Lack of old age homes — a major issue for senior citizens

Islamabad : With the changing trend of modern social norms, old concept of combined family system is vanishing gradually, leaving no space for elders of a family to get a respectable place for spending rest of their lives.

Unemployment, increasing number of people living below poverty line and victims of natural tragedy are the key persons facing this issue as it is hard for the families to meet both ends of life in their limited resources.

Unfortunately, not a single old age home is established in twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad to give shelter to these respectable citizens who are not able to earn to bear expenses of their livelihood.

Umar Khan, a sixty five year old person at Faizabad, talking to this agency said, “I spent the whole life in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, but after death of my young son due to drug addiction, I came to Rawalpindi to see my married daughter. I cannot live at my daughter’s home, so spend the whole day at bus stops and forced to beg for bearing expenses food, clothes and other basic necessities of life for me and my wife,” he told in a gloomy voice.

In a very low tone, he said, “I just need a place where I can live with my wife, and a very little amount for daily expenses but where to complain. Am I not a citizen of this country.” He informed that he passed all his life as a labourer because being an uneducated person he cannot do a job but now his feeble health does not allow him to work.

Questions of this old man are black marks on our society, said Sabir Ahmed, a social worker. He demanded the authorities concerned to setup old homes or accommodation places for their residence so that they could spend their remaining lives in peaceful atmosphere.