Page 49 - Seniors Today June2020
P. 49
of senior citizens. Under this Act, senior
citizens can enforce maintenance by their
children and also seek relief in cases where
their rights with regard to property, finance,
and personal security are violated. The
transfer of a senior citizen’s property, if made Many senior citizens leave their finances to their offspring,
illegally, can be made void under this Act. and this can lead to exploitation
Also, children living with their senior citizen maintenance and property issues. There is
parents and abusing them can be evicted often delay in getting justice due to the sheer
from the home under the Act. number of cases before the Tribunal and
the time taken for the process. Moreover,
Areas of concern the maximum amount of maintenance that
But how far has legislation, and the can be awarded is Rs. 10,000, which is
Government, been successful in meagre. Several changes are required to be
guaranteeing justice and equality as brought about to ensure speedy justice and
provided by the Constitution to its senior protection of rights of senior citizens.
citizens, especially to the poorest among Old Age Homes run by the State are
them? A few areas that concern them the often sorely lacking when it comes to
most are reviewed below. hygiene, healthcare and nutrition. Many
Most senior citizens live off their savings homes do not have properly trained staff
post-retirement, and are often not able to or counsellors. And cases of neglect and
maintain themselves. Moreover, second exploitation of the elderly in many such
careers are very scarce. There is a need to homes abound. With more numbers of
impart vocational training and to create the elderly population requiring State-run
employment opportunities for seniors. homes, it is imperative that the quality of
Pension is not available to all citizens and these homes in the above areas is improved
sometimes the process of disbursement of and checks are regularly done to ensure that
monetary benefits is delayed or slow. The the elderly get the justice and equality they
Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index, are entitled to.
2018, shows that India is the second lowest There is a lack of awareness of legal rights
among 34 countries providing retirement in a large percentage of the population.
income systems with good benefits. Education about legal rights, as also legal
Good healthcare facilities, especially aid for those who need it, must be made
specialised treatments, are expensive and available to all.
are not available to all citizens. Specialised And finally, the above is the situation
geriatric treatment too is not available under normal circumstances. During
everywhere. A lot more needs to be done to unprecedented times, like the pandemic we
provide specialised and geriatric treatments are going through, the problems of senior
in state-run medical facilities. citizens who are alone or economically
Property of seniors is often usurped by backward multiply.
children or others as can be seen from Seventy years after our Constitution
the number of cases filed in this regard. guaranteed them equality and justice, most
Most cases under the 2007 Act relate to senior citizens still struggle.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #12 | JUNE 2020 49
