Just a little over a month for the `Year of the Elderly' to draw to a close. But the `World of the Elderly' will only grow as our calendar year turns to 2000. Remember, the retirees whom we consider as old, are not necessarily, a doddering and helpless lot. At least, not in Pune. The majority here is kicking and alive and filled with envious energy.Besides forming a powerful voting population, they are well-informed and active. But many of them always face a seemingly peculiar situation, wherein not only homes shrink, when their sons form their families, but hearts shrink too. In the bargain, more often than not, the older generation has to face the wrath of injustice. Solutions do not always come by. Amidst bickerings and pettiness, life goes on. And as we had mentioned in these earlier columns, many of the old age homes have sprouted a good enough sign but they have taken the form of charitable institutions for the discarded old.But didn't we tell you, that Pune's senior citizens are not ones to twiddle their fingers. After we wrote about old age homes in Pune, S K Gupta, former managing director of a private company, now retired and living in Kalyaninagar, approached us to apprise us of an exciting retirement colony already on the anvil, conceived by him and a group of senior citizens residing in this area, early this year. Similarly, K.C Ramchandran, an entrepreneur and P. Janardhan, an executive in a private company both from Pimpri-Chinchwad industrial area and senior citizens themselves, also approached us, to enthusiastically tell us about a Rs 2 crore project for constructing a home for the elders, that they have been working on, since the last two years.Heartening to note, that at last, senior citizens themselves have picked up the gauntlet to build homes for the elders, a social necessity. As this millennium flips over, the need for such homes is only going to increase. Therefore, it is high time, that dignity and a feeling of a second home, is attached to these outfits. More important, senior citizens, instead of expecting returns-for-their-services, in this case the children's upbringing, must mentally get attuned to the idea of voluntarily settling for an old home, instead of being pushed into it by their sons, who may not believe that tolerance towards the elders at home, is worth their youthful energy. Of course, this can happen only, repeat only if there are worthwhile old age homes!Since Gupta and his team, Ramchandran and Janardhan have taken the first step forward, let us heartily congratulate them. Interestingly, Gupta's accent is for the upmarket old people though Gupta does not like the `upmarket' term and insists it is ``for those who can afford it.'' Okay, we go by that. Whereas, Ramchandran and Janardhan are aiming at the middle-class and lower income group. Both are welcome, since homes for the elderly are needed for every strata of society rich or poor.Let's have a look at Gupta's mission, which he is following with intense zeal. States he,``A suitable site, about four acres has been identified in Kalyaninagar, a prime residential locality. Called `The Golden Acres', it is a part of a larger and integrated township development called `Marigold' spread over 45 acres. We have deliberately chosen this area, so that old people need not feel that they are being deserted. They will be very much within the hustle-bustle of the city.''The main thrust of `The Golden Acres' is to sell off one's own individual property and buy flats here, says Gupta. For this, three categories of flats will be made available: studio apartments of 450 square feet, one bedroom flats of 700 square feet and two bedroom flats of 1150 square feet. States Gupta,``The price of these flats will be around Rs.1200 and Rs.1500 per sq ft. Our idea is that the prospective client must sell off his present property and make this his home. Subsequently after his death, the property will be sold to someone who is a senior citizen and is accepted by the society. Besides, at an approximate monthly charge of Rs.5000, we will provide him with breakfast and one meal, laundry, house cleaning and a resident nurse who would supervise regularity of medicine intake.''The Golden Acres is planned along the lines of some old age homes in the USA, says Gupta. Thus, recreational facilities like a library, home theatre, card room, computer room, a state-of-the-art health club, jogging track, a medical and drug store, central kitchen and a drawing room, a general store, a bank and guest accommodation would be added bonanzas.Gupta proudly states that, ``We would be also having residential quarters for nurses who would be appointed to give individual care to seniors with some functional impairment. We have also contacted a couple of leading hospitals in Pune, who would immediately treat any patient coming from The Golden Acres with a 10 per cent discount and no advance deposit. For this, an identification card will be made.''Presently, Gupta's Senior Citizen Club at Kalyaninagar is creating a public awareness campaign through lectures at Rotary Clubs as well as other senior citizens organisations in Pune. Gupta welcomes people to give their valuable suggestions and opinions regarding The Golden Acres. As for Ramchandran and Janardhan, the target clientale is senior citizens from middle-class families. `Bhakta Sudama Sadan' is the nomenclature given to this old-age home. While plans have been chalked out, about the personality of this home, Ramchandran is awaiting the generous donation of land, preferably in the outskirts of Pune. They have approached several leading social workers of Pimpri-Chinchwad and are confident that it would not be too long before they procure land for this noble purpose.According to Janardhan,``What we want to give the senior citizens residing here is dignity and to make them feel at home. For this, we are proposing 60 self-contained flats measuring 250 square feet which would be made available to the relevant person for a deposit of two and a half lakh rupees. On the death of the person, the deposit amount would be returned to his family members without interest.''Besides, the Bhakta Sudama Sadan would have dormitories for 25 senior citizens, for those who cannot afford the Rs 2,50,000 deposit. A novel dimension, to be added to this home is the dormitory for 25 destitute women and children. Says Ramchandran, ``I think it would help senior citizens if they see children in their premises it would break the monotony.''Other facilities include a common prayer hall, canteen, mini-theatre, recreation room, library, a swimming pool and an open auditorium for discourses. Ramchandra states ambitiously, ``We do not intend to keep senior citizens here, with just the basic necessities of food and shelter. We understand that many of them are still active. So, we will pool in their resources - maybe someone would like to teach and someone else would like to give consultancy of whatever expertise he has acquired in his life. We will use these resources by opening up opportunities for them either in the same premises or maybe even in the neighbouring areas. This would ensure that they do not get bored here and instead of remembering their past, they start a new life for themselves.''And that's not all. Ramchandran says that the Bhakta Sudama Sadan would be a mini-township by itself with departmental stores. A mini cottage industry wherein the residents of this home can voluntarily help make papads and masalas of very high quality would also open another world of opportunity for them. Ramchandran feels that ``this would help in making the Sadan run smoothly, without any financial crisis.'' An ad-hoc committee has already been formed and now the trustees, with Ramchandran in the lead, are running from pillar to post, to acquire land from a good Samaritan. They are also spreading the good word amongst the community of senior citizens in the Pimpri-Chinchwad are. We wish them good luck.Most of us keep getting worried about the future generation, about children and their environment that they are being brought up in. Which is of course important. Yet, let us also not forget that, along with our future citizens, the past generation too is presently in need of urgent attention.
