Ageing : Indian Perspective

Contents: Introduction/P.K.B. Nayar. I. Society and the old: 1. Intergenerational problems of the old/L. Thara Bhai. 2. Problem of the old with younger generation/M. Thavamani. 3. The influence of environment of later life/T. Karunakaran. 4. Linking ageing and society response/D. Selvaraju and A. Murugan. 5. Religion as a solace to the old/R. Sridharan. 6. A society for old ages/Kala Rani Rengasamy. 7. Is old age a calamity/C.R.W. David. 8. Role of peoples participation in empowering families for care of the elderly/D. Sivakumar. II. Problems and prospects of the old: 9. Integrated approach to old age care: problems and prospects/B. Suguna and G. Sandhya Rani. 10. Problems and prospects of old age/R. Moorthy. 11. Elderly life Span: enigma and viewpoint/R. Shankar. 12. Problems of the aged—a sociological analysis/Padma Mohanan. 13. Aged—Problems and prospects/Usha John. 14. Deprivations of the elderly in slums/Joni C. Joseph. 15. Health problems and health needs of the aged in the villages of Tamil Nadu/C. Karuppiah. III. Institutional care of the old: 16. Home away from home: a survey of old age homes in Kerala/S. Irudayarajan. 17. Caring for the aged : emerging alternatives/L. Packiam. 18. Institutional care for the aged/I. Sobha, Vijyalakshmi Ramamohan and M.S.N. Reddy. 19. Comparitive study of elderly care by families and Institutions in Kerala/Jacob John Kattakayam. IV. Gender perspective and the old: 20. Are the elderly women the most deprived among the deprived? A micro level investigation in rural Tamil Nadu/N. Audinarayana, J. Sheela and N. Kavitha. 21. Status of the aged women in modern India: priorities for action/G. Sandhya Rani and B. Suguna. 22. Mystique of ageing: constraints on the autonomy of the elderly widows/B. Dharmalingam and K.R. Murugan. V. Old age policies: 23. Old age programmes and policies in India/R. Mangayarkarasu. 24. National policy for the welfare of the aged in India/N. Saraswathy. 25. Old age programmes and policies in India: a case of elders in Indian railways/M.S. Kitchlu. Subject index. Name index.

"The old and aged in a society represent the bedrock of its existence: symbolising the past. They are the carriers of traditions, values and experience, the guiding light for the young without whom society is not total and lose its stability. And progress that a society makes, culturally and morally, is reflected in the way it treats its aged.

This volume, comprising presentations at a national seminar on issues of ageing of current importance, takes up crucial problems faced by the old, suggests ways to address them and discusses the future scenario viewing ageing and the aged in the context of increasing modernisation. The well-researched papers, reflecting clarity in thought and language, deal with aspects like inter-generational problems of the old, the environment’s effect on them and their nutritional status and health problems. They examine how the age-old institution of the family and the newly-evolved concept of the old-age home cater to the needs and comforts of the elderly persons, with investigations into care of the aged in specific homes and institutions. They also focus specially on the plight of the poor aged and old women who are debilitated by the social environment and conditions as well. They study the priorities of action where the welfare of the aged is concerned, reviewing policies and programmes in operation including the National Policy for Welfare of the aged.

The book would prove invaluable to scholars of gerontology and sociologists and be of interest to general readers as well." (jacket)