Lockdown adversely affects senior citizens in Gurugram

GURUGRAM: Despite several measures taken by the Gurugram district administration for the welfare of the elderly, the lockdown has now begun to take its toll on the senior citizens. The challenges only increases for septuagenarians and octogenarians whose children are not staying with them.

Due to lack of technological knowledge, most of the elderly are not able to apply for the movement passes mandated by the district authorities for any movement in the city. The 21-days lockdown has also adversely affected the schedule of the elderly patients who have to visit the hospitals for their medical processes and purchasing of medicines.

Taking cognisance of the health of the elderly, the district administration has made sure that the domestic help, drivers and private nurses are exempted from the lockdown. However, complaints of delay of delivering the passes to these workers have resulted in the senior citizens not getting timely help.

Most of the volunteers working on the level of residential societies are trying to get the details for the elderly and providing them with essential services like masks and sanitisers and sharing the numbers of doctors who are providing consultation in their field of expertise.

Acknowledging the challenges faced by the senior citizens, the Gurugram District Commissioner said, “Taking care of the senior citizens has been one of our major concerns. It is for this purpose we have ensured that the domestic helpers are exempted from the lockdown. On the complaints of some of the domestic help not getting the movement passes, our teams have rectified most of the issues.”

In addition to the prevailing difficulties, there is also a challenge of ensuring better mental health of the senior citizens who are restricted to staying indoors.