BANGALORE: According to a recent study, over 60 per cent of the elders residing in Pensioners Paradise, aka Bangalore, experience abuse in some way or the other. With the change in the traditional values, cases of abuse and exploitation of elderly are on the rise. Looking at this alarming situation, Elders Helpline 1090, a joint project of Bangalore City Police and Nightingale Medical trust organised a road show on elder abuse to mark the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on Wednesday. An awareness walk that was kicked off from Lalbagh Gate saw curtains down at Sandhya Kirana, a day care centre for underprivileged senior citizens in Shantinagar.Over 150 elderly participated in the event from various projects of Nightingales along with 40 students from Poornaprajna School and volunteers from IBM.“Out of over 30 calls we receive every day on our help line, 60 per cent of them are cases of elder abuse.Whether emotional trauma or property related matters, elders reach out to us only when it becomes worse. This is because they do not want to go against their own people.Although we try to get the issues resolved, at times we feel helpless as there is not much that can be done legally. There is no act under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) over emotional abuse on elderly,” said Dr Radha S Murthy, managing trustee, Nightingales Medical trust.According to Radha, although The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, fills the gap in the law regarding the protection of senior citizens by their children or relatives, the law doesn’t seem to bring respite to elderly.“Although a tribunal was set up to solve cases related to elderly abuse, there are hardly any cases registered.Lack of awareness, and unwillingness on the part of elders towards taking a legal stand against their children or relatives might be the reasons behind the scenario,” said Radha and added that the need of the hour is a strong and reliable support system to identify and bring out cases and provide efficient and lasting solution.M V Savithri, KAS director, Department of Disabled Welfare and Senior Citizens who was present on the occasion said, “Our culture taught us to respect elders, however, now the situation has deteriorated to the extent that elders have to plead for respect. Our present generation thinks that by providing food, shelter and clothing, they are providing the world to the elderly.However, we need to realise that along with the materialistic help, they also need emotional support.”
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