THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Chief Secretary S M Vijayanand has said that an education system that inculcates civic sense is inevitable to create an elderly friendly society. He was speaking at the valedictory function of a two-day seminar jointly organised by the Kudumbashree Mission and Kerala Institute of Local administration (KILA).
To improve the civic sense of the younger generation, the importance of protection of elderly people and the indispensability of their welfare schemes have to be included in school syllabus, he said. Vijayanand said a detailed study on elderly persons in each local body has to be conducted and neighbourhood groups have to be formed for these people in a proper manner and a “Grama Sabha” for the elderly must be constituted.
To over come the stress on those nursing the elderly affected by dementia or Alzheimer’s, proper counselling and training has to be given. He also called upon providing health care to the elderly by integrating ‘Swanthanam’ and palliative care. Principal secretary of local bodies (rural) Saradha Muraleedharan presided over. KILA faculty Peter M Raj welcomed the gathering. State programme manager Prabhakaran Meloth delivered the vote of thanks.