How the Elderly Can Contribute to the Development of India

Almost every other day, we hear horrifying stories about elderly citizens being abandoned by their families. Excuses are plenty – financial scarcity, emotional and physical burden on others, lack of resources to take care of them etc. Approaching an advanced age is dreaded by many these days. There is the underlying fear that they would become worthless to the society and their families.

But the irony is that these so-called “burdens to the society”, are a source of significant potential for the country. Their experience and expertise can be used to lay a strong foundation for the Indian society. In an age where children are rapidly getting influenced by Western culture, their grandparents can play a vital role in keeping them grounded in their rich cultural roots.

Building economically stable and self-sufficient families – Women face an intense dilemma after they have children – to work or to stay at home? It becomes difficult for them to balance their professional and personal life after the arrival of children. In India however, most grandparents happily volunteer to take care of their grandchildren and manage household chores. This gives the mother an opportunity to pursue a career. Hence when two members of the family are employed, there would be enough financial security and stability. Therefore indirectly, seniors contribute to the economic growth of India.

Mentoring the next generation –The greatest wisdom comes with age and hence elders are a source of immense wisdom and experience. Their knowledge can be used to guide young individuals. Children need mentoring, or else turn into confused and aimless individuals later on in their lives. Their wealth of experience will offer enough inspiration to the youth to succeed in life. Grandparents, who play an active role in the upbringing of their grandchildren, successfully raise emotional stable, wise, kind and considerate adults. And when such adults form the backbone of a country, then it will flourish in all areas.

Service to the society – If you look at most of the prominent charities, you will notice that most of the members are seniors. There are enough charities and NGOs in India that could benefit immensely by senior volunteers. Elderly citizens are never short of kindness or the willingness to help others; the ample amount of free time on their hands is an added advantage. Whether it is working with underprivileged children or ensuring free meals to the poverty-stricken, there are a lot of organizations that offer several senior citizen activities that contribute to a social cause.

In India, seniors are a rapidly going population. It is the right time for us to make our country senior-friendly. This means taking care of the social needs of a senior, ensuring access to proper healthcare facilities, ensuring support from family and friends and taking initiatives to guarantee their overall health and well-being. When we as a nation shift our focus from monetary gains to the priceless contributions of our elders, we will be able to build a healthy society for our children to live and grow.