INDIA: Amritsar's Seniors Finding Solace in Old Age Homes

AMRITSAR (OnlyPunjab.com), September 13, 2005: India has a rich tradition of joint families, where the youngsters follow the guidelines of their elders. However, in this modern age, with the advent of the nuclear family, old people suffer a lot. Many live lonely lives, and in Amritsar, an astonishing number of old people in search of a new life, form a tiny little world of their own. The Chabbras are a few of the lucky ones, who in their old age enjoy every precious moment with their family. Be it a cup of tea in the evenings or playing with the grandchildren, every moment for them is memorable. The cloth merchant in Amritsar, a family of 32 members is the ultimate example of a Joint Family System in India. But, there are not many as lucky as the Chabbras. Far away from their kith and kin they live in what are euphemistically called 'homes' for the elderly, but not many people favour such type of set ups. “The new generation should not forget that just as their parents are old, they too will one day become so. If we behave badly with them, tomorrow the same thing could happen to us. Everyone should take it very positively,” said Rak Kumar, a resident of Amritsar. After long eventful lives, instead of the pleasure of playing with one's grandchildren, the old people have been left to spend time all alone. Although, old-age homes give them a feeling of similarity, a sympathy and empathy in their togetherness, the fact remains that in the flux of social norms, the fading of age-old tradition brings them to live away from their near and dear ones. “There has been a rapid change in the society, a change in the thinking of people. Each parent goes through such an experience, but one learns of it from the past. If parents tell a child not to do a certain work, the child does it just to overcome the parents. Now children do not want to live with their parents and grandparents. They want to live separate lives,” said Dev Raj Sharma. The senior citizens in Amritsar have discovered a new mantra of living a dynamic life. Away from all stress and tensions, their morning walk routes have become almost a club for them where they meet friends, exercise, discuss worldly affairs like the ups and downs in the stock market, health matters and other such issues. But despite facing all odds, these senior citizens find a way out to enjoy life to the fullest and this keeps their spirits high. “If one talks about tension, a school going child carries a bag double the weight of his body. In this age of commercialisation, a businessman lives in tension. We come here every morning to relieve our tension. This park is like a playground for us where we play various games and try to get relief from all our worries. To resolve issues we have worked out an assembly and a Parliament,” said Dilbagh Singh, a senior citizen. Old people may need old people, but they need the young too, and young people need to come into contact with the old. But with changing times, a gap has developed between the elderly and the younger generations. The changing lifestyle and increasing demands of an individual has made people more self-centred. Statistics have revealed that the number of old people in India, has increased manifold. In the 1950's it the number of people above 60 was a mere 5.6 percent of the total population, and it is going to be around 14.4 in 2025.