The process and consciousness of
ageing can be overwhelming, bringing with it the inevitabilities of loneliness,
death and irreversibility. Despite this, it may be deemed a positive experience
for many. However, its success does not merely depend on longevity of life but
the quality of life of an individual.
The joint family structure in
India has gone through many structural and functional changes and has seen a
gradual, yet steady decline. It has been replaced by the nuclear family set up,
synonymous with independent living and fewer filial obligations. An undesirable
effect of this has been the isolation of the elderly. This social change has
led to the dissolution of traditional means of support for them. An emerging crisis pertaining to the support
for such isolated elders looms in its place, instead. Who takes on the mammoth
task of responsibility for their care and support?
According to The Hindu, by 2050, India will be home to one out of every six of
the world’s older persons, and only China will have a larger number of elderly
people, according to estimates released by the United Nations Population Fund
(UNPF).
The report released by UNPF and
HelpAge India to mark the International Day of Older Persons — observed on
October 1 — suggests that India had 90 million elderly persons in 2011, with
the number expected to grow to 173 million by 2026. Of the 90 million seniors,
30 million are living alone, and 90 per cent work for livelihood.
The report says the number of
elderly women is more than that of elderly men. Nearly three out of five single
older women are very poor, and two out of three rural elderly women are fully dependents.
There is also an increasing proportion of elderly at 80-plus ages, and this
pattern is more pronounced among women.
The elderly are a vulnerable
section of society, susceptible to abuse and neglect which leads to depression,
health problems, cognitive decline and an overall low quality of life. In such
a scenario, it is absolutely necessary to address the problem with mindfulness
and compassion. It is the moral
responsibility of each person to contribute to eldercare – to provide financial
assistance and emotional support for their ageing parents or relatives.
However, the responsibility of
supporting and caring for elders lies not only on individuals but society as a
whole. Corporates have played a significant role in the past to ensure a
segment of their profit is efficiently contributed to the elderly cause. India
has one of the oldest traditions of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) - the
role of which has evolved over the last few decades. It is the ethical duty of businesses – big
and small - to give back to the community by supporting causes that better the
lives of the less privileged.
As per the new amendments of the
recently passed Companies Act-2013, setting up old age homes, day care centres
and such other facilities for senior citizens will now come under the purview
of CSR activities. As per the current provisions of Companies Law, certain
profitable companies are required to shell out at least two per cent of their
three-year annual average net profit towards CSR.
The Financial Express in a recent article reported, that according
to the Crisil CSR Yearbook, in fiscal 2015, small listed firms spent relatively
more on CSR than their bigger counterparts. While this is heartening, let us
hope that, in future, small and big corporates continue to work in tandem to
achieve a common vision – integrated social rehabilitation to enhance the lives
of senior citizens across the country.
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