Mental health crisis of ageing in India: feeling neglected, loss of importance in family

By Harasankar Adhikari
The crisis of mental health as a result of ageing is the prime burden of successful ageing today. In order to discuss this ageing issue, we have to understand the phases of human life. There are two phases in a human life – (i) the forenoon phase and (ii) the afternoon phase. The forenoon phase is the initial phase of life for preparing oneself (i.e., education, occupation, marriage, rearing of family, social citizenship responsibility, and so forth). On the other hand, afternoon phase (i.e., middle age to end of life ) directs to follow the principle of detachment (i.e., limitation of activities outside for earning and spiritual development, etc.). It guides us to adopt an inner culture of life beyond the routine work of money-making, social existence, family, and other duties. There are many types of institutions at this stage. But in the afternoon stage, there are limited institutions (only religious institutions) to deal with this phase. Therefore, the psychic hygiene of the elderly becomes a burden, and it leads to an unhappy death.
The critical living of the elderly is due to the bad impact of the global cultural bound syndrome. The elderly change their lifestyle and life choices. Their consumerized lifestyle causes physical suffering and a lower quality of day to day life. In ageing life, detachment and renunciation are rare, and there is an absence of voluntary simplicity and spirituality in daily life, particularly in the better-off section. This is the prime cause of mental illness.
Secondly, due to several socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors varying with the changing times, the family has been broken from an extended/joint family (grandparents + parents + children) to a nuclear family (parents + child(ren)) The elderly hardly have space in this nuclear family. But several studies opine or argue that the family is the best space for the elderly in their last days in all respects. There is no alternative to it.
The mental health of the elderly is in poor and adverse condition because of their detachment from family and immediate members. They always want to spend their last days with all of their family members. But the members of their families do not realise their needs. They consider the elderly a burden because they would hamper their happiness. The elderly have no importance compared to their lifestyle. In some cases, they prefer to deputise paid carers instead of voluntary care-givers. As a consequence of this, they feel neglected, have a loss of importance in the family, loneliness and have a feeling of un-wantedness in the family as well as in society, and have a feeling of inadequacy and obsolescence of skills, education, and expertise.
We have to understand the multilayered importance of every phase of civilization. It protects the interests of members, ensures safety and security, integrates values, respect, and disciplines, and renews the race with a unique system of duties and responsibilities according to the age and gender of the members in a family. It is a place for nurturing the new born, and on the other hand, it cares for the elderly until their last day. Even after death, they are respected by performing particular rituals.
Living with the family member with care would surely improve the mental health of the elderly. The elderly may also follow the rules of the "Vanaprastha," the third stage (according to the Manusmirti and the other Hindu’s scriptures) for successful ageing.
Last of all, protection of the elderly might save a family from its day-to-day broken and truncated structure.

Comments

Crucial to revisit roots, embrace core Hindu principles: love, compassion, harmony

A note on religious leaders' Satya Dharam Samvad in Haridwar: *** In a groundbreaking gathering, more than 25 religious leaders including Swamis, Acharyas, Pujaris, Gurus, and Sadhvis from all over India convened to discuss the tenets of Hinduism on September 16th, 2023, in Haridwar, to discuss and discern the current trajectory of Hinduism. This brand new initiative, the Satya Dharam Samvad, was inspired to organize its first assembly in response to the December 2021 Dharma Sansad, where hate speech and calls for violence against the Muslim community contravened the essential principles of Hinduism. Religion is being used to incite riots among Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jains, etc. In the face of such hatred, Swami Raghavendra felt that something meaningful should be done in the present climate.

Maoist tendency of mechanically adhering to Chinese path ignores Indian conditions

By Harsh Thakor The C.P.I. (Maoist) formed in 2004 with merger of the C.P.I. (M.L) Peoples War and the Maoist Communist Centre has demonstrated courage in intensity compared to any great revolutionary struggle in the history of the world. It leads the largest armed movement of a Peoples Guerrilla Army in the world today and proved themselves as the true torch bearers of the Indian Communist movement.

Significant step towards empowering and particularly engaging with informal workers

ActionAid note on drive to empower informal sector workers Odisha with the support of District Labour Department: *** The Odisha Unorganised Workers Social Security Board (OUWSSB) facilitated an Unorganized Workers Awareness Camp at the Red Cross Bhawan in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. The event took place in collaboration with the District Labour Department at Khordha, Centre for Child and Women Development and ActionAid Association. This informative event aimed at empowering informal sector workers by disseminating crucial information regarding their eligibility for various social security schemes provided by the Government of Odisha.

Dev Anand ably acted as westernised, urban educated, modern hero, as also anti-hero

By Harsh Thakor On September 26th we celebrated the birth centenary of legendary actor Dev Anand. Dev Saab carved out a new epoch or made a path breaking contribution in portraying romanticism and action in Bollywood cinema, giving his style or mannerisms a new colour. Arguably no Bollywood star manifested glamour in such a dignified or serene manner or struck the core of an audience’s soul in romantic melodies. Possibly we missed this evergreen star being cast in a Hollywood film. Dev Anand is like an inextinguishable soul of Bollywood. Although not as artistic or intense as Dilip Kumar, Raj Kapoor or Ashok Kumar ,Dev Anand surpassed them all for liveliness or flamboyance, with his performances radiating g energy on the screen, in realms rarely transcended. In his own right, Dev Saab, was a craftsman, like his classical contemporaries, with a characteristic composure. Perhaps never was a Bollywood star so suave, bubbling or charming as Dev Anand, who often looked like an Indian versi

We need to resurrect Neruda, give birth to poets of his kind amidst neofascist rampage

By Harsh Thakor On 23rd September we commemorate the 50th death anniversary of Pablo Neruda, whose contribution to revolutionary poetry was path breaking. Pablo Neruda’s poetry manifested the spiritual essence of revolutionary poetry and how poetry was a weapon for a revolutionary struggle. The story of his life illustrated the spiritual transformation undergone a human being to transform him into a revolutionary and how environment shapes the lie of revolutionary.

Grassroots NGO enlightens people of Kupwara with intricacies of Right to Information

J&K RTI Foundation and Founder Civil Rights Movement Kupwara note on how RTI Pend is empowering Kupwara with insights on Right to Information Act: *** RTI Pend, the grassroots initiative aimed at democratizing access to information, hosted its 2nd event in Kupwara. On the request of the Civil Rights Movement Kupwara, this event was tailored to enlighten the people of Kupwara with the intricacies of the Right to Information Act, presented in their local language and dialects. The event successfully bridged both offline and online participation, addressing queries on the spot and offering applicants practical solutions.

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Agro-biodiversity through seed identification, conservation, replication, crop selection

By Kuntal Mukherjee, Basant Yadav, Shivnath Yadav* This article is mainly based on a journey of the three of us since 2010 based on field experience, study of different articles, reflective journeys with local community based organisations, villagers and practitioners in Chhattisgarh. The slow growth of Agriculture in India with near stagnation in productivity since mid ‘80s in contrast to the remarkable growth during the green revolution period has come to the front as a great concern. In post WTO era Indian Agriculture has been witnessing structural changes, uncontrolled influx of agriculture goods and commodities from foreign countries due to open market nature. The gradual reduction in subsidies from internal production leads to increasing cost of production of agriculture produces at the farm gate. It causes gradual decrease in internal production as well as productivity and posing threats to small farm and stakeholders.

Why Govt of India, Sangh Parivar want to stop the use of ‘India’? What's in a name?

By Ram Puniyani Coincidentally after the opposition parties came together to form INDIA (Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance), the ruling BJP is desisting from the use of word India in official communiqués and its parent organizations RSS has issued a fatwa that only word Bharat should be used for our country. While inviting the representative’s participants of G 20, the President issued the invitation in the name of ‘Rashtrapati of Bharat’. Since then BJP is on the track of avoiding the use of the word India in all its pronouncements, saying this word smacks of colonial legacy since this word was given to the country by British colonial rulers. Mr. Hemant Biswa Sarma of BJP said that word India is part of the colonial legacy and should be removed. RSS chief and other functionaries have intensified this message. Speaking at a function at Guwahati Mr. Bhagwat, stated “We must stop using the word India and start using Bharat. At times we use India to make those who speak Eng

Sewer workers not given ESI cards that would ensure health benefits they need the most

A note by the Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM), an organization working for the issues of sanitation workers in Delhi NCR, on right to life and dignity which still seems light years away for sewer workers: *** Exploitation of Sewer workers is not just a labour issue, but it is rooted in the caste system and cannot be separated from the historical socio-religious-cultural-economic exploitation of the Dalit community! Stated Mr. Y.S. Gill, Senior Journalist and Documentary Film maker in the press conference organised by Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) in Integrated Social Initiatives (ISI), Lodhi Road, New Delhi on issues of sewer workers in Delhi. The press conference was attended by a number of community members, activists, members of the civil society, students etc.

Search This Blog