A new survey on the International day for Older persons reveals that senior citizens get hurt and have a feeling of seclusion when the world refers to them as "retired."
Delhi-based NGO Agewell Foundation recently conducted a survey on 15,000 older persons in 135 districts spread over 25 states of India.
The survey aimed to identify changing and emerging needs of older Persons in modern society.Change in social environment and medical set up topped the needs of senior citizens followed by their psychological condition, financial status, interpersonal relationships, legal set up and religious conditions.
32 per cent of the older persons mentioned a lack of love and compassion in their life prominently and the use of the word 'retired' as the primary cause of their psychological problem.
"When people call me an old retired man, it hurts. I never feel that I am old, as I find myself as active and healthy as people in their 50s. I am looking for a suitable job to prove this," says Ravi Prasad Sharma, 62-year-old retired engineer from Chandigarh.
Psychiatrist Samir Parikh says it does not matter how people address you but what counts is how you take it and how society treats you.
"Calling anybody retired makes no difference and it depends on the individual how he feels from inside. Also, how his family and society treat him is equally important," he says.
Unfortunately, he says, the society does not treat its senior citizens with respect which needs to change.
Around 27.5 per cent senior citizens have said they desired respect and appreciation of their peers."What our country is today, is due to our senior citizens. How can you marginalise them socially, emotionally, financially and even politically? Senior Citizens should always be in the mainstream of any society or family," says Ashish Kumar Tripathi, a 67-year-old social activist from Jaipur.
Himanshu Rath, founder of Agewell Foundation who conducted this survey says, "They are not retired. It is just that the Government has stopped taking their services. They are young at heart and mind. They need respect and love from family and society which can do wonders for their later years."
Rath says, "Older persons do not want to compromise with circumstances and struggle for change in their lives. A majority of them feel that they have desired energy, strength, resources and capabilities to change circumstances according to their changed needs and requirements,"
Around 90 per cent of the older persons say they want a change in social treatment and perceptions towards them and an overall change in social environment so that they can better with their old age.
According to a quarter of those survey say they need emotional support and to keep themselves busy they would like to have more recreational opportunities in old age such as music, religious meetings, satsangs etc.
Interestingly, the survey found that every fifth old person enjoyed delving into the fantasy world, which keep them happy.Right from learning difficult dance moves to searching for jobs, the elderly are now trying to shift gears and engaging themselves in activities which one couldn't associate them with till some time ago.
"I have joined dancing classes to keep myself busy and fit. I think it is as beneficial as yoga or exercise. My doctor cautioned me not to do difficult moves. It does not let depression and loneliness creep in my life," says 68-year-old Shayam Sunder from South Delhi.