Old Age Home Is Good or Bad
Technology-integration in Old Age Homes in India A Status Paper
Sugan Bhatia, Ph.D. President Indian University Association for Continuing Education Delhi 1.1 The elderly (aged 60 years and above) in India account for more than 9 percent of the total population. The National Population Commission estimated that the population of the elderly is expected to grow from 71 million in 2001 to 173 million in 2026. This demographic scenario appears to indicate a very precarious condition for the older persons in terms of their capability to enjoy the right to life with dignity. While those in the age group 60-69 years could be expected to lead a fairly healthy life and offer their services as volunteers for informal care giving to others in the two higher age groups, both the 70-79 years age group and the 80 + years age group would require critical social and medical healthcare support – both informal care giving and formal care giving. 1.2 The growing incidence of elder abuse and severe fissures in the multigenerational family or household has forced many older persons to abandon their family home; some of them have also been “pushed out” and have thus been left shelter-less. Most urban areas appear to have a growing incidence of cases of abandoned elderly. A new culture of “peer group participation” being attempted by the old persons appears to be taking roots in many parts of urban India; Old Age Homes of various types are rapidly becoming a choice for many “abandoned”, “left out” or “neglected” old persons with or without survival resources. 1.3 The vision of “alternate shelter” for older persons, as enunciated in both national and global policy frameworks, includes Group housing for older persons, No physical barriers to mobility, Health care and nutritional support, Development of age-integrated communities, Recreation services, Age-friendly, easy and safe accessibility to shopping complexes, community centers, parks and other services, and Provision of ramps and/or
Sugan Bhatia, Ph.D. President Indian University Association for Continuing Education Delhi 1.1 The elderly (aged 60 years and above) in India account for more than 9 percent of the total population. The National Population Commission estimated that the population of the elderly is expected to grow from 71 million in 2001 to 173 million in 2026. This demographic scenario appears to indicate a very precarious condition for the older persons in terms of their capability to enjoy the right to life with dignity. While those in the age group 60-69 years could be expected to lead a fairly healthy life and offer their services as volunteers for informal care giving to others in the two higher age groups, both the 70-79 years age group and the 80 + years age group would require critical social and medical healthcare support – both informal care giving and formal care giving. 1.2 The growing incidence of elder abuse and severe fissures in the multigenerational family or household has forced many older persons to abandon their family home; some of them have also been “pushed out” and have thus been left shelter-less. Most urban areas appear to have a growing incidence of cases of abandoned elderly. A new culture of “peer group participation” being attempted by the old persons appears to be taking roots in many parts of urban India; Old Age Homes of various types are rapidly becoming a choice for many “abandoned”, “left out” or “neglected” old persons with or without survival resources. 1.3 The vision of “alternate shelter” for older persons, as enunciated in both national and global policy frameworks, includes Group housing for older persons, No physical barriers to mobility, Health care and nutritional support, Development of age-integrated communities, Recreation services, Age-friendly, easy and safe accessibility to shopping complexes, community centers, parks and other services, and Provision of ramps and/or