Elders Care Make Their Last Journey Cheerful

According to the Report of the Technical Group on Population Projections for India and States 2011-2036, there are nearly 138 million elderly persons in India in 2021 and it is further expected to increase by around 56 million elderly persons in 2031.
There are 18 million homeless elderly persons in India based on the Longitudinal Ageing Survey of India 2020.

There are currently 728 old-age homes in India. In India, old age homes can be both public and private. In India, they offer a variety of geriatric services such as in-home care, hourly adult care, hospice care, palliative care, assisted living, and nursing homes.
These services are also determined by the disease indications.

According to one estimate, there are up to 18 million homeless elderly people in India. According to the Longitudinal Ageing Survey of India 2020, which was conducted between April 2017 and December 2018, nearly 5% of people aged 60 and above had experienced abuse, some at the hands of those close to them. The elderly population in India is expected to increase to 20% of the total population by 2050, up from 8.6% in the 2011 Census. This means that elderly abandonment and neglect could pose a serious threat to society's well-being. To that end, the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (Amendment) Bill, which is set to be enacted during the current monsoon session, appears to be a step in the right direction.

The definition of children is expanded to include adoptive children, stepchildren, and sons/daughters-in-law, in addition to biological children and grandchildren, including legal guardians of minor grandchildren who are legal heirs of the elderly person(s) concerned; the definition of parents now includes adoptive parents, parents-in-law, and grandparents, in addition to biological parents. The Bill also proposes to remove the Rs 10,000 ceiling on the amount of maintenance payable to parents, recognizing that the amount must reflect the needs of the parents as well as the capabilities of the children.

Abandonment, as defined by the new Bill, will result in a longer prison sentence than the 2007 Act. While some of these provisions are progressive, the law may not be able to fully account for growing family nuclearisation, economic constraints, migration, and so on.
All of these factors complicate the issue of elderly welfare beyond the payment of maintenance. Indeed, expecting families from diverse economic and social backgrounds to shoulder similar responsibilities—even when the ability of a ward/child is taken into account—is likely to exacerbate the plight of the elderly among the most vulnerable classes.

Aside from that, the government—both the federal government and the states—will need to prioritize the expansion of elderly care facilities. The 2007 Act required state governments to establish at least one old-age home in each district. The harsh reality is that only 482 of the country's 700-plus districts have care homes. There is also a significant unmet need for multi-service elderly daycare. The Bill now charges the Centre, the states, and other organizations with establishing old-age homes in districts. There is also a need to tap non-governmental funding; while there is significant CSR funding, institutions such as places of worship must be involved. Especially given how many of them are flushed. Most importantly, the government must establish an NPS-style pension scheme for the informal sector, which employs a sizable portion of the economically vulnerable. As this newspaper has previously stated, such a scheme, with reasonable contributions from both the beneficiary and the state, can secure the future of many people. The Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana has not been well received; the underlying issues must be addressed.

Smyle Mysha Welfare Society is willing to construct old age homes for these elderly people who do not have sheds on their heads. Willing to provide food to make their daily lives less stressful. Our NGO is doing everything possible to make this happen, but without your help, this cause will fail. SMWS also provides health care through our affiliated hospitals in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India ( Jeevan Sahara Hospital, Mayo Care Hospital ). Our first step will be to provide housing for these homeless seniors.

Let us unite the power of humanity to assist these senior citizens who have been struggling on the sidewalks and roadside to live their life.