No 'home' for the elderly in Bihar
PATNA: Patna is one of the cities which are witness to highest number of cases of abuse of elderly, according to a survey recently done by HelpAge India. Many of the city's senior citizens are not dependent on their children for financial support. Their pension and PF savings have, however, failed to help them get rid of their loneliness or, for that matter, uncaring offspring.
"We get at least 20 calls from elders asking for help every day. Most of them inquire about old-age homes," said HelpAge India's Bihar head Debabrata Ghosh. Social activist Shanti Ojha, who was running an old-age home till last year, added that the number of elders coming to her was far more than the beds in the old-age home.
Ojha downed shutters as she couldn't handle the family members of her old-age home inmates who would fight with her and forcibly take away their elders. "Over a year later, we continue to get quite a few calls every day," she said.
The state government is aware of the problem. "We are in the process of opening old-age homes in the state," state social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah told TOI on Monday.
The government's old-age homes are to come up at Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. Each home would have 100 beds. The DMs have been asked to initiate the land acquisition process, Amanullah said.
"We get at least 20 calls from elders asking for help every day. Most of them inquire about old-age homes," said HelpAge India's Bihar head Debabrata Ghosh. Social activist Shanti Ojha, who was running an old-age home till last year, added that the number of elders coming to her was far more than the beds in the old-age home.
Ojha downed shutters as she couldn't handle the family members of her old-age home inmates who would fight with her and forcibly take away their elders. "Over a year later, we continue to get quite a few calls every day," she said.
The state government is aware of the problem. "We are in the process of opening old-age homes in the state," state social welfare minister Parveen Amanullah told TOI on Monday.
The government's old-age homes are to come up at Patna, Gaya, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga and Bhagalpur. Each home would have 100 beds. The DMs have been asked to initiate the land acquisition process, Amanullah said.
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