Symposium "Status of Older Persons in Nuclear Families"

Under the Series of Symposiums on Needs & Rights of Older Persons

Date: 29th December 2009 

Venue:

Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, Lodi Road, New Delhi

Key Speakers:

Smt. Vidyaben Shah

President, Senior Citizens Service Forum

Ms. Urvashi Butalia

Director and Co-founder, Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house

Dr. Varsha Das

Director, National Gandhi Museum

Ms. Meera Khanna

Vice-Chairpersons, Kashmir Intervention, Guild of Service

Agewell’s Symposium on

Status of Older Persons in Nuclear Families

New Delhi: Agewell Foundation, an NGO dedicated towards the welfare of Older Persons across the country, organized yet another symposium on “Status of Older Persons in Nuclear Families” under the series titled ‘Needs & Rights of Older Persons’ at Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road, New Delhi on 29^th December 2009.

The discussion in the symposium covered the topics related to needs & problems faced by the elderly members of society specially related to older persons living in nuclear/small families. Eminent and scholarly personalities like Ms. Urvashi Butalia, Director and Co-founder, Kali for Women, India's first feminist publishing house; Dr. Varsha Das, Director,  National Gandhi Museum;  Ms. Meera Khanna, Vice-Chairperson, Kashmir Intervention, Guild of Service and  Smt. Vidyaben Shah, President, Senior Citizens Service Forum lent their voice to the worthy cause by participating in the endeavour.

This symposium is an attempt by Agewell to sensitize the leaders, policy makers in particular and the society & other opinion makers in general to come together and raise their voice to empower the senior citizens of our country.  The problems faced by the aged members of our society can neither be understated nor ignored; they need to be looked after well. However, in different walks of life they are sometime not given the due attention.

Recently Agewell Foundation has also concluded a Survey on Status of Older Persons in Nuclear Families to study the status of older persons living in nuclear/small families. During the interaction, survey report was also discussed. Major findings of the study were as under;

 ·        Almost three-fourth (74.4%) older persons were found living in Nuclear families/ small families. Number of older women living in nuclear or small families is slightly higher (75.2%) than older men (73.6%).

·        73.5% of older persons of urban areas live in Nuclear families/small families.

·        24.1% older persons living in nuclear families reported that they are facing various kinds of social problems like alienation prominently.

·        19.6% older persons in nuclear families said that medical/health related problems are their most common problems.

·        17.0% of older persons agreed that they have lost their peace of mind due to legal/property related matters and 18.7% of older persons reported that financial problems are their most urgent problems.

·        Emergence of Nuclear families of older persons is on rise in the country, which is alarming situation for traditional family structure.

Agewell has created this platform for the welfare of the aged in particular and society in general to correct this state of affair and educate the society and various institutions serving them to be more compassionate and also in the process inform the young generation of impending problems which they may have to face when they reach the dusk of their life.

Speaking on their latest initiative Mr. Himanshu Rath, Founder, Agewell Foundation said, “Agewell is committed to ensure that the elder members of an aging society are given their due place with the social security. To this end Agewell has taken up this onus to inform and enlighten the younger generation, government bodies, private organizations and other stakeholders regarding the pitfalls faced by the older persons in what should be their golden sunset years.”

About Agewell

Agewell Foundation was established in 1999 as an NGO dedicated towards the welfare of Older Persons across the country. Agewell is bringing about a change in the perception of old age and assist older persons to move towards confidence, respect and mutual caring. It has established a consortium of over 1500 NGOs and 6500 volunteers spread across 540 districts of India, working on improving interaction and transaction between generations and extend support and strength to millions of older persons of India.

 

For more information, please visit our website: www.agewellfoundation.org