Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 15: Marking ‘World Elder Abuse Awareness Day’, HelpAge India today released findings from its 6-city survey “The Silent Tormentor: Covid 19 & the Elderly” delving into the impact and challenges faced by India’s elders during the pandemic.
The report unravelled some of the deep seated fears the country’s elders face. It delves into the lives of elders living in the ‘Household’ settings and those living in ‘Old Age Homes’ and assesses the impact and challenges of the Covid 19 pandemic on their lives. It examines the whole new culture of ‘work from home’ of family caregivers and its implications. It also probes into the concerns of Caregivers in both settings to understand their behavior and circumstances.
“What is heart wrenching about this report is that while elders have always been identified as the most vulnerable and susceptible to Covid19, the focus has been on physical health and few have noticed the dreadful impact the pandemic was having on their mental health and well-being. The report clearly brings out the sense of fear, worry and loneliness our elders are facing, and the increased risk of abuse due to growing dependency.
While battling health issues, they are also dealing with the loss of loved ones, and struggling at multiple levels. The report also addresses the urgent need, now more than ever, for building a strong and responsive eldercare system.
Covid19 had no precedence for us to be prepared, but now we can be. Elder needs must be given the priority, attention and resources it deserves, and even as family caregivers do their best despite challenges, Government, community and private sector must work together, to support caregivers and bring in elder friendly policies and programs”, said Rohit Prasad, CEO, HelpAge India.
The Survey with a sample size of 3526 respondents, was conducted across 6 major Tier 1 cities: Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Chennai, covering SEC A, B, C & D. The survey was conducted by a professional agency -Ipsos Research Private Limited.
HelpAge India is a leading charitable organization working with and for older people in India for the past 43 years.
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