Every human being has to undergo the inevitable phase of old age. Generally at old age, man is haunted by insecurity, desperation, helplessness and loneliness. Many people, who had lived good life in their productive age become insecure and helpless in old age due to variety of reasons. It may be due to neglect by their offspring in taking care of them or occupational needs of the children, who have to live far away from their parents.
In olden days, joint family system provided great cushion for senior members of the family. They were considered as treasures and guiding spirits for their experience and knowledge about religion, family history, values and traditional practices. But with the decline of joint family system in Indian society, senior citizens become vulnerable and had to bore the brunt of decaying cultural and societal values.
Globalisation has led to emergence of nuclear families, where due to occupational needs and professional compulsions, young people have to leave their old parent and settle down in far off places. Many at times, old parent decline to live with their children in other countries as they are attached to their village or city. Loneliness on one hand, leads to desperation and helplessness, but on the other hand, and more seriously old people are highly vulnerable to violent crimes. Senior citizens staying alone are easy victims for criminals, who want to loot their valuables. Many of these crimes result in brutal murders and ironically these murders are reported after a considerable delay when the dead bodies are highly decomposed. During the last 5 years, 59 aged senior citizens have been murdered in Bengaluru City alone. Many of theese victims of violent crimes were staying alone and culprits have taken advantage of their vulnerability to take away their valuables.
Safety and security of the senior citizens especially, who stay alone should be the top priority for civil society and government. In view of large number of murders of lonely senior citizens in coastal areas in late 1990s, Udupi District Police initiated a programme called ‘AASARE’ in the year 1998 to list all lonely aged households and special protection was provided to them. Apart from security, help in the form of counseling and routine running errands were also done for aged persons. Many other districts also emulated this programme as a community policing initiative. In order to provide for more effective provisions for the maintenance and welfare of parents and senior citizens guaranteed and required under the Constitution, Government of India enacted the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007. Later in the year 2009, Government of Karnataka enacted the Karnataka Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules. Some of the salient features of these rules are:
- The District Magistrate should ensure that, the life and property of senior citizens of the Districts are protected and they are able to live with security and dignity.
- The District Superintendent of Police, and in the case of cities, the Police Commissioner’s shall take necessary steps as per rule 21(2)(i) and shall maintain in each police station up-to-date list of senior citizens living within their jurisdiction, especially those who are staying alone.
- Police Officers at the police station level, as far as possible, along with a social worker or volunteer, shall visit such senior citizens at regular intervals i.e., at least once a month, and shall, in addition, visit them as quickly as possible on receipt of a request for assistance and listen to their grievance and also make an entry in their station diaries.
- Complaints/problems of senior citizens shall be given top priority by the local police. A committee shall be formed at each police station consisting of senior citizens and they shall meet at regular intervals to redress their grievances.
- District Superintendents of Police and City Police Commissioners shall submit monthly report to the Director General of Police about the status of crimes against senior citizens during the previous month, including progress of investigation, prosecution of registered offenses and preventive steps taken during the month.
- The beat Police appointed in each beat area shall obtain the telephone numbers of senior citizens in his area. The Senior Citizens shall be provided with the telephone number of the local jurisdictional police, beat police. The Senior citizens shall be made aware of the necessary steps to be taken during emergency situations.
- The beat police shall collect information about the cases of property disputes of senior citizens and keep a watch so that the senior citizens are not harmed by the respondent parties.
These rules, if effectively implemented will provide a safe and secured environment for all senior citizens, who live alone. Apart from implementation, authorities and voluntary agencies should create awareness among senior citizens about their rights and simplified procedures should be evolved to minimise running around and harassment. Love, compassion and sensitive approach will definitely go a long way in ensuring comfortable and safe living for all old people in evenings of their life.