The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Youth urged to take care of elders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 09, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Youth urged to take care of elders

Special Correspondent

Spreading awareness is an essential task of government and NGOs: Anbazhagan

— Photo: S.S. Kumar

ALL SMILES: Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan honouring Saraswathi Ammal at the World Elders Day celebrations held in Chennai on Monday. Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna is in the picture.

CHENNAI: Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan on Monday called for greater awareness of issues relating to senior citizens and the need for the youth to take care of the elders.

Speaking at the World Elders Day function organised by the Department of Social Welfare here, Mr. Anbazhagan said spreading awareness was an essential task of government and non- governmental agencies. The youth should be sensitised to the need for taking care of the elders in their family. Awareness meetings should be held in every district.

Earlier, he handed over the award for the best social worker serving senior citizens to V.S. Natarajan, senior geriatrician. Five women aged over 100 years — Saraswathi Ammal, Lakshmi Ammal, Jagadambal, Meenakshi and Sanjeevi Ammal — were honoured.

Social Welfare Minister Poongothai Aladi Aruna said the government made a budgetary allocation for building a senior citizens’ home in every district this year. While it was worrisome that the joint family system was disintegrating, the changes brought about by globalisation and privatisation put a huge burden on the youth. Dr. Poongothai joined Mr. Anbazhagan in distributing aid and appliances to select senior citizens.

Dr. Natarajan, winner of the B.C.Roy Award, was responsible for starting the first geriatric ward ever at the Government General Hospital here. Dr. Natarajan urged the government to start one geriatric ward in every government hospital. ID cards should be provided to elders and an insurance scheme introduced for them. He also urged the government to give senior citizens concessions in drug prices.

Social Welfare Secretary N.S. Palaniappan said the government was providing rice, clothing, shelter and pension to senior citizens. The presence of a large number of NGOs working with the State was one reason why Tamil Nadu was doing better than other States in the welfare of the elderly.

Social Welfare Director K. Manivasan said that according to the 2001 census, there were 3.7 crore elderly men and four crore women. The figure was projected to increase to 17.17 crore elderly people in 2025. So, it was imperative to prioritise the needs of the elderly.

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