On World Elders’ Day, many register at ‘Jobs 60+’
At 62, Balaraju, a retired accounts officer, wants to restart working so that he may have an active life. Likewise, Shyam Sundar, who retired from the state accounts department six years ago, says he is still fit to serve the society and wants to take up a part-time job or work from home.
They are among thousands of retired citizens in the city who are looking for an opportunity to augment their income or simply spend their time productively. The urge to work is strong among the retired class. This was evident by the large gathering of the retired citizens, eagerly registering themselves for training programmes at the ‘Jobs 60+’ training centre. It was inaugurated on Saturday, on the occasion of World Elders’ Day.
Justice MN Venkatachalaiah, who inaugurated the centre, said we need 50,000 such training centres in the Karnataka. The plight of the elderly, especially in villages, is pathetic as they do not get even basic healthcare. Helping them generate income is necessary as many seniors are productive even after retirement, he said.
Nightingale’s Medical Trust, which has started the centre, says that out of the 10-crore elderly people in India, only 10.8% get pension. With the population of senior citizens going up, more could be left without economic security. About 8-9% of the country’s population consists of seniors; in Bangalore it is about 10%.
“By 2050, the numbers of the young and old will be equal. The number of the elderly is growing rapidly. We need to empower them economically, improve their skills so they can take up jobs,” said Dr Radha Murthy, founder of the trust.
The trust found that the elderly people were looking for training and jobs in the city during the job mela held in 2009. About 800 senior citizens had registered but only 40 had found jobs. Fewer than 20 held on to their jobs. The project revealed many gaps, which the trust now hopes to fill.
Murthy said there are issues with skill, also with how the person copes with the new set-up. There is a need for counselling to prepare them for workplaces that are different from the ones they had attended. She said the centre would cover all these areas. About 1,000 elders will be trained in a year.
Abuse continues
The elders’ helpline run by the Nightingale’s Medical Trust receives about 25-30 calls every day. About 57% of these are related to abuse. Family problems are driving the statistics.
Changing lifestyles is widening the chasm between generations.
“Often, there is a clash between the elderly parents and young children. There is intolerance for the other’s point of view, way of life,” Murthy says.
