Saturday, August 18, 2012

Adding dignity and grace to old age

We had a gardener couple working in our condominium. They were senior citizens who went about their work diligently. Recently, the maintenance was outsourced to a different company and so many changes took place. Many  inefficient employees were sacked off and new ones were recruited. The old couple also fell victim to this trade off. As always, the complex which has many people with different views started pouring their thoughts on our community portal.  Some felt that though old they were the only people who worked  sincerely. Some felt, they were old and could not tend to the plants and could not be given hardwork like spading, turning the soil etc( this voice was unfortunately raised by senior citizens). Overall, there  was lot of communication back and forth regarding this issue on our site.

Finally, a consensus was reached, where all the residents decided to offer 25rs per flat each month.  The money thus collected could be given to the couple like a pension.
But, the self respecting poor old couple refused the amount stating that they were fit and can continue to earn a living for as long as they were productive. They had children who offered them help but they preffered to work and be independent. It is not the case with these couples alone. Many senior citizens themselves don’t want to live with their working children and prefer to be independent.  I have seen the senior citizens of my own complex whose children are settled abroad and they prefer to make short visits rather than stay there longer. The average reason is here. Infact, i had made a post about many of them here.

 Today in Indian society, the retirement age is fixed at 58 or 60. Government or non-government, nobody employs the old even if they are physically fit and can be productive.  While they are young and energetic, they enjoy the benefits of the perks their jobs offer. Some of them may be having the additional perks of a driver, orderly, helper, cook etc. With old age and retirement all these benefits are gone and moreover with most families disintegrating into nuclear families, there is no choice but for the old to be emotionally, physically and financially independent.  The irony is when one is old they are in need of all these perks and not when they are young.

According to statistics, the average life span of an Indian is 65 and thanks to medical advancement it is now common for people to live beyond 80 years.  Easily, twenty years after retirement.  With the rising inflation, they have to take care of themselves with the meager pension or with the retirement benefits for the approximate next 20 years. In case, of any medical emergency it would be a huge financial strain for them. (Insurance takes care only for major hospitalization)

Most of these elders of today’s generation are with single or two children, who are employed in most cases in some other part of the country or world. Even if they stayed in the same house, their child and their spouse would be working, what with most homes having dual incomes and the working children unable  to offer emotional support due to work pressures.  In some cases, of course they end up as parents for the second time taking care of their grandchildren. There is no proper support system to take care of them. Can’t blame the children either. It is the question of survival and they have their own occupational demands. If they don’t work who will secure their lives?

As long as the elders are physically fit and ready to work, why should the retirement age be fixed?  Moreover as long as one works, they are physically and mentally fit.  They are also occupied with no time to brood.  And for those of them, who are unable to work, there must be recreation centres. I remember my uncle telling me that a  community van comes and picks up all the senior citizen (in wood bridge, New Jersey) and they congregate at a recreation centre where the elders speak to each other and indulge in talk therapy, counselling, play bridge, read books, learn new things like networking, creative writing  etc., They have time to pursue their hobbies.  This could be a huge emotional support for these people while their children are at work. And the children can also be happy while their parents are happy, else the thought of elderly parents feeling bored at home gnaws their mind.

I think like in many advanced countries, for the issueless couples and all those who are ditched by the children or unable to be independent and feel insecure in their old age,  we should  also be open to the retirement homes concept. Where people of similar age live together and in case of a medical emergency , they don’t have to wait for their son or daughter who is away on a tour to some other corner of the world. These houses which are designed with  huge windows and come with all geriatric facilities would be convenient for these people. Every necessity like a market, recreation center, place of worship, doctor’s care are within the reach of elders.  In case, of any medical emergency, the huge windows or  alarm bell of these homes  sounds the community center and they are picked to the nearby health center in no time by the maintenance staff.

In India, retirement homes are picking up in some major cities and tier II cities, but these are mostly habitat  for NRI parents. At more affordable or subsidized rates and with basic facilities these should be accessible to most  elders and BPL families like the gardener couple. Why not the government allocate time and money and offer senior citizen concessions?  After all, we will be reaching there  after some years, won’t we? I hope  by then, the infrastructure and facilities for senior citizens  will be structured and organized.

Don't miss this 1.5 minute movie  "Ageing: Beyond old sterotypes" by United nations TV and WHO Check this movie here.

15 comments:

  1. It a huge huge issue which you have rightly highlighted. As the society ages, it faces a multitude of problems.

    All of us must plan for it from early on - financially, socially, emotionally and in many other ways.

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  2. We are living longer and I think we are not coming to grips with the longer age..

    We need to have plans made start early, and also especially in india we need to start thinking of when our kids turn 16 or 18, we need to lessen helping them out and make them understand that they need to start working .. which will mean the old will have more financial control on their own money .. a bit harsh but things have to change .. because kids dont take care of their parents

    Bikram's

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  3. You are right this issue must be tackled with urgency.I really admire the gardener couple and their principles.

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  4. This issue is one of the elephants in the room nobody wants to talk about. Thoughtfully captured all aspects of this topic

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  5. @ Ramesh - Thanks for endorsing my thoughts :)

    @ Bikram - Many children are already into it despite the child labor law. Many college girls and boys, you will find at places like pizzerias or as promoters at exhibition. The older children of my own campus run summer camps for children and earn. But, driving the value of money into their heads is important.Not just kids, even many elders treat money like a tissue paper. We may realize its worth in old age when we have no opportunity to earn.

    @ Rama - Everybody in my society were in awe of this couple. This couple have incidentally been employed as mali to tend private balcony gardens in a few resident's house.

    @ curiousganja - after a long time, welcome :)

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  6. Such a fascinating post and very interesting.

    The government here in England is proposing to raise the retirement age and as you can imagine this is causing much debate with lots of people arguing that these jobs are needed for younger people with families to raise and then of course there is the fact that not many employers want to employ someone as young/'old' as 50 and so are hardly likely to give a job to someone 60+.

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    1. Any change in rules will surely raise a debate. There will be many school of thoughts on a change. In the past too it happened, when women started working outside home, people raised brows and said men will go unemployed. But, today we are able to strike a balance. But, some how even i agree that as people get older they become rigid in thoughts and are not flexible and open to new ideas. May be that is why they fix the retirement age.

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  7. ours is and going to be supposedly the youngest country demographywise in coming decade atleast..hosting more than a quarter of world's youngsters. avangala employabla aaki oru vela vaangi thara enormously responsible task lies ahead of the utterly irresponsible planning commission..which curiously is reef with kezhams...apdi irukarapo intha post raises even more questions than answers..hope there is one to find

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    1. hahahaaa...delete panra alavuku apdi enna soliteenga..i guess namma oorla organised workforcea vida unorganised sector is huge..antha disparity kuraiyanum..sithaal velai paakravangalku yethu support?!! quaryla kal udaikaravanga..house maids..mootta thookaravanga...ivangaukelam retirement vidunga..daily wagesay kedaikarathu kashtam. nammala mathiri populous nationla social securitylaam possiblaaga mudiyuma??!!! athey samayam..elarium 70 80 vayasu varaikkum velaikku vachukka thaan mudiyuma??? if a person holds a post for more than 50 years..he keeps two generations of youth at bay from that work ilaya?? aana athukaga file delete panra mathiri archive panni delete pannava mudium...ipdi izhthukitay ponaa aathaam evaal thaan adikanumnu poi muidyum. vaaya vachutu summa illaama kaaya thinnathaala vantha kathai.. intha nontha kathai :D

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    2. adha danay pa naanum BPL familiesnnu postla ezhidinen. andha disparity patthi danay unga previous replyla ezhidenen.oru pakkam 80, 85la chartered flightla suthitrikanga innoru pakkam gardener family(pamara makkal) velai illam aduthu velai sapattku illama irukkanga. if you read my post again as long as elders are interested to work daan ezhidenen not that all 70 year olds and not forever:) vendangarvangalukku irukkay irukku vol. retirement. Anyways, many people are working beyond retirement also..like the gardener family, middle class retirees have turned into consultants and the high profile jet setting ones,you know who? Right? BTw, i don't want the youth also to face velai illai thindattam. They have lots of options. They have the energy to explore and back up support. Neria maarumnu nambuvom.

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    3. BTw sithaal, quarry workers, hamli patthi ellam othukkren. avalukku daily wages kidaikarthu kashtam daan. Aana indha house maids gumbal adhula sekkadeenga.Atleast, enga area house maids mattum andha gumbala sekka kodadu. ava paduthura paadu irukkay ap..appa... enga areala all women will be definitely having BP. ava kudakkara tensionkku. FYI, enga veeta maid vandu pudhu motorbike 54kku vangirikka. Naan innum oru pep vangalama vendamana yosichindrikken. Andhalvu they are not bothered about their tommorrow, they are enjoying their today. Engalattam sila case inikkum enjoy pannama nalai patthi yosichindrikkom:)

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  8. an important issue you highlighted her Asha ji....and re-fixing the age for retirement is something that should be discussed at all levels, more over when someone 80 or 85 yrs old can occupy the highest chair of the nation and run the country(no matter how successfully he/she is able to do)then why can't a common man continue to work as long as he/she is fit enough to do the work assigned to him/her....???

    PS: i hope my blog page is opening properly now...plz check that out, whenever convenient.

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  9. Exactly my point too. It should be uniform at all levels. Or atleast there should be a way out for the aged. I've seen many people around me in my condominium especially who are affected every time there is a rise in maintenance or a corpus fund fee. They are forced to shell out from the meagre pension they get. Also these are people who have held high positions during their tenure. It is sad to see these people tell that they hate to ask their children for financial support.

    will check and let your know about your blog page, thanks :)

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  10. A very nice post.We do not have much facilities for senior citizens in our country. Working beyond retirement age is good as it would keep them fit mentally and physically and would give financial independence too.

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  11. Nice to see you here after a long time Chitra :)

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