Days can sometimes be good and valid when they devotedly espouse a cause, and do not carry the baggage of commodification. I would maintain that October 1, a day dedicated to the elderly, is an effective example of such a sensible practice.
Currently the number of the elderly is expanding exponentially, while the concern and care for them and their welfare is decreasing digitally. I am using the term 'digitally', in both the senses of the term, that is digit by digit, and due to digitisation. The latter process has reduced communication, the need of the elderly, to emoji's and oft repeated wappies, liked or otherwise. In a way, we are thus thumbing down life itself.
In such troubled times, a day, though not as sexy as the other days, that makes the social conscience aware of the elderly plight can work a little, if not exactly, wonders. In our socio-economic context, most frequently, the elderly belong to the non-formal sector. They get very little pension, if at all. The salary is mostly spent in the children's welfare in their growing-up years.
Children, given the current times, hardly care, if at all, beyond a point. Given rhe better life expectancy, the old thus become an unwanted burden. Emotionally this plight can be both scary and scarring, given the physical debility.
Mobility nil, old age diseases aplenty, children often far away busy with their lives, the skeleton bodies with failing eyesight and listening deprivations, find life terrible, almost a prison without any escape and with vicious warders.
More than welfare schemes, or stringent laws, sensitizing the societal mindset is the urgent need of the hour. After all today's youngsters are soon going to be tomorrow's elderly, with much worse problems to face in every which way. Old has to be valued gold!
Pratima@age has to be a mere number/let there be happy days before we forever slumber!
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