Helpline For Senior Citizens Soon
A helpline for elders will soon be introduced in Coimbatore and Madurai districts. HelpAge India, along with the State Government, will initiate this facility to offer protection and counselling to senior citizens, says Indrani Rajadurai, National Director of HelpAge India.The 24-hour toll-free number is 1,253. Introduced three years ago in cities such as Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi, the response to the helpline has been overwhelming, Ms. Rajadurai says. In Chennai alone, the helpline receives more than 80 calls a day. The calls ranged from those made by the general public informing the authorities of aged people lying on the roadside, railway stations, temples and such public places to elders themselves seeking medical assistance, legal clarification, and counselling.
“Sometimes, we get calls from aged people who are ill-treated at their homes and from children whose parents are missing,” observes Ms. Rajadurai. The helpline will also serve as an information centre for details regarding old age homes, legal issues and policies concerning senior citizens. The Government is planning to start similar helplines in 15 districts in the State. Through its ‘adopt a gran’ programme, the organisation takes care of aged people in slums, remote villages and even tribal areas.
