OLD AGE HOMES and Post-retirement Housing Needs
THE LAST RESORT*
M G WARRIER
“Necessity is the mother of invention”
This is true not only for
scientific and technological research, but for any development in the social
and even spiritual area also. In India , perhaps till a couple of
decades back, care homes for the aged were a government initiative targeting
mainly those below poverty line (there is no hope in sight for getting rid of
the need for this line!). And if someone who had enough assets to meet his
daily needs thought of going and living in a care home, people would refuse to
accept it as a normal behavior. Our social security network through the
institution of family and neighborhood interdependence was strong enough to
take care of the aged and the invalid as long as they survived.
Times are changing. And fast. These
days, you will find sons and daughters working abroad, during their short
visits booking villas or flats in the affectionately called ‘Retirement Villas’
as an investment proposition. You will also find old people in groups
discussing about someone who has recently shifted to a Retirement Village .
Not that the values we upheld
about the ‘family’ has gone down the drain, or that the present generation of
youth love their parents less or vice versa. The modern lifestyle, need for
everyone to go out for work and the smaller size of families have all
contributed to this scenario in different measures.
Presently, arrangements for
living for the well-to-do aged are available in facilities provided by big
builders, some Non-Governmental Organizations or by spiritual/religious
institutions. Those who are not so well-to-do depend on the mercy of
government. Those who are forced to make a choice to move out of their family
do it without getting much opportunity to weigh the pros and cons of their
decision. In many cases, they are not able
to do the necessary study or scouting before deciding on the choice of
the facility. Reason being the issue is not openly discussed in families or
among friends for fear of being alleged that something is wrong within the
family.
This discussion is aimed at
triggering a discussion among people planning to opt for the freedom of
independent living in groups in Retirement Villages without foregoing the love
and affection of family members.
·
Retirement
Villages
The concept of Retirement
Villages is slowly picking up in India . Essentially, Retirement
Villages are a specialized category of housing complexes, meant to cater to the
accommodation and lifestyle needs of retiring/retired people. Homogeneity of
group and a higher level of security awareness are real advantages for this
option. Although the worries about failing health, the need for personal
security and companionship of people with comparable interests and needs are
real concerns and would be met here more satisfactorily, the dramatic changes
in lifestyle that will be forced on one should be considered very
dispassionately before a choice is made, especially because reversal of
decisions at this stage in life would be painful in more than one way. This
rider holds good while considering any other option discussed here also.
·
Sponsored
Retirement Villages
The housing complexes/flats let
out to senior citizens for life by various social groups and private
individuals/organizations come under this category. Normally, the sponsors take
an initial lump sum non-refundable deposit and get reimbursed for recurring
expenses by regular monthly payments out of occupant’s income(from
pension/interest on savings etc) or remittances from outside. In some cases, a
refundable deposit also is accepted to take care of unexpected expenses in
medical emergencies. The sponsor ensures arrangements for stay, food, and other
support services including medical services and nursing assistance where
necessary on a cost-sharing basis.
Where the initial deposit is high
and almost equals the capital expenditure incurred by the sponsor, a right to
nomination whereby a nominee can get the possession of the house/flat, subject
to completing certain formalities and payment of a pre-indicated sum, when the
occupant dies is part of the deal.
·
Ownership
Residential Units
The groups of flats/houses being
built by groups of like-minded individuals or builders within other residential
complexes or outside come under this category.
Here, a sense of ownership and a feeling of flexibility in case one
changes mind about stay when letting out could be a possibility are the
advantages. However, the package of services offered by sponsors either as part
of social service or business is absent here and the groups will have to work
out arrangements for all needed services by availing facilities available in
the vicinity.
·
Hostel
for Senior Citizens
The concept is yet to develop in
our country. The living conditions in the state-run and NGO-sponsored old age homes
and charity homes where the invalid and the aged who do not have regular source
of income or support from children or family are forced to stay now are far
from satisfactory. The right of every citizen for food, shelter and other
minimum facilities for living a reasonably comfortable life needs to be
protected. Regulating the common stay arrangements for senior citizens,
pensioners, invalids, orphans and others who are dependent on care homes of
whatever nomenclature and providing need-based financial support to the care
homes would be a move in the right direction from the government side.
·
Some
related issues
As regards the resources
necessary to meet this challenging effort, only the lack of political will to
canalize the men, material and money now being engaged for purposes like
luxurious celebrations (mentioning here the examples of the efforts to find the
beginning of universe or scientific research in uninhabited parts of planet
earth or in space or development of weapons for massive annihilation may divert the discussion to controversial
areas, which is not my purpose!) and wars towards creative and positive
purposes at least until the basic needs of every inhabitant of mother earth is
met is standing in the way. Agreed, this is a great hurdle, equal in dimension
to the greed which results in accumulation of wealth by individuals, families
and nations through unethical means. But, if you and I start talking about it
frequently and without fear change is not far away.
In the interregnum, large
builders, hospitals and organizations in the public and private sectors could
fill the gap by supporting initiatives for setting up Care Homes/Retirement
Villages with all necessary linkages as part of fulfillment of their social
responsibility
Argument here is not that
government should be burdened with the entire cost for the purpose. Depending
on the category of occupants, cost sharing has to be built into the scheme. For
example, pensioners could be asked to surrender a portion of the pension towards
rentals and a certain percentage for food and asked to contribute to a medical
insurance scheme to take care of health care needs. Where feasible, earning
children should be made liable to meet costs of maintenance of their parents.
We are at crossroads where traditional values
are not respected universally and self-regulation to protect human rights and
social needs is yet to arrive. It is in this context governments and corporates
have a crucial role in this area.
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* Published in April 2009 issue of "Be Positive" a monthly magazine from Apollo Group of Hospitals
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