Senior citizens in India are increasingly turning to old age homes to escape loneliness. SANGEETA YADAV tells you more

[Veterans India]

Sixty five-year-old widowed Sumita Puri (name changed) spent the entire afternoon to herself waiting for her children to get back from work. When they did in the evening, they were often tied up with other things. Sumita was again deprived of company and went off to sleep early. This is what she had been doing for day after day till she decided to take things on her own. Today she has company and so much of it that she goes to sleep only after midnight!

“It was a conscious decision to shift to an old age home. My children were busy with their lives. My eldest son works in an MNC and usually keeps odd hours and my daughter-in-law, works in a renowned Delhi school and she too has many errands to run. Had I not taken this decision, I would have gone into depression,” says Sumita, who now lives in the Aradhana Women old age home.

With joint families giving way to nuclear ones, old parents have to either stay alone at home or take shelter at old age centres.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) report, around 142 million of South-East Asia region’s population is above the age of 60. The number of old people will double by 2025 and triple by 2050 compared to 2000. In India, the elderly population will increase to 160 million by 2025 and to over 300 million by 2050, translating to 19 per cent of the total population. Given this forecast, it becomes all the more mandatory to build a conducive environment for such people.

And such people don’t seem to mind the attention they get in the old age homes. Sumita, for instance, whose children are in touch with her and often come to meet her, finds it very comfortable in here. “I spend quality time with my family on weekends. I am happy now that I have made some good friends in the old age home and we spend our time chatting, cracking jokes, playing pranks and eating together. My children respected my decision,” says Sumita. She is like an inspiration to her counterparts.

“I came to know about some people who have had bad experiences. I cite my example and advise them to live life happily,” she adds.

NB:-

Veteransindia invites all members to post their take on this article. Thanks,

[asha uberoy]

please give us a list of veteran homes.....thanks

[VIJAY KUMAR MAHESHWARI]

Dear Sir, The decision taken by Mrs Sumita Puri to shift to an old age home may be against the norms of the society but her action is very practical, timely and correct.Otherwise she would have gone into depression and her actions later in critisizing her children would have led to further detirioration in their relations.In todays world where the son and the daughter in law, both work and cannot take pscyological care of the single parent, it is the best option, where every one is happy. A win win situation for all.GOD bless her for taking this decision.( I am also a senior citizen).















On Sun, 08 Apr 2012 09:33:13 +0530 wrote

NB:-Veteransindia invites all members to post their take on thisarticle. Thanks,

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[Veterans India]

The Indian Air Force is Running a very vibrant Senior Citizens' Home through the Air Force Association. This SCH is located near the AF Station in Tughlakabad, New Delhi. Many officers from all the three services including lone ladies are living there and are being looked after. Army has also started a new SCH. Those of you who know about it are requested to post information here. For more info on the AF SCH please see website www.afa-india.org.

[tnc vijayasarathy]

Dear Veteran,

 

Your article about Old Age Home is smoething I have been contemplating for quite some time.  I feel people of my age should dispose of the proerties, give away shares to children and charities and move to old age homes to be with people of our generation.  It is a necessity.  It is not a reflection on the love and care of the younger generation.  Younger generation, I must admit, have a tougher job than us in eking out a living.  With both husband and wife working, Children in multiple skill development programme it is natural elders cnnot be looked after.  Also due to medical facilities available we live a little longer than necessary or useful even to ourselves.  Instead of sitting in an emplty house, supervising an irregular maid and complaining, it is better let us move out, make room for the younger ones.  Distributing the property will put adequate resources in the hands of the gennext to live better instead of slogging for it.  They can climb better heights and bring us more joy by their achievements.  Any delay in distributing their share only reduces its real value/ usufulness.  In Bangalore I kwno of people as old as 90 years sitting guard on independent homes worth crores, awiting their children who are settled abroad (with their US borne children and grand children).  What for?  Some of them have been murdered too.  Why invite trouble when the children are not interested in what you want to give.

 

One must know when to exit the lives of our own dear children. Old age homes are a good option.

 

Sarathy

[ro...@capsicumtechnologies.co.in]

Thanks to veteran India for publishing such a wonderful article and also inviting others to provide

their opinions. Senior citizens in India today either have to stay home alone or many of them choose

old age centres as they meet people of the same age and bond over with them.

Here I would like to present an initiative taken by "The Golden Estate" which has come forth

and tried to provide a solution to this kind of problem faced by senior citizens or old parents. They

have come up with service apartments at Delhi NCR , the most unique thing about this project is that

the eligibility criteria to be a resident of The Golden Estate is that you need to be of 55 years of

age or above.

This is a project that epitomizes finest community lifestyle for senior citizens and aims at providing a

joyful, secure and a dignified lifestyle for the elderly in their golden years.

A Project where each significant detail – from food and dietary planning to security and medical

care, from laundry and housekeeping to entertainment – has been well thought-out to ensure that

our residents are always happy, comfortable, active, secure and looked after. For more details you

can log onto the website http://www.thegoldenestate.com/current-location.html

Rgds

Rohan

[K L Arora]

Any such homes in Pune?

[Asha Uberoy]

What about Delhi/gurgaon?

[ro...@capsicumtechnologies.co.in]

Hello Mr.Arora,

Currently there are no service apartments by the "The Golden Estate" at Pune. But surely Pune is one of the probable locations. You can contact the Golden Estate team by clicking on this link http://www.thegoldenestate.com/contact-us-the-golden-estate.html

Rgds

Rohan

[ro...@capsicumtechnologies.co.in]

Hi Ms Asha,

Currently The Golden Estate complex is located in an exclusive "Bungalow Zone" - called "Central Greens" in NIT Faridabad, which is very much near to Delhi NCR. They are also planning to start similar project in Gurgaon. You can also check out their website http://www.thegoldenestate.com/contact-us-the-golden-estate.html

Rgds

Rohan

On Friday, January 25, 2013 9:45:02 AM UTC+5:30, asha uberoy wrote:

What about Delhi/gurgaon?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: K L Arora
Date: Friday, January 25, 2013
Subject: Senior citizens in India are increasingly turning to old age homes to escape loneliness. SANGEETA YADAV tells you more
To: vetera...@googlegroups.com

Any such homes in Pune?

[Achuthan]

Dear sir,

A very relevant article for us elders. Instead of arguing, quarrelling and cursing our own offsprings and their spouses for "neglecting" us, we should opt ourselves out of their hectic life, not completely, but at least stay away but be reachable. As the lady in the article says, let us distribute our properties so that our kids can also have a tension free life, but keep enough for ourselves to take care of our routine and unforeseen needs in case of medical emergencies.

Even though many of us would want to seek out the services of such SCHs, its availability is a constraint as is evident from the queries this article has generated even from first class cities. In this context the Golden Estate project in Delhi seems to be a good initiative, but I'm not sure of its affordability by all.

Please check out the following link for a list of SCHs or Old Age Homes in the country:

http://www.seniorindian.com/old_age_homes_list.htm

Regards
Achuthan

[devils.0...@gmail.com]

@ Mr. Achuthan: I happened to watch this video of The Golden Estate & just loved it http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGwzbEmMYWw

 You can check further details on http://www.thegoldenestate.com/current-location.html

The Golden Estate, is trying to ensure that the seniors, spend the golden years of their life in dignity. Let us hope that more people join the effort.

Regards,

Chirag