MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME: S. Natarajan, former Judge of Supreme Court, declares open the Swathi Elders' Home in Thanjavur on Friday.
They are `elders and not old persons'
THANJAVUR, TAMIL NADU (The Hindu), November 6, 2005:
While it is not welcome in a country like India where joint family concept was in vogue in the past to have old age homes, the fast-changing times has made old age homes a necessity in this country also. Nuclear family concept is fast catching up.
Younger generation is moving to various places and countries in search of jobs, education, research, trade, etc. So old age homes have come to stay remain as they can provide security to elders.
An old age home named Swathi Elders' Home was inaugurated on Friday at the Guild of Service complex at Ganapathy Nagar in Thanjavur.
Justice S. Natarajan, former Judge of the Supreme Court declared open the new building. Sumitha Veera Shanmugha Moni, Chairperson, Guild of Service, Thanjavur lit the kuttuvilakku to mark the inauguration.
The home, constructed at a cost of Rs.3.7 Million by the Swaminathan Padmavathi Educational and Charitable Trust, has 12 rooms in which 24 persons can be accommodated. A.M. Swaminathan, a retired IAS officer, is the Managing director.
Dr. Swaminathan said that the home has been named elders' home instead of old age home to indicate that aged people are elders and not old which gives an impression that they are "useless". Elders give the meaning seniority, which has rich experience.
Twenty-five persons in the age of above sixty can share their experiences and live along with the young and children in the Guild of Service complex.
He also said that the unique feature of the Swathi Elders' Home was that it is located in the heart of the town and elders can go to any place in the town easily.
Donating the building to Guild of Service, Dr. Swaminathan handed over the keys of the building to the District Collector M. Veera Shanmugha Moni.
The Collector said that migration of youth from villages to urban areas resulted in ignoring old parents sometimes. In such situation, old age homes became a necessity to provide peace and security to the elders.
"We must teach our younger generation to respect their parents," the Collector said.
S. Rajendran, who constructed the home, said that the building has been constructed with no steps in it after two steps at the entrance to facilitate old people to move around easily. Ramp will be provided when construction is taken up upstairs.
According to Swaminathan, the home has a library, television room and a room for indoor games with play equipments for carrom, chess, etc.
"There are four hundred books now in the library and our plan is to have 1000 books most of which will focus on aging and old persons," Mr. Swaminathan said.
By G. Srinivasan
© Copyright 2000-2005
The Hindu
November 6, 2005
INDIA: Thanjavur Elders' Home Marks Changed Perceptions of Family Life
MAKE THEM FEEL AT HOME: S. Natarajan, former Judge of Supreme Court, declares open the Swathi Elders' Home in Thanjavur on Friday.
They are `elders and not old persons'
THANJAVUR, TAMIL NADU (The Hindu), November 6, 2005:
While it is not welcome in a country like India where joint family concept was in vogue in the past to have old age homes, the fast-changing times has made old age homes a necessity in this country also. Nuclear family concept is fast catching up.
Younger generation is moving to various places and countries in search of jobs, education, research, trade, etc. So old age homes have come to stay remain as they can provide security to elders.
An old age home named Swathi Elders' Home was inaugurated on Friday at the Guild of Service complex at Ganapathy Nagar in Thanjavur.
Justice S. Natarajan, former Judge of the Supreme Court declared open the new building. Sumitha Veera Shanmugha Moni, Chairperson, Guild of Service, Thanjavur lit the kuttuvilakku to mark the inauguration.
The home, constructed at a cost of Rs.3.7 Million by the Swaminathan Padmavathi Educational and Charitable Trust, has 12 rooms in which 24 persons can be accommodated. A.M. Swaminathan, a retired IAS officer, is the Managing director.
Dr. Swaminathan said that the home has been named elders' home instead of old age home to indicate that aged people are elders and not old which gives an impression that they are "useless". Elders give the meaning seniority, which has rich experience.
Twenty-five persons in the age of above sixty can share their experiences and live along with the young and children in the Guild of Service complex.
He also said that the unique feature of the Swathi Elders' Home was that it is located in the heart of the town and elders can go to any place in the town easily.
Donating the building to Guild of Service, Dr. Swaminathan handed over the keys of the building to the District Collector M. Veera Shanmugha Moni.
The Collector said that migration of youth from villages to urban areas resulted in ignoring old parents sometimes. In such situation, old age homes became a necessity to provide peace and security to the elders.
"We must teach our younger generation to respect their parents," the Collector said.
S. Rajendran, who constructed the home, said that the building has been constructed with no steps in it after two steps at the entrance to facilitate old people to move around easily. Ramp will be provided when construction is taken up upstairs.
According to Swaminathan, the home has a library, television room and a room for indoor games with play equipments for carrom, chess, etc.
"There are four hundred books now in the library and our plan is to have 1000 books most of which will focus on aging and old persons," Mr. Swaminathan said.
By G. Srinivasan
© Copyright 2000-2005
The Hindu
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