1. What do you believe are the biggest challenges faced by elderly people in today’s society, especially those who are living alone or without adequate family support?
Answer: Elderly people also known as Senior Citizens especially those living alone or without sufficient family support face many challenges starting from the day they retire. Firstly getting all the money that is due to them from their employer. Second is managing their finances, keeping in view their reduced income post retirement and the ever growing inflation. Thirdly it has become common for cyber fraudsters to target elderly people as they are unaware of the nuances of digital transactions and operation of smartphones with advanced features. Lastly elderly people living alone face security threat as they are easy targets for unscrupulous elements. Sometimes even their domestic help and caretakers turn against them due to their vulnerability.
2. In your opinion, how can old age homes provide dignity, companionship, safety, and emotional support to senior citizens?
Answer: Old age homes can provide all the above provided they have staff who are dedicated towards service of elders and enjoy working with elderly people. There is no shortage of old age homes nowadays. The management and staff have to be empathetic towards the needs of their elderly residents. Only then can they ensure dignity, safety, companionship and emotional support to the elderly residents. The management must look at running old age homes not as a business but as a social service.
3. What role do you think families and society should play in ensuring that elderly people receive proper care, respect, healthcare, and emotional support?
Answer: Firstly the concept of children admitting their parents in old age homes is itself flawed. When parents can struggle in stressful work environments to provide a good life to their children, can’t the children, when they become adults, take responsibility of the well-being of their parents? It is the children who need to ensure proper, respect, healthcare and emotional support to their parents. If they don’t then how can they expect an old age home or some caretaker to do it?
4. Do you feel that old age homes should be viewed not as a place of abandonment, but as a supportive environment for elderly people who need care and companionship? Why?
Answer: It is abandonment. Whether children admit them or the elderly admit themselves out of fear of neglect at home. Instead of old age homes the concept of elderly day care centers or day activity centres should be encouraged so that in the day they can spend time with and enjoy companionship of people their age and in evening they can come back home to spend time with their children. It will be a best of both worlds scenario.
5. As an author, how do you think literature, storytelling, and writing can help create greater sensitivity and awareness about the needs and struggles of senior citizens?
Answer: Certainly, authors and writers can take up this topic. They can use their reach and audience to convey the needs of the elderly, create awareness and sensitise the general public, especially youth. Various tools like books, blogs, print media editorials and social media posts can be used by authors and writers to this effect.
6. Do you feel being an author and raising awareness is important on this topic? How would you like to use your voice and writing to encourage better elderly care?
Answer: Yes as an author myself, I feel it is important. Taking up more opportunities like this one can be used to convey my voice to a large audience which will hopefully reach the right people who are capable of practically implementing my views and ideas.
7. What message would you like to give to families, young people, and society about respecting, caring for, and standing by our elderly generation?
Answer: The elderly generation are our roots. It is through their sacrifices that we are what we are today. Barring a few exceptions no parents will neglect their growing children. So, children are duty bound to take care of their elderly parents, not as an obligation but as an act of Thanksgiving. Families must mould themselves in such a way that the elderly do not get neglected and that they receive adequate support, love and affection which they deserve. Society as a whole needs to keep it in mind that today’s young adults will eventually transform into elderly senior citizens one day. Therefore, all measures must be taken to ensure protection, care, dignity and respect for the elderly. In short, the elderly must not feel like they are a burden to their families and society. They must feel valued and loved till the time comes for the them to depart the world.
