The city, like others, has seen an increase in the number of elderly opting to stay away from their families, especially in the higher income groups. Retirement homes are now big business, with even big realtors venturing into it. These premium places offer facilities similar to top-end apartments, with the only qualification being an age of 50 or above.
Free homes are run by NGOs, with funding from the State government. Rajneesh Goel, Principal Secretary, Women and Child Development, said the mandate was to have one home for the elderly in every district of the State. “There are 31 and 27 are already functioning,” he said.
The city also has an Elders Helpline (1090), a joint project of the Bengaluru City Police and Nightingales Medical Trust, supported by the State government.
However, the free homes are overflowing. Says Shiv Kumar, advocate and volunteer with the Helpline: “The government has done very little. Increasing the pension is not enough.” Others point to the lack of standards and regulations for homes.
