Ever Wondered The Reason For The Increase Of Old Age Homes In India?

Old Age Home has nowadays become the only solution for children's who are unable to take care of their parents. According to to Population Census 2011, it is found that there are nearly 104 million elderly persons aged 60 years and above in India; of which 53 million are females and 51 million are males. A report released by the United Nations Population Fund and HelpAge India suggests that the number of elderly persons is expected to grow to 173 million by 2026. Currently 71% of the elderly population resides in urban areas while 29% are in rural areas. So what would be the reason for the increase in old age home? Ever Wondered?

With the changing times, children moves out

to different cities or even different countries with the aim of gaining better living aspects leaving behind their parents for whom it is not possible to adjust with the lifestyle changes which migration brings . In some cases while the parents agree to move in with their children, in other cases it is observed that when parents age, children starts to see them as a burden and a responsibility that they want to get rid off which lead them in abandoning their own parents. Such children should understand two things, one is that you will soon get older so remember the current situation you did to your parents. Two you were not sent by your parents to any orphanages to be taken care by other when you were born. Instead your parents too well care of you, educated you and showed you the right path which made you be steady at your current position. For such children who feels their parents are burden for them, then you need to remember a note here “Karma Is The Worst Boomerang Ever”.

Currently, In India, there are 728 old age homes. With the information available and after further research it is seen that out of 547 old age homes, 325 homes accommodates elderly people for free of cost, while 95 others charges for the accommodations while nearly 110 other homes have both free as well as pay staying facility available . Will you be shocked to hear that Kerala has the highest literary rate in India is also reported to have the highest number of old age homes in India? Yes. Kerala has the highest number of old age homes.

We live in a country that follows traditions and cultures. India has always been a nation of traditions where a child since its birth is taught to touch the feet of elders as a mark of respect. Don’t you feel it is considered as an insult to leave the parents at old age home, to not provide for them in their vulnerable age as many children consider taking care of their aging parents as a forced liability as their growing age weakens their physical ability.

Few decades back, the families in India were joint families with parents, grandparents, siblings their wives and children lived together under a single roof in a small town or villages. Those were the times when urbanization had not really hit the sub continent and the aging elders did not have to worry about someone taking care of them.

In today’s blog, let me highlight your with few major reasons for the increase in the number of old age homes.

Migration

When children go through sometimes from state to another or to another country, it makes it difficult for the elders to adjust with their children’s new surroundings as it is very natural to adjust in an experience to which you are foreign almost your entire life. Even if they do adjust they tend to feel very lonely while their children goes off to work. As the urban system which consists of living in flats or even houses in the cities had made people isolated in their own world owing to their hectic schedules . In these cases , children feel that if their parents will get the company of their own age then they will feel better and will be able to lead a happy retirement.

Fashion Of Nuclear Family

Opportunities have increased soo much that

children started moving away from their parents as the trend of nuclear families came in fashion. Also, the generation gap between the elderly and the young does not allow elders to accept some of their children’s choices like many still have objections to an independent working daughter in law. These issues creates rift in the family dynamics leaving no option other than to move the parents out of their houses. Since in India children never shy away from taking their parent’s savings which they had saved for their old age for their personal benefits and the middle class families can’t afford another place for the parents to live close by, parents ends up in the old age homes .

Further to few researches and article readings, there are some horrific cases reported where children tend to abandon their parents by the excuse of sending them off to pilgrimage or to any other city leaving them stranded. The reason this occurs is because the younger generation refuse to adjust with the older ones by being cruel and mean to them for their limited physical capability. In such cases, the passer by then drops them to the old age homes.

Physical Capability

Day by day our parents tend to grow old.

They will have health related issues, memory loss, and many such. Few children will be least bothered to take care of them and instead appoint a home nurse who takes care of their parents on behalf of their children. Seriously? Is that what is really needed? Well in one of my previous blog content “Ever Thought What Makes You A Good Parent?” I had mentioned about taking care of your children. I stated, It is a parents duty and responsibility to take care of the their children, sit with them, talk to them, spend time with them. Not at all the duty of a babysitter. If so then your kids will later appoint a home nurse for you when you get old and expected to have your children next to you. So remember, Karma is a horrible boomerang. What you do now, karma will return to you the more than you expect.

Safety & Security

While many children move out of their parent’s house for job or education purposes leaving their parents alone where they have no other option, their security always remain their prime issue. Though many youngsters have surveillance cameras and advanced security systems installed in the house , still the rising number of crimes against the elderly where the houses with just elder people becomes a target for robbery even murder is worth worrying. In such cases children feel the environment of old age to be safe and well secured for their parents. And when they return back after their job tenure/education they take their parents along with them to take care and spend a good time.

When a child is born it is completely dependent on its parents for its needs. Similarly there are such times when the human body gives up to age, making it difficult for the older people even to do their necessary works. In such cases, they become dependent on their children who will have to learn to adjust to the maximum to cater their parent’s needs. Else, when your time would come you would also die in old age homes with your own blood having no care about it.

It is not only Parenting you should learn, discuss, teach and know about. Each of us should learn how to to love our parents, take care of them, spend time with them, be respectful to them, and BE WITH THEM. You need to remember 2 thing my dear friends;

1.Your kids are watching you

2.Karma is a horrible boomerang

To all parents who are at old age homes, your children would have abandoned you in an old age home. Do not worry. Be happy that you are no longer living with such humans and now that you have come to a wonderful place where you can talk and be with other parents like you with good heart. Be happy and enjoy with your new family who will be with you.

All you need to do is, pray for your children that they shouldn’t go through this situation when they get old.

By

DE(Dheeraj Edat)