Senior World Chronicle

Senior World Chronicle

Senior World Chronicle is a blog providing news affecting senior citizens. It was started in 2000 with just three posts in the entire year. In 2008 the number of posts was 3500 and in 2009 it is bound to cross 4200. News items from all over the world from varied countries like China, Cuba, USA, Nigeria, New Zealand, Philippines, Canada and many other others. India is also covered.

This blog provides one news item per view. There is a chronological expandable index. Every page has a photo of a senior citizen. There is a daily quote thrown in as lagniappe. As news items are taken from newspapers websites etc images are included. One can follow the contents on a daily basis via Twtter ID: seniorworldchr also. Though the URL for the blog is: http://www.seniorworldchronicle.com/ it is really a blog on Google’s Blogspot.com

The coverage is comprehensive, current, carefully selected news items that relate to some aspect of ageing or the other. The blog is owned and maintained by Ravi Chawla who is veteran reporter and journalist. He is a senior citizen (73) himself, widely traveled with experience of having lived in many countries.

If anyone is interested in following seniors News around the globe Senior World Chronicle is THE source. If anyone is satisfied with news emanating in India only then the blog: http://vyasa-kaaranam-ketkadey.blogspot.com/ will do. The latter is an equally good source for news items on senior citizens in India. This is maintained by Dr P Vyasamoorthy of Society for Serving Seniors, Secunderabad.

Everyday is a party for these senior citizens (surat)

Everyday is a party for these senior citizens

SURAT: For these senior citizens, life begins at 60. They have started
living life king size after retirement. They have formed a mandal and
meet
in a garden every day for party and to gossip. They ask, "Why should
young have all the fun?" They follow the principal of social dating
and never miss their date.

A group of women sing bhajan's loudly and offer prasad of chocolates
to every one around. Some elderly people make it a point to visit the
Swami Vivekananda Garden on Bhatar Road just to have the sweets.
Someone from a group of about 50 men and women bring snacks from home
and it is party every day. They share food, laugh and pray together
although they don't even know everyone in the group by name.

Shashikant Jariwala, 71, a retired businessman living in Sant Tukaram
Society, says, "We have our men's party twice or three times a month.
We arrange for drinks and enjoy." He adds, "I think government should
relax prohibition for us."

Bhupendra Prajapati, 76, another retired businessman of Jamnanagar,
says, "We enjoy our parties and share the expenses."

Retired policemen Kashinath Kalal, 79, and Maniram Pendale, 74, who
draw a monthly pension of nearly Rs 5,000, add, "For us, these three
hours are wonderful. We forget all our worries."

Kala Patel, 65, a former school teacher, who has been a regular
visitor to the garden since last 10 years, says, " This place is like
heaven for us as there is no one to disturb us here. We can sing our
bhajans and even party."

Savita Patel, 62, another retired school teacher, says, "We come here
daily as we can't pass time sitting home." When asked of problems at
home, most of them say they have no major problems.
============
Source:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/surat/Everyday-is-a-party-for-these-senior-citizens/articleshow/5181365.cms

IPS officer evicted, octogenarian gets back her house

Comment.
Remember the case of Lotika Sarkar's house / estate being usurped by
an IPS officer who entered as a guest but stayed on to cheat her?
Finally justice seems to have been done, thanks to Tribunal set up
under Seniors Law.
=========================================

IPS officer evicted, octogenarian gets back her house

New Delhi: In a major relief to 87-year-old academician Lotika Sarkar,
a Tribunal today directed Delhi Police to evict senior IPS officer
Nirmal Dhoundial from her house on Friday, holding he had grabbed the
property by deceit.

The Central District Tribunal, part of nine tribunals appointed by
Delhi government to address grievances of senior citizens, also
directed the Deputy Commissioner of police (south district) to
immediately evict the Dhoundials from Sarkar's property at L1/10 in
Hauz Khas Enclave.

The tribunal declared a gift deed secured by the Dhoundials to grab
the property as "null and void".

"A gift deed secured through deception, through a criminal act in
which property belonging to a senior citizen has been deceitfully
taken without her actual legitimate consent has no validity in law and
on that ground this tribunal declares the same as void," it said in
its verdict.

The Tribunal was approached by NGO All India Centre for Development of
Education and Environment (AICDEE) seeking justice for Sarkar, a
former Delhi University Professor of law.

The Tribunal also directed the district social welfare officer (South
District) to visit Sarkar at least once in a week to enquire about her
well being.

The Delhi government on October 1 had notified implementation of the
Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007 in the city which
provides for compulsory maintenance and welfare of senior citizens.

Delhi is the first state to implement the provisions of the Act passed
by Parliament in 2007.

The sub-divisional magistrate (Hauz Khas) will have to place a
fortnightly report to this Tribunal on welfare of Sarkar so that she
is not subjected to further vulnerability, the three-member Tribunal,
headed by A V Prem Nath, said.

Sarkar had moved a petition in the Supreme Court also accusing
Dhoundial of taking her property through a gift deed secured through
deceit in 2007.

The Tribunal also held the claims of the Dhoundials that Sarkar gifted
the house voluntarily and out of love to them and that it was a legal
transfer, are manufactured, deceptive and far from truth.

Motivated by financial gain, the Dhoundials carried out their planned
heist and robbed Sarkar of her estate and in the process also deprived
her of her right to live in her house with dignity, the Tribunal said.

The Tribunal also criticised the Delhi Police for failing to arrest
the culprits in the case.

"Inefficient, indifferent and influenced South District Police seems
to have made a mockery of this investigation from the beginning," it
said.

"There is reason to believe that the acts of the investigating
officers of Hauz Khas Police Station and of monitoring officers of
South District have not been in the interest of dispensation of
justice to Lotika Sarkar."
===
http://ibnlive.in.com/news/ips-officer-evicted-octogenarian-gets-back-her-house/104254-3.html

Sent by P Vyasamoorthy

Cops start helpline for elders (Allahabad)

Cops start helpline for elders

Kapil Dixit , TNN 15 October 2009, 09:38pm IST

ALLAHABAD: Elderly can now heave a sigh of relief. The police
department has launched a helpline for senior citizens asking them to
register
their complaints/grievances on it and police would be at their
doorstep for immediate help.

The move comes following some brutal killings of elderly people and
increased cases of attacks on them in the district.

DIG\SSP Chandraprakash told TOI, "We have started receiving complaints
from senior citizens on the helpline and the police stations concerned
have been asked to get in touch with the complainants and sort their
problems grievances at the earliest." He said that cops have been
strictly told to offer immediate help to the elderly and that any
laxity on their part would be invite punishment.

Meanwhile, senior police officials have appealed to senior people to
register their complaints on the helpline. Further, the police will
not disclose the identity of the complaints who want to register
complaints without revealing their names. There many elders in the
city who are humiliated by their own families. Such people want to use
the helpline but want to keep their identities hidden fearing a
backlash from their family members.

Wednesday killing, where an aged couple was put to death in Handia,
has again raised the issue of safety of elderly in the district. In
fact, this was the seventh case reported in the city after Lukerganj
incident when an elderly was done to death. In Lukerganj, a
85-year-old person was found murdered in his room. The case is yet to
be sorted out.

"These incidents have not only rocked the entire city but have also
instilled fear in the senior citizens in the city and adjoining
areas," said 72-year-old R K Pandey. However, grievances of elderly
could be addressed if police officials make some sincere efforts,'' he
added.

Cops too admit that the security of senior citizens, for long, has
remained a cause of concern in the district. ``Earlier, there was no
proper mechanism in place to ensure security for elderly, but with
this helpline things can be better for them,'' said a cop.

Meanwhile, the police are also busy updating the records of senior
citizens thana wise. In the past eight months, nine senior citizens
were killed and 23 others looted and assaulted in the district.

The senior police authorities have assured that they would hold
regular meetings with elderly people and would hear their grievances
besides telling them about some security measures. Old people,
especially those residing in isolated colonies, often end up as soft
targets for the criminals.

Many senior citizens are also victims of domestic misbehaviour and
violence, with no proper mechanism in place to ensure their safety.
Even police admit that besides becoming gullible targets to criminals,
many senior citizens are subjected to domestic abuse. Many victims,
however, fear banishment from the family refrain from lodging a
complaint with the police.

Police officials have issued instructions to beat in-charges asking
them to immediately respond to any complaint from an elderly person.
The rationale behind this is that beat in-charges, owing to their
proximity to an area, can immediately rush to the help of elderly.

Helpline Number -- 0532-2440700, 2250600

Elderly persons can now meet DIG/SSP Chandraprakash every Thursday
between 12 noon and 1pm and narrate their problems to him.

In A Nutshell
* Police to popularise its elderly helpline
* Elderly records are yet to be updated thana wise
* A total of nine murder cases of elderly reported in past eight
months in the district.
* Scheme to prompt disposal of complaints underway.
* Each day, three or four complaints being put up before senior cops.
* Plan of updating the list of old age and childless couples now see the light.
* Couples demanding to take their cases to fast track for speedy disposal.
Safety measures
* Facility of private security guard can be avail after proper verification.
* Jewellery, extra cash and costlier articles should be kept in bank lockers
* Services of domestic help, milkman, and other helpers should be
availed only after proper police verification.
* Elderly can seek help from neighbours/acquaintances at the times of
crisis. They can also helped by alarm systems.
* Always have police officials mobile/landline numbers for help.
============
Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/allahabad/Cops-start-helpline-for-elders/articleshow/5128499.cms

Dr P Vyasamoorthy,
30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph 040-27846631 / 9490804278
http://www.google.com/profiles/vyasamoorthy.

Geriatric practice in Lucknow

Dr Shukla talks of a five minutes solution to avoid serious health problems of elders.
For example: if the elderly complains of pain in the abdomen, then the reasons behind this could be gastritis, constipation, change of season and may be a mild cardiac arrest. In case the first three reasons have been ruled out, the fourth means emergency. Similarly, if the elderly is diabetic, a urinary infection or swelling in the feet hints when to take the person to the doctor.

in reference to:

"For example: if the elderly
complains of pain in the abdomen, then the reasons behind this could be
gastritis, constipation, change of season and may be a mild cardiac arrest. In
case the first three reasons have been ruled out, the fourth means emergency.
Similarly, if the elderly is diabetic, a urinary infection or swelling in the
feet hints when to take the person to the doctor."
- Not an uphill task - Lucknow - City - The Times of India (view on Google Sidewiki)

Better designed wheelchair from Nomad

Many senior citizens are stuck to their wheelchairs most of the time. Any design improvement is welcome especially if it is from a real user! See www.nomadwheelchairs.com

in reference to:

"Much like Club Bounce, which we just wrote about, Nomad Wheelchairs grew out of an entrepreneur's personal need. After spending over a decade in a variety of wheelchairs, director Mark Owen decided it was time to create a product he'd actually be proud to use. Launched just six months ago, the company's first product is the mrk1.

Consumers' increased interest in—and knowledge of—design is influencing manufacturers in every product category, and mobility products are no exception. The mrk1's minimalist appearance, customizable upholstery and careful finishing create an aesthetically pleasing product. Adjustable brakes and axle, improved caster arm and limited number of moving parts, meanwhile, ensure a better functioning chair that is lightweight and durable, with as smooth a ride as possible.

Given the fact that some people spend most of their waking hours in a wheelchair, it's only logical that both its looks and function should make for a pleasurable experience. Long overdue, there's a growing interest in improving that aspect of the health industry, which in turn creates sound opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Website: www.nomadwheelchairs.com
Contact: info@nomadwheelchairs.com"
- Springwise newsletter | 29 October 2009 (view on Google Sidewiki)

Senior Citizens Housing

Read TOI story about Dhyanaprastha and Saket Pranam in Hyderabad. Why and how senior citizens are preferring to buy and move to hasslefree living with decent standards of service are showcased here.

PGK Prabeer, Rao Chelikani and PS Pant are mentioned.

in reference to: Building on twilight dreams - Hyderabad - City - The Times of India (view on Google Sidewiki)

Good response to senior citizens’ helpline (Ahmadabad)

Good response to senior citizens' helpline

The helpline receives 10-15 calls a day from elderly people seeking
help with civic issues, information about government schemes or with
complaints about harassment by children and neighbours

By Dilip Patel
Posted On Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 02:51:11 AM

The state government has decided to set up four homes for senior
citizens in the state at a cost of Rs 32 lakh
We usually consult our family elders for guidance when faced with a
dilemma. But who do the senior citizens turn to, in times of need,
especially when living alone or being neglected by their children?

To address this concern, the state social welfare department started a
helpline for senior citizens on October 1. The helpline, run by the
state IT department, is receiving very good response from the elderly,
sources said.

Social Welfare Minister Fakirbhai Vaghela said, "Our state has 40 lakh
citizens aged 60 and above. The helpline (18002335500) receives 10-15
calls a day. The calls are from senior citizens who are living alone
or are being harassed by their children, neighbours or
daughters-in-law, seeking help. Some call up to get information about
government schemes for senior citizens."

The complaints are diverted to the social welfare department, where
the officers take up individual cases and call up the senior citizens
to solve their problems.

"In case of crime-related complaints, social welfare officials
accompany the citizens to the police station to help them register
their complaint. If their children are not ready to keep them, we make
arrangements for their stay at a senior citizen's home," Vaghela
added.

New old age homes to be set up
The state government has decided to set up four senior citizens' homes
in the state at a cost of Rs 32 lakh, including one in Gandhinagar.
Sources said NGOs will be given grants of Rs 600 per senior citizen if
they are willing to run these homes.

At present, there are 145 NGOs working for senior citizens in the
state and 24 such homes run but the state government. In case of
public-private partnership, the government is read to provide land to
set up such homes.

Vaghela said, "Orphaned or homeless children may also be housed in
senior citizen homes. The children, who don't have parents or
guardians, can learn values from the elderly. The senior citizens in
turn will enjoy the company and affection of these kids."

The social welfare department is also planning to adopt the children
of HIV-positive couples and keep them in children's homes, if their
parents so desire. There are currently 1.44 lakh AIDS patients in the
state.
=======
Source:
http://www.ahmedabadmirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=3&contentid=2009102920091029025111468e57a706&sectxslt=
=====

Dialysis may affect mobility in frail elderly with end-stage renal disease

(I was under the impression that there is no alternative to Dialysis for ESRD)

Dialysis may affect mobility in frail elderly with end-stage renal disease

Thursday, October 15, 2009 21:24 IST

Washington: Researchers suggest that before offering the treatment,
kidney specialists need to weigh which elderly patient suffering from
end-stage renal disease (ESRD) would benefit the most from either
dialysis or conservative therapies.
click here

Dialysis provides artificial replacement of lost kidney function,
passing a patient's blood through a machine that filters out
impurities normally captured in the organ. The treatment can be
lengthy and physically challenging for patients.

Conservative treatment, which does not involve dialysis, focus on
medicines to decrease the symptoms of the kidney failure places less
physical stress on patients and can result in a better quality of
life, particularly for patients in ESRD.

The researchers have found that elderly patients with ESRD have
multiple functional impairments, physical symptoms and a high rate of
depression, facts that require an integrated, holistic approach to the
care.

There are also increased rates of frailty, cognitive dysfunction and
geriatric syndromes such as falls and hospitalization involving elders
undergoing dialysis.

"To care effectively for these persons, we must now learn much more -
we must define who among this population will benefit most from
dialysis and who will benefit most from conservative therapy," said
the researchers.

Lead researchers Mark L. Zeidel, and Robert M. Arnold said that small
studies that examine the outcome of patients who elect conservative
therapy over dialysis suggest that mortality and quality-of-life
outcomes do not differ very much among selected patients who undergo
dialysis and those who do not.

They believe it is critical that larger studies be designed to
determine the actual benefit of dialysis for frail elders.

The study conducted over home residents on dialysis. It found poor
overall outcomes, in the first year after initiation of dialysis with
58 percent of residents dying and 29 percent having a decrease in
functional status. Only 13 percent maintained functional status.

They found that elderly patients with ESRD have multiple functional
impairments, physical symptoms and a high rate of depression, facts
that require an integrated, holistic approach to the care.

There are also increased rates of frailty, cognitive dysfunction and
geriatric syndromes such as falls and hospitalization involving elders
undergoing dialysis.
=============
Source:
http://www.dnaindia.com/health/report_dialysis-may-affect-mobility-in-frail-elderly-with-end-stage-renal-disease_1299443

Tribunal orders elderly couple’s son, daughter-in-law to vacate parents’ flat

Happy to report first case under MWPSCA in Delhi
======================================
Tribunal orders elderly couple's son, daughter-in-law to vacate parents' flat

Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar

NEW DELHI: In the first ever case under the Maintenance and Welfare of
Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, that came into effect on
October 1 this year on International Senior Citizens' Day, the
Maintenance Tribunal of the Central District of Delhi on Tuesday
ordered the son and daughter-in-law of a septuagenarian man to vacate
his house in Prasad Nagar here after he accused them of ill-treating
and harassing him and his wife.

A senior Delhi Government official said the case acquires significance
since following the Lotika Sarkar case attempts are being made to
protect the rights of senior citizens across the country. Under the
new Act, even a gift deed can be invalidated by the maintenance
tribunals. These tribunals are also empowered to impose penalties up
to Rs.10,000 and award up to three months' imprisonment.

Seventy-two-year-old Komal Singh, a resident of 40-B, LIG Flats,
Prasad Nagar, in his complaint had stated that his 34-year-old son
Brijesh and 33-year-old daughter-in-law Manpreet Kaur live along with
him with their only child.

He complained that Brijesh, his only son, got married in November 2003
to Manpreet Kaur and they requested that they be allowed to stay in
the family house for a month after their marriage. However, they did
not vacate the house thereafter and started harassing the petitioner
by direct and indirect methods, Mr. Singh charged.
Ill-treatment

The senior citizen also submitted that his wife, who is about 66 years
old, is disabled and suffers from cardiac problems and diabetes. He
charged that she had also been ill-treated and harassed by his son and
daughter in-law. He also complained to the Tribunal that he and his
wife had been subjected to physical cruelty and torture and complaints
had been made to the local police in this regard.

The Tribunal, comprising Additional District Magistrate and Presiding
Officer A. V. Prem Nath and Members C. P. Gupta and N. N. Dewan,
ordered the Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Karol Bagh to submit a
fact-finding report and on going through it said the petitioner had
genuine safety concerns and was feeling intimidated by the opposite
party who happen to be his own son and daughter-in-law.

It said that "as a responsible father who brought up his only son and
got him married twice and planned for his rosy future", the applicant
and his ailing wife had "initiated some steps in order to work
constructively together to heal their family feud. But the same
required a commitment from his son and daughter-in-law who were not
reciprocating".

Noting that "Brijesh Kumar and his wife have not refrained from
soliciting other people's support to their 'cause' of evicting their
parents from the latter's house", the Tribunal said it was "unable to
effect reconciliation or push for any healing process or sit as
mediator between the fighting parties".
One week's time

Satisfied that there were "reasonable grounds" to believe that "there
has been family violence, ill-treatment and cruelty against
applicant/petitioner; there is a risk of further violence by
respondents Brijesh Kumar and his wife if they continue to live in the
house owned by the applicant/petitioner; and there is a risk or threat
to life of applicant/petitioner and his ailing wife if there is to be
a delay in not restoring his legally owned house to the
applicant/petitioner who is 72 years old", the Tribunal ordered the
young couple to vacate the flat within one week.

It also directed the Station House Officer of the Prasad Nagar police
station to ensure this without fail and file the compliance report
before the Registrar or a Designated Officer of the Tribunal by
October 28.

Source:
http://www.thehindu.com/2009/10/21/stories/2009102158660100.htm

Dr P Vyasamoorthy,
30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph 040-27846631 / 9490804278
http://www.google.com/profiles/vyasamoorthy.

Aussie brothels offer discounts for elderly for seniors week

(Comment: A similar news appeared about German / Berlin Sex workers'
gesture towards senior citizens coupled with an attempt to fight
recession)

Aussie brothels offer discounts for elderly for seniors week
2009-10-01 14:10:00

Senior citizens looking for a rocking time in bed can get a generous
discount at Melbourne brothels next week, when Aussies celebrate
national Seniors Week.

On the occasion of national Seniors Week, old-timers who present their
seniors' discount card at some brothels and escort services can
celebrate in an entirely different way.

Brothels aligned with Australian Adult Entertainment will offer
discounted services from October 4-11.

Caulfield South's Club 859 owner Fiona Brownlee said that she would
honour the promotion for any seniors who wanted to partake.

"I certainly will be. I'd certainly be giving 5 dollars to 10 dollars
off," said Brownlees.

She said "heaps" of the Caulfield South brothel's clientele were older than 60.

William Albon, spokesman AAEI, said that some establishments would
offer markdowns of up to 50 per cent on sexual services.

"Many senior members of the community already use our member's
services, whether visiting a brothel or having an escort visit their
place of residence, including aged care residential centres," said
Albon.

"If senior members of our community want to use the service of our
brothels and escort agencies during senior's week, they will not only
be warmly welcomed but afforded a generous discount on the cost of the
services provided by the establishment," he added. (ANI)
Source: Sify News 1st October 2009

‘Siddha system can help the elderly’

'Siddha system can help the elderly'

Special Correspondent

Over 350 delegates from various States took part in the seminar

A compendium of 78 abstracts was released

Coimbatore: Siddha is the oldest system of medicine and has gone deep
into the problem of the elderly people, K. Manickavasakam, Director
National Institute of Siddha, has asserted.

He was speaking at the two-day national seminar on " the role of
Siddha and Ayurvedha medicines in geriatric care" organised by the
School of Biosciences of Dr. GRD Damodaran College of Science here
recently.

The seminar was sponsored by the Department of AYUSH, Union Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare.
Three components

According to him, successful ageing consists of three components- low
probability of disease or disability, high cognitive and physical
function capacity and active engagement with life. Successful ageing
may be viewed as an interdisciplinary concept, spanning both
psychology and sociology, where it is seen as the transaction between
society and individuals across the life span with specific focus on
the later years of life.

The terms 'healthy ageing' 'optimal ageing' have been proposed as
alternatives to successful ageing. Six suggested dimensions of
successful ageing include no physical disability over the age of 75 as
rated by a physician, good subjective health assessment (i.e. good
self-ratings of one's health), length of 'undisabled' life, good
mental health, objective social support and self-rated life
satisfaction in eight domains- marriage, income-related work,
children, friendship and social contacts, hobbies, community service
activities, religion and recreation/sports.

Lifestyle modification is an integral part of geriatric treatment. It
includes proper food habits, sleep and relaxation, exercise, personal
cleanliness, tension free and clear mind, entertainment etc.

Ageing process also occurs due to loneliness during old age. Joint
family system as in the earlier years is the best treatment to avoid
old age sickness and ageing. Isolation plays the key factor in ageing.
This has to be avoided. Elderly people should be involved in all the
family activities giving due respect to their age and experience.

They should be kept in good spirits always. Health care and
psychological care are integrated with the best possible combination
of services such as housing, home care services, socialisation
programmes, financial and legal planning.
Care plan

A care plan tailored for each individual's circumstances is prepared
after a comprehensive assessment.

The care plan is modified when necessary based on the professional
geriatric care manager's monitoring of the effectiveness of the
components of the care plan. Professional geriatric care managers
accomplish this by combining a working knowledge of health and
psychology, human development, family dynamics, public and private
resources and funding sources while advocating for their clients
throughout the continuum of care.

He pointed out that the Siddha system proposed mainly the 'Kayakalpa'
treatment. 'Kaya' means the body and 'Kalpa' means the stone. Keeping
the body as strong as a stone is the main aim of 'Kayakalpa'.

According to him, by this treatment the body gets free from the
greying of hair, ageing, diseases etc. In Siddha there were 108
'Kayakalpa' drugs. Most of these drugs were antioxidant and
immuno-modulatory in their medicinal action.
Rheumatism

He asserted that yoga and pranayama had significance in dealing with
this challenge.

Researches had proved beyond doubt that these were efficacious in
neuro-muscular, musculo-skeletol, respiration and psychosomatic and
other health problems in elderly people.

"Rheumatism which produces immobility and pain in the joints first and
serious problems later is one of the common ailments that affect the
elderly people. Here in 'Siddha Thokkanam' physical manipulation of
the body with or without oil is the most effective remedy."

Alex Hankey, Consultant Professor, Vyasa Yoga Research Institute,
stressed the scientific integration of Ayurveda and Yoga which would
ultimately benefit the mankind.Over 350 delegates from various States
took part in the seminar and 46 research articles were presented.

A compendium of 78 abstracts was released. An exhibition of Siddha and
herbal products was also organised.
==
Souce: The Hindu 27th october 2009

Dr P Vyasamoorthy,
30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph 040-27846631 / 9490804278
http://www.google.com/profiles/vyasamoorthy.

Exclusive primary health centre for the elderly

Comments: Nice initiative on the part on TN govt. See how a
multipurpose center combining Day Care, Health care, Medicine
distribution, Diagnostic tests etc are combined.
======================
Exclusive primary health centre for the elderly

Staff Reporter

Mayor M. Subramanian declares it open

Doctor and counsellor trained in geriatrics

Ophthalmologist will be available for consultation on Fridays

CHENNAI: Chennai Corporation's first urban primary health centre
exclusively for senior citizens on Rottler Street, Purasawalkam, was
inaugurated on Friday. A doctor and counsellor will be available at
the facility.

Mayor M. Subramanian, who declared open the Balaiah Memorial — Urban
Primary Health Centre for Senior Citizens (geriatric care), said
various investigations, including electrocardiogram (ECG) test and
those to check sugar levels, besides physiotherapy sessions, were
available at the clinic. Treatment for skin and bone-related ailments
would also be made available. He said the facility will function
alongside the existing PHC there.

Senior citizens who are alone at home can also spend their free time
at the clinic and interact with persons of their age group.

"Comfortable seating arrangements and games, including chess and
carrom, have been provided. We will soon install a television set." He
said that in a few days arrangements would be made with the help of
philanthropists for tea and snacks.

Mr. Subramanian added that the civic body would distribute over five
lakh vitamin tablets to students in private, government-run and civic
body-run schools on October 15. Corporation Commissioner Rajesh
Lakhoni said the doctor and counsellor at the urban PHC were trained
in geriatrics. An ophthalmologist would be available for consultation
on Fridays.

Lakshmi Masilamani (68), who came for a check-up, said she was happy
to know that medicines for diabetes would also be supplied to senior
citizens. "I come here for regular check-ups and get tablets for blood
pressure."
========

Source: The Hindu 10th Oct 2009

Jeans for the elderly

Comment: Recently when APSCCON discussed collecting donations and
materials to help to flood victims, everyone felt that giving money to
CMF would be useless as nothing much would reach the needy persons.
Here is an instance of callousness in distributing clothes.
==============================
Jeans for the elderly
Officials goof up while distributing clothes to flood victims
Staff Correspondent

HAVINAL: While the relief materials is yet to reach majority of the
villages, even in the places where the relief has reached, the
authorities have made the gesture a mockery.

In the case of relief materials consisting of the clothes distributed
to the flood victims, elderly women were distributed the fancy dress
materials including churidars and the elderly men have been given
Jeans and T-shirts.

Ambavva, an elderly woman, said: "I have not worn a churidar in my
life and I don't know what to do with this." Hanumanthappa(70)
exhibiting the worn out jeans given to him said: "This pant will be
useful to my grandson".
=======

Source: Karnataka Hindu 8th Oct 09

Elderly, homeless kids to share space in govt home

My Comment: This appears to the first experiment in setting up an
integrated home. We should see how it works out.
==============
Elderly, homeless kids to share space in govt home

Ambika Pandit, TNN 25 October 2009, 12:20am IST

|
NEW DELHI: Senior citizens and homeless children will share space in
an integrated home in Dwarka which is being set up by the Delhi
government
on an experimental basis. Through this innovative and commendable
initiative it is hoped that the children will get some "parental
guidance'' while the elderly will not feel lonely. The home is likely
to be opened soon.

The model project proposes to begin by providing accommodation to 30
elderly and 30 children of up to Class III. The integrated home is
being seen as a pilot project in which both children and senior
citizens will reside in the same premises. According to officials,
this would enable children receive love from the elderly and fulfil
their need for parental guidance. Similarly, the senior citizens would
be able to cope with their loneliness when they see children in the
same campus, said officials.

"In government-run institutions at present, the children in need of
care and protection are denied parental guidance. Similarly, senior
citizens in old age homes are deprived of the love and affection of
children. As a result, both sections suffer from a sense of
deprivation and loneliness which affects their behaviour and attitude
towards life,'' a senior official from the department of social
welfare asserted.

Hence the department felt the need for an integrated home for the
children and senior citizens. Under the model project at Dwarka, where
a brand new building was built for an old age home, the senior
citizens are likely to be admitted on a payment of Rs 2,500 to Rs
3,000 on a monthly basis. It has been proposed to keep children of up
to Class III in the home and they be allowed to stay there till they
complete their studies. The department proposes to draw out children
from the Village Cottage Home where small children are staying.
However, senior officials point that the final discretion on which
children will be kept at the integrated home lies with with the Child
Welfare Committee.

This new home is also being seen as a hub for foster-care placement
for the Dwarka area. The department proposes to enrol the children in
some good school at Dwarka and involve NGOs for developing
extra-curricular skills in the children at the home.
URL:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Elderly-homeless-kids-to-share-space-in-govt-home/articleshow/5158066.cms

==========

TN govt to soon notify rules for maintenance of elderly persons

TN govt to soon notify rules for maintenance of elderly persons

Julie Mariappan, TNN 5 October 2009, 06:25am IST

|
CHENNAI: Here is a warning. You could be imprisoned or fined or be
subjected to both if you abandon your elderly parents. The Tamil Nadu
government is set to notify rules for the Maintenance and Welfare of
Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, to help tribunals in each
district decide on the order of maintenance for elderly citizens, who
complain about being neglected by their children.

"The social welfare department, in consultation with the law
department, is fine-tuning the rules and it will be published very
shortly (in a week)," social welfare department principal secretary P
Rama Mohana Rao told the Times of India. Both the departments had
resolved the problems that cropped up while framing the rules,
especially over which department should lead the tribunals — the
revenue department or its social welfare counterpart.

It has been a year now since Tamil Nadu, along with ten other states,
notified the Act to help senior citizens and parents above 60 years,
unable to maintain himself/herself, file a complaint against children
(not minors) or relatives (who would inherit and are in possession of
the property of the elderly). The application can be filed by the
senior citizen or parent or by any other person or organization
authorised by the former if he/she incapable of doing it.

As per the TN rules, sources say, the revenue divisional officer (RDO)
in each district will be the tribunal head before whom the applicant
can file a complaint. The district social welfare officer will be the
maintenance officer and conciliation officer, who will conduct an
inquiry and submit a report to the tribunal. The district collector
will be the appellate authority.

Under the Act, any person with the responsibility of caring or
protecting a senior citizen leaves such a person in any place with the
intention of wholly abandoning him/her, shall be punishable with
imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to
three months or fine that may extend to Rs 5,000 or with both.

"It is a welcome move," says HelpAge India national director Indrani
Rajadurai. "It will create to a certain extent, a fear of punishment
among children, to persuade them to take care of their parents. It is
long-felt need. Also, the elderly should shed their instincts and come
forward to file a complaint against the children who have abandoned
them," she added.

"We will consider all humanitarian issues before notifying the rules.
In fact, we have decided to hold talks with the health department to
include senior citizens in the recently-launched health insurance
scheme for BPL families," Rao said.

Source: TOI 5th Oct 2009
========

Suicide risk among elderly varies according to sex

My comment: Do people really bother if oldies commit suicide? They
would be welcome and perhaps assisted to succeed though covertly.
==============

Suicide risk among elderly varies according to sex
2009-09-29 16:10:00

Elderly men and women show different patterns of suicide, reveals a study.

Louise Bradvik and Mats Berglund, from Lund University, Sweden, say
that women who have tried to kill themselves several times in the past
should be kept under suicide watch, as they have an increased risk of
death in a future attempt.

For men, say the researchers, this increased risk reflects the
severity of their previous attempts.

They came to the above conclusion after examining suicide attempts in
100 patients who committed suicide and in an age- and sex-matched
control group, investigating the effects of age on suicidal behaviour,
as a risk factor for accomplished suicide.

They studied the hospital records of patients admitted between 1956
and 1969 and followed up until 2006.

"Men and women showed different patterns of suicide attempts in the
older age groups. The risk for an initial suicide attempt reduced with
age in all females and in male controls, but not in male victims,
repetition and severity then showing a special pattern," said Bradvik.

"Suicide attempt is known to be one of the main predictors for suicide
in depression. If attempts are repeated or serious, the risk for
suicide is considered to be increased. However, to our knowledge,
there has been no investigation into the predictive value of age at
repeated and severe suicide attempt for accomplished suicide. In our
study it appears that from middle age onwards, repeated attempts are a
risk factor for suicide in women and so are severe attempts for men,"
said Bradvik.

"In other words, though all suicide attempts should be taken
seriously, an older woman who makes a repeated attempt is at higher
risk for suicide and needs more observation and treatment than a young
female repeater. Correspondingly, an older man who makes a severe
attempt (or an initial attempt) is in need of more observation," he
added.

The study focussed on patients with severe depression (with psychotic
and melancholic features) only.

It is unknown if the findings are applicable for other depressives.

The study has been published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry. (ANI)
===

Dr P Vyasamoorthy,
30 Gruhalakshmi Colony Secunderabad 500015 Ph 040-27846631 / 9490804278
http://www.google.com/profiles/vyasamoorthy.

ILC-I to study prevalence of dementia among the elderly

ILC-I to study prevalence of dementia among the elderly

Swati Shinde, TNN 11 October 2009, 03:48am IST

PUNE: In view of the magnitude of the occurrence of dementia as well
as Alzheimer's disease among the elderly population, the International
Longevity Centre-India (ILC-I) has take up a major study to identify
behavioural markers of dementia in older persons in the city.

The aim of the study is to help revert dementia and to rehabilitate
the patient and absorb him/her in the social mainstream. The ILC-I
will identify 1,000 cases in the city and 200 identified cases of
Alzheimer's patients from hospitals, clinics and old age homes for the
study.

Speaking on the conduct of the study, S D Gokhale, honorary president,
ILC-I, said, "Presently, there is no test to define dementia or
Alzheimer's disease. Hence, through this study, we are trying to find
out if there are any behavioural markers to identify these
conditions."

The centre will approach senior citizens clubs and old age homes in
and around the city requesting the authorities to send the names of
the elderly people who are willing to volunteer to answer this test.
On receiving the replies, and after decoding and tabulating, the
centre will classify gender differences and rural-urban differences
according to the age brackets as suggested by the United Nations.

"Ageing is a major challenge in the century. As longevity increases,
issues like dementia and Alzheimer's disease take a prominent place in
the lives of some of the elderly. These conditions are growing fast in
India and soon it will be a pandemic-like situation. We need to start
working on solutions to prepare for the future," Gokhale said.

According to Gokhale, Martin Roth, an US gerontologist has stated that
Alzheimer's has a prevalence rate of 6.2% with an average annual
incidence of 1.4%. It was found that it was 2.3% for the age group
65-70 years, 3.9% in the age group 70-80 years and 22% in the age
group 80 years and above.

According to Anjali Raje, deputy executive director, ILC-I, "With the
changes in the population pyramid, the rapidly increasing incidences
of dementia can be termed as an approaching epidemic'. At present, it
is reported that there are 4.5 million cases of Alzheimer's in the US
and the present rough estimate of the number of patients with
Alzheimer's in India is around 4 million."

She added: "It is also observed that the incidences of women suffering
from Alzheimer's is 2 to 3 times higher than men. At present, there is
no treatment that can completely cure Alzheimer's."

The ILC-I will use social work techniques, in addition to the medical
technology, to find out if it is possible to prevent, revert and
rehabilitate the persons suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's.

Source: Toi 11/10/09

BS Raghavan's article on Plight of the Elderly.

I wrote a Google Sidewiki entry and wanted to share it with you.

Sidewiki entry:

Padmanabha Vyasamoorthy wrote:

Elderly People's Plight - Lists out health requirements of Elders like Home Calls, Home Nursing Care, Diagnostic tests - collection of samples at home etc.
There are Old Age Homes that already specialize in taking bed ridden seniors. These homes may be developed into semi-palliative care centers equipped with visits by doctors, full time nurses, well stocked medicine chest etc.

• View this Sidewiki entry in context, next to the webpage.
• Get started with Google Sidewiki to read and contribute helpful information on any webpage.