by HelpAge India, the syndrome cuts across all socio-economic categories, with sons and daughters-in-law the main abusers. “We get hundreds of calls from senior citizens all across the country, who are suffering from neglect and rejection. A growing number of old people feel isolated and uncared for in their own families,” said Mathew Cherian, HelpAge’s chief executive officer. “The transition from an agrarian to an urbanized society, as well as globalization, has worsened their plight,” he added. Other experts on the subject agree that the phenomenon has grown as people’s lives have become less centered around rural village communities. “The elders used to have assigned responsibilities, like resolving conflicts. They felt respected and wanted,” said one commentator. “But with more and more people getting educated and moving into the cities for work, and women becoming more career-minded, the elders are often left to fend for themselves.” Another recent survey, by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, shows that a significant number of elderly people don’t want to live with their children. “Their lifestyles are different and we don’t fit into that pizza-eating culture,” said 72-year-old Deepshika Rathore, who prefers to live alone in Delhi. But an estimated 70 per cent of the country’s aged have no alternative but to depend on their families. With that in mind, HelpAge India has joined with the National Council of Education Research and Training to provide education to the younger generations on the importance of caring for the aged. Police departments in major cities, including Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, are also increasingly aware of the issue and launching initiatives to resolve it.