The government plans to increase awareness on the Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens’ Act to help the elderly who are ill-treated by their own family members.
At an awareness walk organised on World Elders Abuse Prevention Day here on Saturday, director of the Department for Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, Jayavibhava Swamy said, “This year, 52 cases have come before the Tribunal, but the actual number is, in reality, more. In this regard, increasing awareness on the Act is important.”
The walk was organised by the Elders Helpline 1090 of Bangalore Police and Nightingales Medical Trust. “Opening more daycare centres and dedicated helplines to help elders in distress is the need of the hour,” he added.
Nightingales Medical Trust managing trustee Radha S Murthy said studies revealed that over 40 percent of elders experience abuse in Bangalore. So far, 7,133 cases have been reported over the helpline and 3,545 cases have been resolved, she said.