Paradise lost for the aged

Paradise lost for the aged


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Bengaluru, known till recently as a pensioner’s paradise, is witnessing an increase in violent crime against elderly people, with criminals seeing senior citizens as easy prey and even family members assaulting older relatives, report Shilpa P. and Rajiv Kalkod The police is trying to keep a track of where senior citizens live so they can be provided security. Elderly people should have the telephone numbers of the local police station or police control room so they can call for help in case of an emergency
Alok Kumar Joint commissioner of police (crime)

: Not too long ago, Bengaluru was the perfect pensioners’ paradise with its balmy weather, gardens and the old world charm of some of its localities
Today not only is the city fast losing the ambience that once made it so special for the old, but it is also becoming dangerous for them to live in, if the growing number of murders of the elderly is anything to go by
Over the last year the city has seen three murders of old couples in their homes
Swamy, 75, and his wife Lakshmi, 70, were the latest, found murdered on Sunday in their home in Sampangiramnagar
While Bengaluru may be fast losing its reputation as a haven for the elderly, the number of the old living in the city has not decreased by any measure. It is estimated that there are as many as 3,00,000 people over the age of 60 in the city and their security is proving a matter of concern for the city police as many old couples live alone in their homes, with their children either abroad or living away from them after marriage
Unfortunately, some of them, who do have family around, find it difficult to rely on them for any kind of help as the relatives themselves sometimes end up abusing and beating them, says a recent survey by Nimhans. The survey found that 1 per cent of deaths among the elderly were due to injuries and shockingly, 13 per cent of the bruises and other more severe injuries they suffered were as a result of assaults by family members
“Most of the complaints we receive from senior citizens on the elders’ helpline are related to abuse they suffer over property matters, which they may not have bothered to settle in the past,” says Nightingales Elders Day Care managing trustee Radhamurthy
According to doctors, senior citizens are vulnerable to abuse as not only do they become physically weaker, but also because ‘ their mental faculties too are not as sharp as before
“Moreover, they suffer from feelings of inadequacy and disintegration of personality as they see their authority crumbling and their incomes falling,” explains Ashok Pai, a psychiatrist
‘ Living alone makes things only worse. “With the breakdown of values and people turning more self-centered and leading busy lives, even visits by relatives and relationships among neighbours are becoming rare in the city. This isolates the old, making them easy targets,” says Prakash Kariyappa, a human rights activist
Dr Radhamurthy feels it is important for the elderly to take precautions so that they are not sitting ducks for thieves and murderers in their homes. “They should stop living in isolated houses and choose community living, maybe in apartments, where security is taken care of. It is important for them to develop a good rapport with their neighbours. Also they must check the antecedents of their maids
And they should not display their wealth and speak much about it,” she suggests
In Dr Radhamurthy’s view, besides opting to install burglar alarms in their homes, the elderly should inform the police about their presence so that they can keep an extra vigil in their areas that they live in. ‘ Senior citizens often suffer from dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and depression, and tend to lead withdrawn lives. This makes them more susceptible to violent crime. They should join senior citizen groups and clubs so they are part of a network that can come to their aid
Dr Ashok Pai Psychiatrist “Elderly people living on their own should always keep in touch with their families. Frequent visits by relatives will deter robbers. Senior citizens should also inform the nearest police station about where they live
Most importantly, they should have emergency numbers and request the beat police to pay them a daily visit.” Krishna Bhat DCP (south)