Seated under a Kottamba tree close to Gangaramaya temple, 72-year-old W. Karunawathi tries to attract the attention of those who go past her. She comes to this spot often during office lunch breaks and school hours.
Asked why she is idling on the streets Karunawathi reluctantly says that she has nobody to look after her. Her husband died eight years ago. Her only son had left her a few years ago after he got married and settled down with his own family. “I don’t know if he is in the country even, I haven’t seen him in years now. So I am living on my own,” says this unhappy mother adding that she gets free accommodation at a place in Modera but travels to Colombo every day and moves around trying to find something for lunch and dinner. “I hardly have breakfast, but I find a lunch packet before I go back to Modara,” she says.
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| A group of elders at the Gamini Matha Home |
Karunawathi’s plight is representative of several others of her generation who have become unwanted and neglected in their old age despite having children. Some of them are now confined to ‘homes for elders’.
U. William at Gamini Matha Vedihiti Nivasa in Colombo highlights the plight of the destitute elderly in this country. When the Sunday Times visited the home, this 73-year-old father said he has been at the home for the past six years. His family didn’t treat him well so he decided to move out. “I visit one of my sons once a year during avurudu but they don’t come to see me,” he says.
William says he was operating a taxi for 10 years to earn a living and educated the children and provided them everything from the money he earned. “I used to leave home early in the morning and come home late after work. I couldn’t get close to my children due to this because most of the time they were asleep when I returned. I was unable to build up a good relationship with my children. Maybe that is why they were distanced from me,” says this helpless old man adding that he has now found solace at the elders home with his fellow inmates. “I like being with my friends here, there are lot of things to keep us occupied here; we engage in religious activities etc,” he says.
Director of the National Secretariat for Elders which comes under the Ministry of Social Services Mrs. J. Krishnamoorthi said that of Sri Lanka’s population, about 9.24% are elders (females 4.88%, males 4.36%) and out of this 1% are in elders’ homes (2009 statistics). There are nearly 250 elders’ homes in the country sheltering about 6775 elders (this is in addition to those on waiting lists to get into a home.)
Poverty, people becoming more self- centred and ambitious, migration and other factors have contributed to the increase in the numbers of elderly people seeking refuge in homes for the elders. Migration of children however has aggravated the issue in recent years, the director adds.
In the case of 62-year-old A.D. Wijeyrathne from Homagama, he had come to the Gamini Matha elders’ home 12 years ago because his only daughter lived aboard and he had no one to look after him. “She came to see me last year when she came to Sri Lanka for a holiday,” Wijeyrathne who is recovering from a stroke tells the Sunday Times in a faint voice.
The numbers of destitute elders is not growing at an alarming rate at the moment, but it has becoming an increasing trend, cautions Mrs Krishnamoorthi. “By 2025, the elderly population will be close to 25%,” she says.
To address the issues confronting this vulnerable segment of our society and deal with any future matters, the National Secretariat for Elders has put in place different initiatives, implementing the policy decision taken by the National Council under the Protection of the Rights of Elders Act.
“A major drawback in Sri Lanka is that elders’ homes take in only those who can look after themselves. This restricts elders in fragile health. It is very difficult to put them in homes. There is no elders home to look after this category. The Ministry of Social Services with the help of Health Ministry is planning on setting up a home for such elders. Proposals are still at the ground level and the Secretariat has submitted a project plan. Currently it is not a major issue but it is likely that this would become an issue in a few more years,” Mrs. Krishnamoorthi explains.
Are there enough elders’ homes around the country to cater to the needs of the elders? The director says there is a long waiting list for these homes.
Under the Elders’ Act, a five member team Maintenance Board appointed by the Judicial Services Commission has been established. In the event that an elderly person complains to the Secretariat about his/her children who, despite being in a position to look after their parents, tend to overlook and neglect them, the Secretariat intervenes in the matter.
The Maintenance Board on receiving such a complaint, summons the parties concerned for meetings held at the secretariat on Thursdays where they come to a settlement. The complaints received by the elders about their children who have migrated overseas are also taken up by this Secretariat via email. About 600 such complaints have been dealt with so far, the director informs.
To ensure that the basic needs of helpless elders are looked after, a sponsorship scheme named Vedihiti Awarana has been set up by the secretariat. Under this anyone (an individual, company, institution-local or foreign can sponsor an elder. This will help the elders to continue to live with their families and children.
Setting up of elders committees and day care centres for elders at Grama Niladari level, divisional level, district level and provincial level is another initiative to look into the mental, social and spiritual development of the elders. About 10,000 such committees have been formed so far. Counselling programmes, self employment projects, pilgrimages and cultural events, vegetable cultivations projects in bare lands are organised to keep the elders occupied.
The Home Care programme implemented by the Secretariat which is provided at a reasonable rate helps elders whose children are employed. If the children are unable to look after their parents because they are employed, a trainer can be hired. Unemployed youth in the country have been trained by professionals from the health sector, social services and law to look after elders. According to the director there is a good response for this service and nearly 150 -200 youth have been trained (both male and females) in Sinhala and Tamil languages.
The home run by the Elders’ Secretariat is in Kataragama and caters to about 50 destitute elders currently. In Mannar a home has been built for IDP elders with facilities to accommodate about 200 people where destitute elders as well as the ones who are waiting their children to be resettled are sheltered. Counselling programmes are being conducted for those who have been affected by the war, Mrs Krishnamoorthi adds.
“There should be a proper mechanism to monitor the elders homes all over the country. A set of guidelines have been prepared by the Secretariat. Elders homes fall under the purview of the Provincial Councils and they have to register at the District or Divisional Secretariats, Mrs. Krishnamoorthi said.
Whom to contact
Are you an elder who is neglected by your family? Do you wish to sponsor an elder or to obtain Home care services? Here are the numbers to call:
Elder’s Secretariat: 2824082.
Home care services; 0718262982.
Email; nsemss@sltnet.lk |
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