Bangalore, the Pensioners Paradise is the preferred destination after retirement for a growing number of elders. The break up of joint family system and the emerging new life style are ushering in new needs and problems to senior citizens.

Many elders suffer in silence, physical abuse, harassment, financial exploitation and insecurity. It is time society came to the rescue of elders assuring them a life of dignity and security. The sad truth is that Bangalore like most other Indian cities is woefully lacking in exclusive facilities for the redressal of the problems of elders in distress.

Most of the problems begin at home. Elders are deprived of their legitimate rights. Children forget their duties and responsibilities. Loneliness or living alone in independent houses, display of wealth and unreliable service providers cause many hardships to elders. They are deprived of self respect and financially exploited. Medical facilities denied, cases of physical and mental abuse, abandonment and desertion have become common.

As most of the harassment and exploitation are by close family members who are the only care takers, the suffering elders seldom open their mouth. Cases are not reported for fear of more abuse and other dire consequences.

The National Policy for Elders also upholds elders legitimate rights which include staying with family and ensuring protection from abuse and exploitation.

The need of the hour is a strong and reliable support system to identify and bring out cases and to provide efficient and lasting solution. Hence the Elders Helpline.

Qualified and committed social workers, counselors, dutiful police personnel and service-minded volunteers are on duty. These are services elders can rely on. Above all, services are free and within easy reach.

The participation of Bangalore City Police, noted for pro-active policing and social
commitment adds extra confidence and reliability to the elders and makes the Elders Helpline structurally more solid and broad based.

For Nightingales Medical Trust, a Bangalore based NGO, who have already established a name as providers of quality and need based services to senior citizens, this is yet another step in the right direction to enrich the lives of elders.

The Elders Helpline is professionally managed and in close partnership with police officials, legal and security experts, volunteers and members of Nightingales Elders Enrichment Centre and other NGOs.

• The Elders Helpline is staffed by a team of qualified and committed social workers, counsellors and volunteers.
  

• Assisted by the Police and the members of Nightingales Elders Enrichment Centre.
  

• Police officials, legal, financial and security experts and other service organizations are associated.
  

• The Elders Helpline is available to elders living within Bangalore City limits.
  

• Rendering all possible timely support to elders in distress
  

• Counselling, analyzing the nature of the problems and remedial measures
  

• All efforts for reconciliation, relief and reunion
  

• For serious cases, police intervention and legal proceedings arranged
  

• Medical cases referred to nearby hospitals
  

• Rehabilitation in old age homes
  

• Working with other service agencies and related government departments
  

• Information related to personal security , medical needs and other day- to-day needs
  

• Creating awareness about elders rights, children's responsibilities and minimizing crime and violence against elder.

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  OCT/ NOV  2003

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  JUNE   -2006 

 

Elders contacted and availed help	35498
Complaints Registered	4972
Cases Resolved	2186
Elders availed free legal advice	2070
Elders availed counseling	1408
Home visits	343
Cases were handled with Police Intervention	704
Elders rescused from Old age homes	17
Elders rehabililated	92
Seeking Information	13512

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