2/28/17

Universal Dharma

http://www.smilefoundationindia.org/blog/2017/02/27/caring-parents-universal-dharma/

2/24/17

Caring for the old is our universal dharma

Recently I came across a story of an octogenarian couple in Smile Foundation's Facebook Page by its communication team. I am proud of working here. The Foundation, a child eccentric development organisation, is working in education, health, livelihoods promotion and for empowering women and adolescent girls with a life-cycle approach in India.

The story was about the struggle of survival of this old couple, whom Smile came across through its health camp for elderly people. They got married while they were still in their teens. The wife was just 14. Since they have traversed through thick and thin of their journey of life, together for every single day of their married life.They build a house for them and founded the family. 

Their four children, all grown up and married and living separately. Neither of them wanted to live with their parents, nor the parents would like to live with them now after their traumatic life experience of investing all their love, care and earthly belongings. One day their youngest son evicted them from the house with all their belongings.

They moved from villages to towns in search of a roof over their head and a livelihoods. The man had to start working again at the age of 65 and he is still working. He is scared to leave his wife alone when he goes to work. What a stroke of destiny awaited them after all their sacrifice to bring up their children! 

I am deeply touched by the ultimate love, devotion and selfless care that any relationship can ever attain. This has further strengthened my conviction in the ultimate goodness of people and the tireless work of the organisations like ours (Smile Foundation) towards human and social transformation. I am strengthened as an optimist. 

However, the residual impact of the story made me feel melancholic, as it woke me up to the realization of the hard fact that this is our society! Many people would feel that someone should file a PIL, I agree with them. However, my question is how many PILs can be filed as there are hundreds of thousands ? We have legal responsibility to look after our old parents. We have law safeguarding the rights of the old and also suitable welfare polices for them are in place. However, legal Intervention has its limitations and government alone can not address this problem.

This is not a one off story. The issue is far too deeper than it appears and addressing it symptomatically, is not going to bring an end to such inhuman action by humans. It is a hard truth that such perpetrators of such inhuman behavior are also part of our society as is this grand old couple. 

India being the home of  one out of every ten old age people, has the second largest population of old people. Besides the health problems associated with old age, socio-economic and socio-psychological problems of old people in the country is on the rise. 

Neglect of old people in general by the society and specifically by their children, are but symptoms of a much  larger problem linked to social and economic transition the country has been passing through.  More and more families have old parents whose children are either not willing to take the responsibility of their parents or are settled in far off places for their professional pursuits. 

All the materialistic progress we have achieved do not mean anything if we fail to become become more humane by embracing more kindness, love and responsibility and giving up greed and hatred. After all these are part of good social norms that any good society must have and protect. Moreover, neglect and discrimination of old age people is both a moral and legal violation. 

An overall shift of social attitude and reinforcing collective public consciousness can only bring a lasting solution besides ensuring strong implme nting mechanism on the ground for the old, differently abled, children, women and other weaker section to access their entitlements and assert their rights. 

As I conclude, I strongly feel that the problem of old age, can be addressed through well concerted efforts and collective action of all stakeholders. Its calls for a partnership of the state, corporate, philanthropic sector and the civil society organisations. 

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