The crowning expression of productivity among senior citizens is self-esteem-dignity. What the senior citizen in India wants is not fame, name, money, or fortune, but dignity. To be not only conscious of it, but also to be seen to be productive has an enormous amount of value addition to his sense self-respect

‘Cenegenics’ is the latest upcoming practical panacea, in fact a raging fad in cities such as Las Vegas that ensures its practitioner ‘Amortality’. Research in gerontology and neuropsychology shows that mental activity makes neurons sprout new dendrites which will establish connections with other neurons. The dendrites shrink when the mind is idle. To put it simply, a person who stops solving problems arrives at a point where he cannot solve problems.

The field of ageing is beginning to explode, because so many are so excited about the prospect of searching for – and finding the causes of ageing, and maybe even the fountain of youth itself”

In India we are still in the stage of grappling with food, shelter, medical services, insurance, income security for the majority of the 91 million people 60+. Despite the necessity of such large scale interventions from the government that rules the country, there are still thematic areas that NGOs and groups can engage in. Instances of denial of opportunity for productive ageing run into tomes of gerontological literature.

Structural Opportunities:

• In India, the educated middle class senior’s are very quick to take to the need for knowledge and practice of productive ageing activities.
• In sharp contrast to the western emphasis on post-retirement leisure, holiday’s good food, fun and frolic, Indian seniors are eager to embrace opportunities for social work.
• The retired person in India places a high premium on working for a cause rather than fritter away retired life in pastime leisure and fun.

1. The proof of the above statement is seen in Mumbai where 663 Dignitarians, in a unique collaboration with the Bombay Municipal Corporation (BMC), have got into the project of Cleaning Mumbai with Dignity. The celebration of Independence Day has got clubbed with what they have titled as ‘Freedom from Garbage Andolan’
2. Or take their Helpline, for instance, where nearly 200 senior volunteers are working on providing companionship services to lonely seniors in Mumbai alone.

Second Career:

• Productive ageing should not be restricted to the narrow limits of gainful work.
• When productivity is broadened to include work beyond participation in the labour force, to embrace activities undertaken with passion, it assumes sociological significance.
• First, it is useful in arguments of the politics of intergenerational equity.
• Second, there are definite psychological benefits of productivity in old age such as better health, motivation cognitive functioning, life satisfaction or self-actualisation etc.
• Third, it has sociological relevance – social integration and participation, instead of living in the fringes of society.

Self Esteem:

• The crowning expression of productivity among senior citizens is self-esteem – dignity. The senior citizen wants to live the rest of his/her life with self-respect, in dignity.
• Ancient and medieval visions of ageing as the “renouncing-focused end part of life” is fast changing, making way for the secular, scientific, and individualistic outlook of modernity.
• This is true of at least the post-independence generation of India which has benefited from the first wave of liberal education.

Gold in Geriatrics:

• Wall Street Journal declared that “there is a lot of gold in geriatrics” – a potential that remains largely unexplored in India by business entrepreneurs. Insurance, housing, health, holidays and culturally oriented care services need to be tailor – made for the seniors.
• It is time that the Government was cognizant of its humungous responsibilities towards the aged of India and of the ageing demographic’s ramifications a think tank for comprehending the widespread impact of population ageing.

The National Policy of Older Persons, 1999, is a brilliant document, very progressive in outlook.

The ageing population growth rate itself is at 350 per cent compared to the growth rate of the general population. There is, therefore, an urgent need to put in action many schemes catering to the needs of the Elderly in India.

At the state level certain Government like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, M.P. and Himachal Pradesh have come up with many laudable schemes addressing issues of the aged. There is great scope of learning from each other.   

Groups of senior citizens and a handful on NGOs, are indeed very active in working along with the Government for drafting policies on Ageing in India. But more sustained efforts are required to mobilize many ministries in New Delhi. To start with, the well organised NGOs, groups and associations of senior citizens could be raising a united voice and dialogue with the Government departments.