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Society respects elderly, considered not important at home- 11-Aug-2013
New Delhi: In India, elders are loved and revered but the awareness of younger generation towards issues faced by the old do not get translated into actual help or assistance, says a new survey.
The survey was conducted by the Research and Advocacy Centre of Agewell Foundation.
Findings indicate that today's generation may completely ignore or sidestep an elderly person in their own homes, either deliberately or unknowingly, due to various factors but would bend backwards to show respect to the elderly in the neighbourhood.
"Whereas socially, older people are given respect but at home they are not considered important," it said.
59.3 per cent of the people reportedly mentioned there is a contradiction in the manner people perceive older persons socially and at home. Only 14 per cent opined that there is no such contradiction and situation of the old remains same.
Family members take their elderly family members for granted and older persons don't want to cross the four walls.
Almost a fourth of the respondents agreed that respect for the elderly is missing at home.
Almost half the respondents from all age groups (50.3 per cent) said that in their opinion, older persons are respected within their families.
For the survey a representative sample of 32,100 people from different age groups acros the country were interviewed on phone, through Internet and with personal interaction. The survey was conducted in July and August this year.
The report has been brought out to coincide with the fourth Open Ended Working Group Conference on Old Age and Human Rights at United Nations.
"Since it addresses an issue which directly touches every one's life, we believe it would would be useful for large number of old people," says Himanshu Rath , Agewell Foundation.
Meanwhile, a little less than half of those surveyed believed that discrimination against the elderly at workplace does exist.
Older persons face discrimination due to their age at the workplace according to almost half the respondents. Promotions are curtailed or tasks reassigned.
The survey found out that 84.9 per cent people accept the fact that older persons are productive even after retirement.
A section of people also felt that discrimination at the workplace may not be due to age alone and it could be dependent on various other factors.
"Almost one fourth of the respondents don't prefer a young supervisor compared to an elder one. They would choose an elder supervisor given the choice," the survey says.
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