P.K. Mam
Old age is an inevitable phase in one’s life through which one has to pass willingly or unwillingly, except where one’s life is cut short in young age by the icy hands of death. In our country, the populace of old age people is on increasing trend ever than before, because of longevity in span of life due to awareness of health consciousness, improved standard of living amongst people and development focus by Govt. in health sector.
Old age is bound to degenerate both physical and mental health leading to various diseases thereby substantially impairing quality of life. However, it is also a fact that society is not adequately prepared to face challenges in terms of required support system available for increased old age population which eventually poses different problem on their lives.
At this stage of life, the old people don’t crave for any materialistic things as appetite for delicacies, wealth or cozy space etc is lost; unlike the need for the same felt in active life. However, they simply expect love, affection, understanding, sympathy, emotional, financial and social support to ease age related woes.
Due to conversion of traditional joint families to nuclear ones, change in life style, seeking better opportunities outside for their progenies, limited family members, adopting strictly two family norms (problem is also where only female children are born in family) family discords and disturbance, death of companion or any other sole dependents, the support and services as essentially required at the fag end of life to the old person are not available. Some other factors viz inability to make adjustment, temperamental changes, generation gaps, increased life expectancy, feeling of isolation, insecurity, absolute dependence on others add to old age problem.
In short, the life of an old aged person becomes miserable day by day due to lack of concern by own family members, fellow beings, dearth of professional service providers and able bodied dependents to share responsibility, in the absence of alternative organized support. Here, the urge to live long is extinguished. Ultimately, the old person desperately and patiently waits for death to bring him freedom from clutches of pain, misery because of incurable age related ailments. In realty, the old age phase is a punishment which can prove to be a curse in general.
Further, the problem of old age people is bound to grow in coming times. Let us not lose any more time to listen to them and come out with proper plan to ameliorate their problem. Today, we can afford some time to try to share their concern, tomorrow it will be our turn but no one will be there to speak for us at that stage.
It is high time that civil society and Govt. join hands together and endeavour to solve the problems of old age people which can be done by taking up project for construction and building old age homes, with availability of proper infrastructure and old age security mechanism (includes insurance, provision of helpers, nurses medical aid and other maximum possible facilities) on affordable payment and above all in the service of God so that their residual part of life passes in a dignified and peaceful manner before bidding good bye to this mortal world.
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