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Life begins with a pension
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The lessons were clear for the Chennai chapter to take cognisance of and implement them in their own domain. A changed Mumbai could provide valuable lessons for a changed Chennai.
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It is difficult for some to find dignity in old age.
LIVING LIFE with dignity. That was what it was all about. One year since its inception, having survived infant mortality as Mr.R.N.Seshan later said, the Dignity Foundation (DF) had enough cause to celebrate.
Their way of celebration though, again, was a means of reaching out to several other senior citizens, create awareness about the problems likely to occur after the age of 60 years and the various ways and means of resolving these crises. One year since they began, the Dignity Foundation, much swollen in its ranks, laid siege to the Russian Cultural Centre and the minds and hearts of several citizens of the city, most of them senior.
``We speak, you listen,'' was, as they said, a special platform for senior citizens to voice their problems to an expert panel of professionals with core competence in specific areas of concern. The panel consisted of retired Supreme Court judge, S. Mohan, Geriatrician and head of geriatrics, Government General Hospital, B. Krishnaswamy, Vishranthi founder, Savithri Vaithi, Consumer Redressal Council president, R. Desikan and Clarke's School for the hearing Impaired director, Leelavathi Patrick. The organisers had planned for another crucial representative to be part of the meet, but DCP Shanmuga Rajeswaran was unable to make it to the meeting.
But that came later. Initially, there was this splendid presentation on the activities of DF, primarily in Mumbai, by the president of the Foundation, Sheilu Srinivasan. Outlining the initial efforts of DF in the area of care of senior citizens, Dr. Sheilu Srinivasan, went on to describe how the organisation soon expanded to build and reinstate the confidence of senior citizens in Mumbai. Eventually, they have evolved into a significant activist, civic and guiding force in the city, helping the state in several of its projects, she said.
The lessons were clear for the Chennai chapter to take cognisance of and implement them in their own domain. A changed Mumbai could provide valuable lessons for a changed Chennai.
Then there was the man, who was `69, going on 70', T.N. Seshan who took the stage, making no bones about his anger for the sad state the country had lapsed into. Mr. Seshan, really, never disappoints.
His strong speech was peppered with witticisms that the audience was waiting to hear. But Mr. Seshan did give DF much appreciated advice, and assured continuous support and advice for the activities of the organisation.
Among the suggestions he made, were to start legal advice and counselling for senior citizens, old people's homes that would be clean and decent.
The audience concurred with him as he asked the organisation to start a counselling service for all senior citizens who were to leave the shores.
When the questions came, they were a deluge. They ranged right from making wills, legal provisos, progressive hearing impairment, the right to die, pension problems, health issues, cable TV operators' overcharging, why even heard in the last rows: ``Can I use the computer, though I have a pace maker.''
By Ramya Kannan
Photo: Vino John
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Life
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
|
