Promises : for the Senior Citizens

International Day of Older Persons (October 1) &
Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act

On October 1, the day of the 'Older Persons', was 'celebrated' by our State Govt too. The authorities made a special note that the demographic proportion of senior citizens in Kerala poses fresh challenges for the State. There are 31.5 Lakh Senior Citizens in the State. The major issues here are : Majority are widows, poverty, gender inequality, and lack of security. Most serious being the “lack of family support”.

Here are a few proposals / offers by the Minister for Health and Social Welfare (Govt of Kerala).
1. Government had drawn up a plan to equip District Hospitals and Geriatirc Care Centres and separate out-patient counters for the Senior Citizens.
2. These facilities would be extended to Taluk Hospitals and Medical College Hospitals in due course.
3. District level Tribunals would be set up to enforce MWP&SC Act.
4. Domestic Violence Act would be invoked to prevent atrocities against Senior Citizens.
5. A project to improve the infrastructural facilities in old age homes being workedout.
6. Free eye camps, Free surgery and spectacles, awareness camps for the inmates of the OldAge homes.
7. The Social Security Mission, announced by the Govt, would take care of the needs of the elderly people also.

I think we should be happy that the Government is really concerned about the Senior Citizens. Let's all be optimistic and wish for the early materialisation of the promises.
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