Dr Kiran- “Hello folks! Today’s post is about the elderly living in the slums. Asha has been a witness to the magnitude of problems they face. They have endured a lifetime of poverty, poor nutrition, poor health care, and have spent years in hard physical labor.
Many are now unable to work, are suffering from great loneliness, and poor mental health.
They are constantly worried about where they will live if their homes in the slums are demolished. They have no savings and no access to social security.
Elderly women are the most vulnerable. There are estrangements in family relationships, worries about repayments that are due to money lenders, worries related to unmarried or widowed daughters, and alcoholism among male members in the family.
Asha runs special weekly geriatric clinics, to provide them with health care with compassion and dignity, and to promote healthy ageing. Physiological ageing must not become pathological ageing.
Asha provides them with essential groceries on a regular basis, in order that their nutritional needs are met.
Asha also has eating and drinking rituals for them from time to time, to help them feel connected and loved.
Asha team members and volunteers visit them in their homes regularly to check on them and spend time with them.
The Asha Advocacy Groups intervene when they are treated unfairly or poorly by their family members.
I think we must do a lot more for them, and help them age in a healthy and dignified manner.”
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