Children in Delhi are more caring towards their parents as compared to those in other metros --Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, according to a study by HelpAge India.
NEW DELHI: Children in Delhi are more caring towards their parents as compared to those in other metros --Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, according to a study by HelpAge India.
Eighty-six per cent senior citizens in the Capital were happy with the care provided by their children in times of poor health. This is higher compared to other metros, the study revealed.
The 'Need Assessment Study Among Urban Elderly' was conducted in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai and four non-metros Lucknow, Vijayawada, Bhubneshwar and Ahmedabad among 2019 elderly people aged above 60. Out of the 2019 members, 1001 were males and 1018 were females.
Chennai has fared worst in the study with the lowest proportion of elderly (52.7 per cent) reporting support and care from their children in times of illness, the study pointed out.
The 29. 3 per cent of the elderly interviewed in Chennai felt that the biggest change brought in by modernity was that the children no longer liked to stay with parents.
Social security was considered as the biggest worry by the elderly against the physical security as 50 per cent of the elderly interviewed felt insecure due to economic and health uncertainties, according to the study.
The fear of health problems and shortage of money was more pronounced in the old people coming from the lower socio economic category.
Health remained a main area of concern, with only 13 per cent of the elderly having health insurance and out of it only 2 per cent benefiting from it. Eightly-seven per cent of the elderly had no health insurance to support their health needs, said the study.
Metros may boast about better health care facilities but it is non-metros which have done better in treating their elderly. Forty per cent of the old people enjoyed good health in non-metros compared to the 28 per cent in metros.
As per the statistics, children meeting health care expenses of their parents was higher with 76 per cent in non-metro areas as compared to the metros where only 64 per cent of the children supported the health care needs of their parents.
Nearly 42 per cent of the elderly expressed a need for physical assistance for their medical needs.
Another major problem which the study highlighted was the reluctance by the elderly to come out openly against the social problems. Nearly 43.8 per cent did not like to talk about the problems they faced with their children.
The feeling of being neglected was higher among the elderly in metros as 54 per cent felt that they were no longer being given importance but in non-metros only 24 per cent of the elderly feel neglected.
Boredom and loneliness because of 'not being treated as productive' was another problem encountered by elderly, nearly 70 per cent of them watched television to spend their leisure time.
Migration due to the economic boom seems to have affected the elderly adversely as most of them became out of support because of the large-scale out-migration of their children to other areas.
Nearly 5 per cent of the elderly living alone for 5 to 10 years felt isolated, said the study.
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