SRINAGAR: With many aged parents being abandoned by their children in Kashmir, the government has decided to come up with old age homes in all districts so as to provide shelter to those in need.
Many such homes for the destitute and abandoned senior citizens have already been established in around seven districts of Kashmir.
Mohammad Ashraf Akhoon, deputy director, Social Welfare department Kashmir said that among 10 districts in Kashmir, old age homes have been already started in seven and will be established in the remaining few also very soon.
He further added that there are two types of homes for elderly, daycare and residential. Daycare homes have been set up in some districts and residential in few, he said.
“As of now, we have good response in day care old age homes with hundreds of senior citizens coming every day; however, the response in residential homes is meager as just few have come in residential old age homes yet,” he said, adding that residential old age homes have just one or two admissions.”
Maintaining that daycare homes allow them to express themselves, Akhoon Ashraf said that elderly people here enjoy each other’s company , talk to each other and they get a platform to share ideas with each other.
“The day cares are a good source of recreation for the elderly people of our society who either are abandoned by their children or want to spend some good time at these centers,” Akhoon Ashraf said, adding they are using library, read newspapers, sip tea together and take part in other recreational facilities.
“Anybody who needs shelter in these homes must contact concerned district social welfare officer. They will be admitted in these old age homes immediately,” he said.
