Launched on 10th April 2002, as a joint project of
Bangalore city Police and Nightingales Medical Trust, the Elders Help line gets about 25
calls everyday from Elders in distress with different problems. The problems include
family problem, legal disputes, harassment, rehabilitation and medical help. Many of the
problems have been successfully resolved of which a few are given below.
REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF
NOVEMBER 2008
Total
contacts
605
Total
complaints
162
Total
Follow-Ups
443
Total
complainants 589
Total resolved
cases
56
Total ongoing
cases
106
CATEGORIES
-
NO.OF COMPLAINTS
SHELTER
ASSISTANCE
35
PRIVATE
INCONVENIENCE
55
PUBLIC
INCONVENIENCE
7
LEGAL
ASSISTANCE
12
INTER FAMILIAL
DISPUTES
19
POLICE
INTERVENTION
24
MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE
4
DOMICILLARY
SERVICE
5
SUPPORT
SERVICES
1
COMPLAINTS AGAINST OLD AGE
HOME --
FINANCIAL HELP /
EMPLOYMENT
--
OTHERS
--
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ELDERS HELPLINE - 1090
(A joint project of
Bangalore City Police & Nightingales Medical Trust)
SOME SUCCESSFULLY RESOLVED CASES
= = =
Inpatient programmed of Freedom
Foundation plus a de-addiction programmed with the CAIM helped rehabilitate a brother who
had been harassing the complainant , his sister.
Several senior citizens had invested in
a financial company The latter had defaulted in payment . Through the intercession of the
helpline several clients have been paid . The process is continuing.
The senior citizen reported that the son
who had a disability was short tempered with them and even his wife was indifferent .
Professional help for the son had been sought but the psychiatrist had pronounced the
prognosis as negative. Counselling over several weeks by the helpline had led to positive
results wherein the elder had called up to say that he had become reconciled to his
disability and that greater peace had enveloped the home environment.
A couple had separated and lived apart.
The lady in a rented house where some belongings of the husband were stored . Under police
supervision the man took away his possessions but in reality he took some of her things in
the place of his own possessions which he left behind. For a second time the police were
asked to trace the man. He has a drinking problem and his wife is handicapped. Around the
time of the second intercession by the helpline in the affairs of the couple a
reconciliation was effected and the couple now, once again,live together.
The senior citizens lived on a floor
above neighbour who had placed the air-conditioner compressor on the lintel below the
window of the floor above . The vibrations there of were causing a great deal of audio
discomfort to the elders. The society management was informed and resolution was effected
by putting iron brackets under the lintel which reduced the vibration.
A father and son dispute over property
.While the portion of the house which was usually given on rent , was being whitewashed
between rentees , the son stole the keys of the place and occupied it illegally . EHL
intervened and brought about an amicable settlement between father and the son . The
father was dependent upon the rent to repay a loan he had availed of .
7. The operations of an illegal gas
godown in front of a senior citizens residence was generating a great deal of noise
pollution. EHL sent a notice to the godown owners . They responded positively by shifting
premises within a month of the notice being served on them .
8. A senior citizen was yet to be paid
arears of his provident fund from the finance company he had retired from . After
protracted correspondence between EHL and the company , eventually the money was paid .
9. A senior citizen who had given a
transformer for repair was duped with a poorly performing transformer being returned for
his use . When his own efforts to get justice failed , he called in for help at EHL . A
compromise was arrived at by the return of the transformer to the repairer and the payment
of a compensation amount of Rs 1000 to the senior citizen .
10. Misunderstanding between father son over a
share of the property had heightened suspicious so high on the side of the son, that
communication had broken down completely between the two . Reacting to the breakdown in
communication the father sought the intercession of EHL to evacuate the son and his family
from the house . Protracted counselling led to the dissolving of the suspicious and the
arriving at a reconcillation between the two.
11. A sickly retired person had unsuccessfully
sought information with regard to the transfer of this pension papers from the AG's office
Kerala to Bangalore . Two visits from EHL and ther papers were found enabling the senior
citizen to access his pension .
12. The senior citizen's complaint was that
his tenant had occupied the rented space after paying a small sum towards the advance
payable .Thereafter neither was rent forthcoming nor the remaining deposit amount . EHL
intercession led to the tenant vacating the premises .
The senior citizen was anxious to have firm
information that his son had transferred the gifted motor cycle into his own name . For
otherwise , the elder feared being forced into financial commitments on behalf of his son.
As he had made enquiries regarding the transfer at the wrong RTO zonal office , he was
anxious and sought the help of EHL. The misunderstanding was cleared when EHL visited the
appropriate RTO office.
Residents of a colony used the good offices of
a senior citizens to complain and seek the intercession of EHL with regard to high noise
pollution emanating from a temple close by . The Karnataka sate pollution control Board
had upon visiting the spot recorded noise decibels higher than the permitted levels .
Nevertheless no action had been taken , Besides a registering of complaints at the police
station had also gone unheeded . The authorities at the Jain Temple however, did reduce
the volume after being sent a letter by an EHL lawyer , for consultations on the subject
matter.
The generator for the college was
positioned in a manner whereby fumes were enveloping the residence of the senior citizen.
EHL intercession led to the repositioning of the same giving relief to all the affected
residences.
An elderly spinster with cancer gave for safe
keeping of the documents relating to her finances ( pass book , F.D's ) to the pastor,
afraid of ignominy , returned all the documents.
Both husband and wife had invested money in a
financial institution. His was a larger amount than hers. EHL intercession led to an
agreement whereby the principle amounts alone were repayable - for the lady's amount in 2
installments and for the gents amount in 4 installments - as per the RBI guidelines.
Although the property had been divided and the
daughter given her share she was perceived that more was due to her and harassed her
father on that score. Counselling at EHL led to an amicable settlement.
A lady complainant reported that the neighbour
was harassing her . EHL asked the area police station to look into the matter.
EHL received a complaint of missing elder with
a copy to area police station. They were directed to the control rooms of C.O.P from while
the message was subsequently flashed to all area police stations, D.D, A,.I.R .The elder
was subsequently located.
A written complaint stated that additional
beat police were required in their area as the inflow of people availing of commercial
services at one end of the road , was high. The complainant wanted the beat book to be in
his custody for monitoring the beat constable. EHL spoke to the concerned authorities and
the needful was done.
A tenant had repaid the deposit amount but had
not vacated. A call notice from EHL led to the vacation of the space.
The complainant reported that a generator in
the neighbourhood was the cause of high noise pollution. We asked her to send a copy of
the complaint to the pollution board who thereafter took action by having the generator
re-positioned.
As the daughter -in-law was quarrelling with
both her husband and her mother-in-law , the latter wanted to shift out of the home .
Counselling sessions at EHL helped bring about an amicable resolution of the problem .
Neighbours jackfruit tree was slanting at the
electrical wires . EHL made a home visit and gave a deadline for the branches to be cut
down . This was done and the matter settled amicably.
Elder's son died and all he compensation by
the factory was given to the nominee , his wife. The latter in turn was uninterested in
looking after the mother - in - law. Counselling sessions led to an agreement on the pat
of the daughter-in-law to give some maintenance to the mother-in-law who shifted into an
old age home.
Report was regarding certification of 80 year
old's hawking trolley and the fruits on it. EHL got in touch with the concerned police
station. The goods were returned and a warning issued .
Complainant had invested in UTI Senior
citizen's Unit Plan covering all medical expenses. When on a particular occasion he wanted
to avail of this facility , the hospital informed the patient that the arrangements
between them and the UTI NO longer existed. EHL's correspondence led to a clarification on
why the arrangement had been stopped and UTI agreed to reimburse the complainant at
another hospital ,as a gesture of good will.
Complainant's son had gone out of control once
he entered college. He took to stealing and abusive behaviour. EHL's counselling sessions
helped him and the elder reported marked improvement in his son thereafter.
Elder harassed by son and daughter-in-law who
assaulted her physically. Home visit by EHL confirmed the situation. As elder wished to go
to her brother residing at her native village. EHL asked the son to comply. The lady was
sent to her brother.
An elderly couple had given a token advance
for the lease of a flat which finally they did not occupy. The problem was that the
landlord was unwilling to refund the advance . Repeat contacts and interactions ultimately
won the day and the money was refunded
December 3, 2003
Elders Helpline 1090, a joint project of the
Banglaore City Police and the Nightingales Medical Trust Offers free legal advice
and conciliation through alternative dispute redressal methods on Thursday, the 10th July
2003 between 2.00 p.m and 5 p.m at its office in the premises of the Police
Commissioner's office, No.1, Infantry Road, Lawyers and professionals from Alternative Law
Forum will offer their services.
ELDERS WHO ARE INTERESTED TO AVAIL THE SERVICE CAN CONTACT 1090 /
2943226 OR
Admn . Office : 3548444 / 3548555
TOTAL NO.OF CASES HANDLED IN THE MONTH
OF NOV -2008
| Elders contacted and availed help |
1498 |
| Complaints Registered |
972 |
| Cases Resolved |
186 |
| Elders availed free legal advice |
870 |
| Elders availed counseling |
408 |
| Home visits |
343 |
| Cases were handled with Police Intervention |
704 |
| Elders rescused from Old age homes |
17 |
| Elders rehabililated |
92 |
| Seeking Information |
912 |
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