OLD AGE HOMES (Originally written 02nd May 2006).

I recently had an opportunity to visit a 'home for the aged' near Pune. It is a very elaborate affair and requires large capital and high recurring cost to accommodate a ‘senior citizen’. There are independent ‘flatlets’ and all kinds of facilities to keep the aged occupied. A very impressive affair, all said and done. My wife has been visiting some of the more ordinary ‘homes’ and finds that they have some problems in common. The relatives of the aged visit the seniors rather infrequently and often it is a problem to make the seniors feel ‘wanted’.

This leads me to think of a simple and effective solution to the problems. We are still in the age of 'reservations' and 'quota' for everything from education, jobs, housing, etc. So why not reserve one or more ground floor home in every housing complex for the aged. I understand that about 7% of our current population is 'senior', so if we have such a reservation for say 3% in each housing complex (rounded off to one minimum), a major issue can be settled fairly easily. After all when some city areas are re-developed, the city requires one to reserve a percentage of the housing area for the ‘poor’, a small area for the electric sub-station, an area for garden, etc.. So why not reserve for the aged?

The advantages are numerous.

1. Proximity for senior citizens to their current or recent housing;

2. Relatives could be closer and keep constant contact;

3. more than one senior can be accommodated in a ‘guest house’ type of setup;

4. Common 'houseman', 'maid' and ‘nurse’ can be easily provided since other homes in complex will have some help on hand;

5. Easier to keep watch on the seniors who will still be part of the younger society;

6. The seniors could be useful (and most important - feel wanted), by looking after and even teaching some of the very young housing complex kids;

7. Such 'seniors’ guest houses' could be exempted from taxes and cess and even the housing complex could charge reduced maintenance thereby making the whole solution cheaper;

8. The cost of home to be borne by the complex so that there is no liability on the city or state which could give some subsidy as mentioned above; the per Member cost will be small.

9. Retired Members of complex can try to look after some of the wants of the 'seniors';

10. The high cost of speciality ‘homes’ can be avoided in this solution and the aged need not be hidden away for infrequent visits.

11. The current situation where the security of senior citizens in private flats, is a big question, would get solved. Currently, a large number of the youth are based away from their homes for economic reasons and their senior parents are left to fend alone for themselves. The attendant security problem is traumatic. This gets resolved if a common ‘senior citizen guest house is attached to every housing complex. Common security will do the trick.

This list could go on.

The disadvantage … I don’t see any, so leaving it to you readers to comment of this solution. Do write / email your comments.