Yojna.org: Bridging the Divide

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Age Care & Senior Citizens

In India life expectancy has gone up from 20 years in the beginning of the century to 62 years today. Better medical care and low fertility have made the elderly the fastest growing section of society.

WHAT IS AGEING?
	An irreversible biological phenomenon
	Survival of a growing number of people completing their traditional adult roles

WHO ARE THE AGED?
	Persons above sixty years of age are classified as aged persons

WHY IS INDIA AGEING OR GREYING FAST?
	Advancements in medical / health technologies
	Gradual fall in mortality rate
	Increased awareness
	Better nutrition
	Increased life expectancy

The story in figures:
1901 -- 12 million older persons.
1951 – 19 million
1999 – 70 million.
By 2025, this gray population will be a whopping 177 million!

While the numbers have gone up, quality of life has gone down. Industrialisation, migration, urbanisation and westernisation have severely affected value systems. The erstwhile joint family, the natural support system, has crumbled. The fast-changing pace of life has added to the woes of the older person.

In India:

·         90% of older persons are from the unorganized sector, with no social security at the age of 60.
·         40% of older persons live below the poverty line, and another 33% just marginally over it.
·         80% live in rural areas.

·         73% are illiterate, and can only be engaged in physical labor.
·         55% of women over 60 are widows, many of them with no support whatsoever.
·         There are nearly 200,000 centenarians in India.

How Does It Work?

Thank you!

Our Partners

HelpAge India

HelpAge India is working for the cause and care of Older Persons, with the ultimate aim of empowering them to take decisions pertaining to their own lives.

FROM WELFARE TO DEVELOPMENT

Over the years HelpAge India has changed its orientation from implementing welfare projects to those that focus on development. It now lays stress on income-generation and micro-credit projects that enable the participation of Older Persons in the mainstream of society.

HelpAge India’s work is based on the following five principles of ageing : older persons :
	Independence
	Participation
	Care
	Self-fulfillment
	Dignity

HELPAGE INDIA IS
	A registered national level voluntary organisation
	A secular, apolitical, non-profit and a non-governmental organisation
	Registered under the Societies' Registration Act, 1960, in 1978

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
	Formed in 1978 with active help from Mr. Cecil Jackson Cole, founder member of Help the Aged in United Kingdom

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
	To foster the welfare of the aged in India especially the needy aged
	To raise funds for projects which assist the elderly irrespective of cast or creed
	To create in the younger generation and in society a social awareness about the problems of the elderly in India today

ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE
	Mr. K R Narayanan, President of India and Mr. R Venkataraman, former President are the patrons of HelpAge India
	It's Governing Body, comprising eminent persons from different walks of life, oversees the activities of the society
	Mr. D R Kohli, ICS (Retd.) is the President, Mr Arun Seth is the Vice president and Maj. Gen. S S Sandhu (Retd.) is the Director General
	The Director General of HelpAge India looks after the forward planning and implementation of its policies and programmes with the support of functional Directorates at Head Office. HelpAge India has 24 regional and area offices located all over the country

ADVOCACY
	HelpAge India maintains active liaison with both the Central and State Governments for advocating the cause of the elderly
	It has been closely associated with the formulation of the National Policy for Older Persons, announced this year
	It is represented at the Working Committee of National Council
	The organisation has also been represented on the Working Group for recommending Government thrusts and policies for the Eight and Ninth Five Year Plans
	It has successfully pressed for travel and tax concessions and other benefits for the elderly

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS
	HelpAge India is one of the founding members of HelpAge International, a high profile body having 51 member countries representing the cause of the elderly at the UN
	It has received a special testimonial from the UN for "dedicated service in support of the United Nations Programme on Ageing"
	HelpAge India is also a full member of the International Federation on Ageing. For more, please visit : http://www.helpageindia.com/

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