While the Capital’s total population has grown at a rate of 51 per cent per decade, the population of senior citizens has grown at a rate of 61 per cent per decade, and there will be about 28.05 lakh senior citizens in Delhi by 2026.
The survey by Help Age India, working for the welfare of senior citizens, is a clear indicator that the Capital needs to be ready for the elderly in the coming years, especially at a time where a large number of crimes against senior citizens are reported.
As per the survey, around 29 per cent of the citizens above 80 years feel insecure. The feeling of insecurity is slightly higher among women.
The Delhi government has planned to construct 11 new old age homes in different parts of the city. Construction of some has already begun, while many are stuck in the bureaucratic deadlock. However, once all the homes are ready, it will be a relief for the senior citizens as the Capital currently has only two such homes: One in Lampur and the other in Bindapur.
“There are 50 seats each in the two existing homes, but only the Bindapur one is completely managed by the government. The one in Lampur is run in association with an NGO. Half of the seats there are paid ones, so those are vacant. There are just 25 people living in the Lampur home, while the one where expenses are fully borne by the government is overcrowded,” an official from the Department of Social Welfare said.
“The Delhi government gives admission to those who are in the age group of 60 years and above; have no one to support them; and are not suffering from any communicable diseases,” the official said.
While a large number of senior citizens fall in this category, very few have the option to go to a government-run facility whereas the private facilities are not affordable for them. Currently, there are 48 operational old age homes in the Capital including one private and two government ones.
The private homes charge between Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 6,000 for a dormitory where a person has to live with 20 others. For better facilities like a private room, a person has to pay a deposit of Rs. 8 lakh a year and then Rs. 10,000 per month for basic facilities.
Himanshu Rath from Agewell Foundation, working for the elderly, said, “There are almost no government facilities for senior citizens and the private ones are too expensive. If a person is able to pay around that much for an old age home, he/she might as well be able to live on their own.”
“There is a greater need to understand the issues of the elderly and address those immediately, given the fact that there are about 16 lakh senior citizens in Delhi and the number will grow in the coming years,” he said.
