Aging is a natural process. Modern science has increased the life span. But our old people have fare more problems today. They are losing affection and care. Most of them are thrown into old age homes.
Aging has become more burdensome in the post war consumer world. Everything is calculated in terms of business- “what is the monetary benefit for me?” Though due to progress in science, human age span has increased, aged people find it more difficult to cope with the society. Or the growing generations consider the aged people more troublesome.
What is Aging?
Aging is a natural process. It is the progressive decline in function and normal performance, which accompanies advancing years. It is the process of growing old, resulting in part from the failure of body cells to function normally or to produce new body cells to replace those that are dead or malfunctioning. There are biomedical and philosophical views about aging. What I have mentioned above is only related to the biomedical view.
In the most populated countries like India, aged people are finding it extremely difficult to pull on their evening days!
Yes, India is struggling in gray revolution. Currently, India is entering the gray revolution, ranking second among the countries population. Increasing number of old age homes is the proving evidence for this unhealthy trend of changing culture!
Why Old Age Homes are on the Increase?
Day by day the number of old age homes in India is increasing. The changes in the social and cultural life of the present nucleus families have made the old age people stand in the streets. They have no body to care for them.
Urbanization has forced both men and women seek jobs in distant places leaving the aged elders behind. They prefer to send them to old age home rather than keeping them in their houses. Private as well as government old age homes are filled to their maximum. This shows clearly that old age homes have become a necessity.
The survey studies of 30 old age homes in Delhi and the National Capital Region conducted last year revealed that family problems had prompted 70 per cent of old age home residents to seek the refuge of such homes. More than ten per cent of the residents opted for these homes because their children live abroad, another ten per cent did so because they had only daughters (social and cultural customs did not allow them to live with their married daughters) and yet another ten per cent had never married and, therefore, had no children to live with.
Living in old age homes is considered to be a curse. It is their Karma of the past that has made them to be separated from their children and live like exiled people! Hence these old people prefer living in faraway homes unknown to their relatives and they fear that they may be recognized as thrown out people! Such people even dare to end their life in some way!
Some seek old age homes because they feel that it gives old parents their freedom. It hurts the old when the children do not listen to them or do not have time to spend for them. Children want to be free from their old and the old do not want to tax their children any more!
In this busy age there is no other refuge for the widows and widowers to live in, than these old age homes. Moreover, nowadays the number of divorced and single is on the increase and old age homes have become a necessity for these people, especially for women.
Civilizations are changing and people live longer and have fewer children transforming the family structures. This has very important implications in terms of providing care to older people. As a result of this family structure trend and the global trend toward having fewer children, people will have less familial care and support as they age. Old age homes have become a necessity of change!
Although health conditions of the modern world have improved with advanced medical knowledge, reports say that in the next 10 to 15 years, the loss of health and life in every region of the world, including Africa, will be greater from non communicable or chronic diseases, such as heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, than from infectious and parasitic diseases. This represents a shift in disease epidemiology that has become the focus of increasing attention in light of global aging. Children do not have time or patience to take care of these sick. This is another danger signal for the old age people of the future!
Formerly caring the old was considered a Dharma or an act of charity. Aged people had to rely on their wards completely. But now the trend has changed. Pension schemes and retirement income assured by the governments are changing the attitudes of both elders and their next children. Even old people want to stand on their own and live independently.
Globalization has brought new economic challenges. Only productive population is expected to live, whereas non productive population is considered as a waste to be eliminated in some way. People look to governments to take care of these than sharing the responsibility themselves.
In the consumer world of today, affection is actually dying. Families are shattering. Human values and responsibilities are neglected. Seeking pleasure and carefree life at any cost is the growing trend of modern life. The increasing number of old age homes reveals clearly the death of human heart!
