What causes Depression in Elderly people in India?

Sitting aloof in the balcony looking at the hustle and bustle outside may seem to be a positive sign for an elderly person to imagine that he/she is getting indulged in an activity. However, it may be a different scenario altogether! “Hell of lot of activity outside, yet no body to take care”. This can be disappointing to the core if we see the lack of caring for the elderly in India. It is the general tendency of a human being to mingle with same age groups. Even, a baby will look at other babies around if mothers are in a group. Similarly elder people also need companions especially; their aged peers who can share some common topics.

 When I took my dog outside for an evening walk, I saw an old man sitting in the corner of a park bench observing the people and the kids around him. No youngster around have made an attempt to talk to them or pay attention to them as they are busy with their friends and family. I thought of making an interaction and went and sat adjacent to him who must be in his early seventies and said ‘hello’ feeling skeptical to do that. To my surprise, he reciprocated me with a pleasing smile yet hesitant!!

When I started a conversation, he was slowly into it speaking about his joint pains and digestion problems. It was little boring to me but I thought of making him little more happy. I gave him the relevant suggestions I knew! He was little afraid with the dog I took and I assured that it will not harm him. He was happy to talk to me. Although the small meeting did not fetch anything to me, I felt extremely happy to have spoken to him making him happy and thought I would continue this habit. It may not be the same experience every time, but I would still do it. I googled about elders and their issues and understood that isolation can depress them a lot. Loss of a spouse can be the foremost one for a social isolation.

Losing a person who has been a companion for some 30 to 40 years can be extremely grieving and I never thought from this angle before. My parents were in front of me and the very idea that they may get separated in future has devastated me. Even I will be separated from my spouse at one time or the other. There are tremors below my feet. My concern for elderly spurt to new heights all of a sudden.  A social withdrawal followed by depressions and physical ailments, what a state? Every one of us is vulnerable to such a trauma in life. But what makes us ignore it for our elders?

This is the time when they need their loving family. But are we able to take care of them in such turmoil? Do they have that eco system? The busy lives we spend to earn bread in the rat race may not be helping us to take care of them. Taking them to an old age home is a social stigma in India, but I though it is a practical solution. I found an old age community SAMARTH doing an excellent job towards caring for ageing parents in India. All they need is little care, love and affection, same aged peers and the assurance. I thought of going there to spend some time and help them voluntarily to get an inner solace. So, let’s work on providing a better life for all of our parents.

Infographic : 4 Easy-to-Use Wearable Devices For Elderly

Infographic By Samarth Community

Staying healthy and safe is one of the top-most priority especially for a senior citizen. Here we are presenting wearables devices on the behalf of Samarth Community that will help you to take care of your loved ones easily and accessibly.

SAMARTH CARE community in Delhi provides security and safety for elderly in India  people fulfilling the basic needs and is exclusively meant for isolated senior citizens who are deprived of family and love for various reasons. 

It’s time to reciprocate!! Care for your old parents!!

Geriatrics!! I am sure this may sound like Greek and Latin to many of us as we Indians have a deficiency syndrome when it comes to the needs of elderly people. I too have known the word when I was in research to write this article for you. Yes! There is a special branch of medicine pertaining to the care and treatment of elderly people which is known as ‘Geriatrics’. In the course of my research about elderly people, I am moved by certain incidents as 24 hours home care for senior citizens is a luxury for most of them and I started relating my old parents and parents-in-law in every case. They give birth to us, nurture us with extreme love and care, they are with us in every milestone we achieve in our early childhood, they teach us about the environment and behavior with elders, peers and counterparts, they impart us all the knowledge and make us capable of earning a bread for ourselves while facing all the worldly challenges.

Having guided us for so long being the prime mentors of our lives, they go back to childhood again owing to the nature’s cycle. It is just that the order is descending for them to go back to childhood while it was ascending for us in our growing years. Probably, Mother Nature wanted us to experience the pain our parents might have faced while fostering us and hence she wanted us to see our parents in a vulnerable state. Every one of us want to see our parents in a comfortable condition if not luxurious in their old age. However, lack of time, infrastructure, support and finances, we may not be up to the mark in protecting them in their old age. However, it is just the attitude but not anything else that matters. As we know, our parents never want us to suffer because of them.

As we said attitude is that little miracle in improvising the life of our old parents and grandparents, lest focus on some basic safety tips for elderly people. 

 Non slippery flooring: The wax polished floors and the smooth marbles can be dangerous for elders as they may fracture their bones with a tiny skid. It has to be remembered that elders more often fall down after a breakage in their bones and not that they fall down and break. Anti slip stickers are a great choice for floorings.

·     Additional grips in washrooms: Grab bars, shower benches, armed chairs and benches, hand shower holders, curve grab bars, safety rail pieces, rubber grip bath mats, tap turners are few attachments in the wash area to keep them safe and secure. They do not cost much and can improvise elders’ life to a greater extent.

·     CCTV surveillance: A good resolution CCTV camera would play a good role in closely monitoring elders from work.

·      Safety Railings: Safety railings are the best attachments while climbing steps as they protect the elders from falling.

·      Medical alert: Medical alert bracelets and pendants allow the users to call the customer care without having to find a telephone. The customer care professional in turn would alert the family members immediately.

·       Vibrant lighting to enhance visibility: Lighting needs to be bright and glare free to enable elders view clearly as they are already short of vision.

·     Responsive Care giver: A care giver with the right attitude can make the elders’ life more pleasant with their bubbly presence in aiding them at every beckon.

Care giving homes such as SAMARTHCARE are doing a great job with Emergency services for elderly in India  when their children are not able to take care of them due to varied reasons. It is after all a little attitude that speaks volumes conveying a simple message “I am there for you when you need me”