Elderly in India: A Situation Analysis Dr. Shrinath Sahai

Download as docx, pdf, or txt
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1of 2

Elderly in India : A Situation Analysis

Dr. Shrinath Sahai


The world of the 21st century is reeling under the pressure of an ageing population. Proportion of
elderly people in population of the countries across the world is increasing. The same is true for India
also where the percentage of elderly in our total population has risen from 5.58 in 1951 census to 7.5
in 2001 and to 8.6 in 2011 census (Table1). As per the latest census of 2011, the total population of
the aged people in India was 10.4 crores which is estimated to rise to 17.7 crores by the year 2025
and 32.4 crores by 2050.
The growth rate of the elderly population, during the period 1991-2001, has been higher (2.89)
against the overall growth rate (2.02) of the total population of the country. In fact, such increase in
elderly population, is a global phenomenon since the second half of the twentieth century. Production
of effective life-saving drugs, better control over the infections, communicable diseases, easy
availability of the medical aids, as well as the health-prone foods and overall people's increasing
consciousness towards their better health and living, the cleanliness - all these attributes have jointly
contributed towards enhancing the lifespan of people. The mortality rate has come down drastically.
It has been termed as the 'Age of Ageing'. The U.N report claims that in developing countries, the
increase in elderly people's number is at a faster rate of 3.4 times as against 1.84 times of the
developed ones.
Our country has been going through major social transformation. The basic structure of family which
constitutes the core of the society has changed from joint system to nuclear one. This change is
structurally as well as perceptional. The very objective, purpose of the family has actually dimmed,
in this modern era of progress. With the westernization creeping in, the virtues and values, the
emotional bonds, which existed in Indian traditional joint family system, have fallen off, slipped. A
modern family no more remains the 'care-giver' like earlier days, when it used to be 'caring' for its
members from 'cradle to grave'. Career gaining supreme, the smaller, nuclear family has become
mobile. Youngsters moving out are disinclined to carry their old parents along, which are physically
and mentally declined and economically weak. They are left to live by themselves alone.
Reasons for the descending interest of younger generation in older people can be traced primarily in
the factors: (a) Industrialization (b) Urbanization (c) Rising education (d) Job-orientation (e) Family
configuration and the likes.
Industrialization has made great impact on the occupation, vocation and other walks of life of people,
especially in India, which has been predominantly an agricultural society. Majority of the people of
this country, living in villages and engaged in agriculture, were firmly footed with their lands.
However, the new generation, becoming uninterested in the traditional occupation of the family,
leaves out one day, leaving the old parents to stay in the house, for themselves. Physical facilities and
emerging amenities of the day attract youngsters to cities. Having acquired higher education and new
skills, they are eager to obtain higher jobs in big cities and abroad. They have to move out. And the
family gets dis-jointed, its very formation, composition get changed. Migration is demand of the age.
Norms and perception of marriage have transformed. Delayed and inter-caste marriages are the
choice of the new generation, which lead to nuclear-family pattern. Education, health, fooding and
up-bringing investment cost of children have enormously gone up. This has limited the resources of
the earning-member in the family, to spend on the care for the elderly; their longitivity increasing.
Abuse Complexity: Abuses against the aged are far and wide. Economic variable is the prime cause.
Studies revealed, "Within 5 years of their retirement, people exhaust their savings and then, they are
forced to depend on their children and relatives". They spend their life's saving on schooling and
study of their children, building a home for them to live in, performing their marriages and finally get
them settled. And so, ultimately, they are money-less - no income left either through pension (large
number of retirees have no pension) or other resources; they just struggle for existence. The NSS
report (1995-96) mentioned that around 31 percent elderly male and 71-76 percent elderly female
were found totally dependent on others. This makes them weak; they face challenges of grabbing
their lands, transfer of their properties, house and the likes.
Women Most Vulnerable: Women in India have been treated insignificantly right from the
beginning. Their life has been marginalized, first as a female child, then a married girl, aged women
and finally a widow. In Indian traditional society, old women commanded respect in the family on
two counts : (a) store-house of knowledge and experience (b) care-taker of the small off-springs. The
new generation does not appreciate age-old wisdom and is less dependent on aged-women.
Considered mobile and suitably fitting to the techno-specific jobs, new generation opt for the nuclear
family; old parents being left to remain in their ancestral dwellings alone.
Studies have revealed that 13.7 percent old men and 36.5 percent women were abused in the family
by their daughter-in-laws, the most. And 33.3 percent old husbands said, they were abused by their
wives. 81.4 percent abusers were married persons. 47 percent abusers had no personal income and
were dependent, financially, on the elders. In India, the son has been the most frequent abuser.
Condition of women living in Vrindavan is extremely deplorable.
Rural Women: Rural women are more marginalized since the loss of traditional security - cover of
the joint family system. Security and maintenance, outside the family for these women have been
extremely poor. Large number of institutions for the aged women were formed during 1990's. There
were about 728 old-age homes in India in the year 1998, and many more have added to it by now.
Old Age Home Facilities : The Helpage India made a study of the infrastructure facilities available
in old age homes, run by N.G.O's in India. While some of the residents have to pay for their stay,
certain homes offer both free stay and pay and stay facilities. Sex-wise accommodation, medical aids
and recreational facilities and counsellings are also provided for in these homes. Growing old, people
do need voluntary help, social welfare services are the dire need today. More such homes are the
crying necessities for a populous country like India.
Emotional Attachment : In a study at Delhi University, it was found that 85 percent old persons are
victim of ill-treatment of their progeny. According to the Help Age India, every one aged person, out
of three, is mal-treated, abused by his children, daughter-in-laws. Condition of old persons at Delhi,
is the most deplorable, where 60 percent aged are abused by their sons and 24 percent by their
daughter-in-laws. Despite facing all ill-treatments and abuses, 98 percent of old people continue to
live with their children and do not make complaints against them, to save and maintain the prestige
of their family.
To Sum Up : Laws have been formulated to protect old people from abuse and victimization but
there has been no effective and sustained implementation. It is also notable that the disintegration of
the joint family is unstoppable, as it has assumed the need of the hour today - the young children
cannot be suggested against migrating and leaving the parents alone, since it is for the advancement
and growth of their careers. The aged population of the present era is destined to face this 'challenge
of development'. So the redressal lies with the old person himself/ herself, learning to live away from
the family; leaving behind, casting off any attachment and emotion that make them worrisome;
despite amenities and care provided in the old age homes. Make a home, outside home, seems the
mantra.
(The author is an academician, who writes on social, economic and academic issues). Views
expressed are personal.
Image: Courtesy Google

You might also like