Invitation to a Volunteer Meet at TISS on Thursday, November 24, 2011 in Room No. VI. from 1.30 p.m.-5.00 p.m.

Dear Friends,

I write on behalf the Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL), TISS and the
Society for Service to Voluntary Agencies (SOSVA).We have come together
in a collaborative venture for identifying and reviewing needs of both
volunteers and NGOs in order to design and offer relevant capacity
building training programmes for the social welfare and development
sector. The goal of this undertaking is to"develop a supportive nexus
between volunteers and NGOs that is mutually beneficial, sustains
interest and motivation as well as embodies professional conduct".

As you are probably already aware, the activities of the Centre for
Lifelong Learning focus on 'providing opportunities for capacity
building to adult learners through its endeavour of Continuing
Education'.In this connection the Centre has been offering both
generalized and area specific Training Programmes for Volunteers in the
field of social welfare and development since 1989.
On the other hand, SOSVA was 'established in 1984 by a group of renowned
professionals concerned and committed to build, upgrade and support a
strong NGO sector.

VOLACT was launched in 1994 by SOSVA to mobilize, train and facilitate
volunteers to provide their services to nongovernmental and community
based organizations, to schools and other educational institutes and to
agencies working with underprivileged, challenged and other marginalized
groups, who are in need of voluntary support, to help them manage and
implement their programs.

Both SOSVA and the CLL at TISS recognize that the idea of
'volunteering'has been brought to the forefront of public attention as
society has come to depend increasingly on volunteer commitment to
supplement and support professional execution of tasks at the workplace.
Besides with the increase in life expectancy along with changes in
family structure and life, people in middle adulthood onwards want to
engage in voluntary work for personal satisfaction a well as to make a
concrete contribution to society. Further, the technologically advanced
world we currently live in gives rise to numerous issues and adjustment
difficulties that need to be addressed. In this context, the nature as
well as the role and scope of volunteerism take on a different meaning.
Volunteers need to be geared in dealing effectively with the demands of
a rapidly changing world.

In order to give some direction to their course of action, training is a
very important element. Training is crucial for increasing the
efficiency of volunteers. It enables them to develop and direct their
skills and abilities to the advantage of their work and also helps in
making effective and meaningful contributions. Thus the emphasis in
training is on imparting information, acquiring skills for effective
volunteering in NGOs and creating opportunities for utilizing abilities
meaningfully.

Yet, for enabling volunteers to be effective in the workplace it is
crucial to network with NGOs to explore their needs from the volunteer
work force within the parameters of their aims and objectives. Thus the
relationship between volunteers and employing NGOs must be optimized and
made functional for successful interventions and mutual satisfaction.

It is this realization that has propelled us to converge in this
venture. The first step towards this end is creating a platform to
dialogue with volunteers on the issues of work in various NGOs. FOR THIS
PURPOSE THE CLL AT TISS AND SOSVA INVITE YOU TO PARTICIPATE IN A HALF
DAY MEETING AT TISS ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 2011 IN ROOM NO. VI FROM
1.30 P.M.-5.00 P.M.

A meeting with NGOs was held on September 28, 2011 for the same purpose.

The specific aim of this Volunteer Meet is to "explore, share and
discuss the challenges of volunteering in contemporary times & the
nature of training inputs required for enabling volunteers to address
these challenges effectively so as to meet the requirements of NGOs".

Your participation and contribution in this endeavour is invaluable. We
do hope that you will make some time to attend this Volunteer Meet for
partnering with us to build a committed and effectively skilled
workforce for the NGO sector.

In anticipation of a favourable response

Warm Regards

Sabiha Vasi
Assisstant Professor,
Centre for Lifelong Learning, TISS

NB: Kindly confirm your participation by November 17, 2011

Contact:sabiha_v@tiss.edu; 25525681(Ms. Sabiha Vasi, TISS) ;

bhargavi@tiss.edu; 25525682 (Ms. Bhargavi Mohan, TISS)

admin@sosva.org.in; 26411205 (Ms. Radha Vedantam)

Do We Get Happier as We Get Older?

By JOE WILNER

Most people don’t look forward to the changes that come with old age. It’s easy to focus on decline in cognitive ability, and the potential health problems and physical limitations. These notions can make old age seem less than satisfactory.
However, some research reveals that despite these general deficits, people may actually become happier as they age.Specifically, emotion regulation skills may improve with age, leading to decreasing negative affect, and more stable positive affect.
In general, older adults may have an increasing sense of life-satisfaction, and be able to regulate their emotions more effectively than younger adults, allowing them to experience longer-lasting positive emotions and more fleeting negative moods.
The way older adults process information has been shown to be different from young adults, as they tend to pay attention to more positive information and tend to recall more positive memories.
This has been termed the positivity effect and relates to the tendency for older adults to pay more attention to, better remember, and put more priority on positive information than on negative information.
One reason this may the case is that as people get older and reach the last quarter of their life, their emotional well-being becomes much more important.
Learning to mange emotions is a skill and competency that develops with age and as we decide that this is a priority we learn to apply this capacity more effectively.
Simply put, knowing their life is getting shorter, older adults have greater motivation than young adults to regulate emotional states, and may alter their environmental circumstances and expectations to support positive experiences.
For instance, older adults potentially have fewer overall difficulties than young adults when it comes to future expectations. Some research reveals that “older adults increase positive affect by reducing the discrepancies between current states and goal states, either by lowering standards, or by shifting goals away from unmanageable areas and toward manageable ones (Lacey, 2006).”
Socioemotional goals become much more of a priority, and engaging in activities and surrounding themselves with people that maximize happiness takes precedence. As well, older adults may be retired and have less work stress, and they may have a greater sense of faith and spirituality.
There is also a potential adaptive function to this increasing happiness. There is a large amount of loss that comes with old age, and this ability or tendency to increase well-being can be viewed as a way to cope and manage the difficult adjustments that occur.
It’s common for people to want to preserve their youth. There is a sense that getting older is a burden, but as research reveals, this is unfounded.
We can begin to change our values as we age and start to view our self-concept and meaning through things other than appearance and power, and enjoy the wisdom and emotional maturity that emerges.



References
Lacey, H. P., Smith, D. M., & Ubel, P. A. (2006). Hope I Die Before I Get Old: Mispredicting Happiness Across the Adult Lifespan.Journal of Happiness Studies,7, 167-182.

Volunteering and Youth Engagement Helps Elderly

Author: jaideep khanduja Published: December 16, 2009 at 7:19 am

Isolating oneself from life and social activities as you grow older is a common phenomenon worldwide. Due to various reason, as one gets older, they at times can draw away from family, friends, children, society, hobbies, happiness etc. and go into a mode of silence and thinking.

However, a recent study conducted by researcher at the prestigious John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, have proven that volunteering can help improve the aging process in a positive way. By using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) technology, researchers have found that when the elderly engage in more social activities like tutoring children, social get together, mentoring, social service programs, volunteering with kids, it helps keep the brain active, healthy and agile for a longer period as compared to those elderly that do not volunteer.

The study was conducted in association with Experience Corps on 17 women aged 65 or older. Experience Corps is a national volunteer service organization conducting regular programs to engage elder community to help urban children in their studies.

In the US, the population moving towards retirement age is roughly 78 million while the average life expectancy rate increasing.

Per the research, such activities engaging older adults with children or with people needing volunteer services increased older people cognitive and physical abilities. As per the statement given by the associate professor working in the department of Mental Health and Center on Aging and Health in Bloomberg School of Public Health, “We found that participating in Experience Corps resulted in improvements in cognitive functioning and this was associated with significant changes in brain activation patterns.”

Research: benefits of home care reablement in the long term

Jill Manthorpe

Tuesday 11 October 2011 08:29

Reablement is popular with service users and although not the cheapest option, may have longer term benefits. Jill Manthorpe reviews the evidence

What is home care reablement?

Home care reablement services and staff provide personal care, help with activities of daily living and other practical tasks for a limited period. They aim to enable people to regain both the confidence and practical skills to carry out these activities themselves. Most home care reablement services are arranged as part of support after a stay in hospital and they also help provide equipment to make life easier at home. Their staff generally work for local authorities and with NHS professionals. In other parts of the world, this work is sometimes called "restorative" services.

The Research

Key words: Home care | reablement

Authors: Caroline Glendinning, Karen Jones, Kate Baxter, Parvaneh Rabiee, Lesley A Curtis, Alison Wilde, Hilary Arksey, and Julien E Forder

Title: Home Care Reablement Services: investigating the longer-term impacts, Social Policy Research Unit, University of York (2010)

Aim: To provide robust evidence on the immediate and longer-term benefits of home care reablement; to identify any factors that affect the extent of benefits and how long any benefits last for service users; and to investigate the impact and savings arising from reablement services.

Methodology: Service users from home care reablement services in five English local authorities were recruited, as were users of conventional home care from five other local authorities. Both groups were recruited at the time of their referral to home care services, and initial interviews were conducted. The reablement group was next interviewed on completion of reablement and both reablement and comparison groups were followed up by interview nine to 12 months later.

Conclusion: Reablement works for people who need support to regain their independence or to improve their quality of life. It does not appear to cost more, and indeed, it may reduce the need for some social care services and even some health care costs. It fits well with government emphasis on prevention and early intervention; and on reducing dependence. Importantly, people seem to like this type of service.

Both the government and opposition are keen on home care reablement as a way to help individuals regain or maintain their independence, especially after a hospital stay. There is a small but growing evidence base that describes home care reablement as effective and well-liked by people and their family members. The evidence says that people's well-being improves. There is some evidence that people may use fewer other services as a result of using a reablement service.

This study provides further evidence about the immediate and longer-term benefits of home care reablement services, as well as detailed information on the structure, content and first-hand experiences of reablement. These may be of relevance to commissioners and managers, but also to practitioners who are working with people to set up support plans and to monitor their outcomes.

FINDINGS

The coalition government's enthusiasm for reablement seems to be shared by users and carers, who are very positive about the impact of reablement on their independence and confidence. Indeed, some would have liked more help to improve their mobility and take part in activities outside the home.

This study investigates the experiences of people who receive home care reablement and compares them with a group receiving conventional home care services; importantly both groups were followed for up to one year.

During that time, reablement was associated with a significant decrease in subsequent social care service use. However, this reduction in social care costs was almost entirely offset by the initial cost of the reablement intervention.

The success of reablement may be that it works out better for people, even if there are not huge savings. For many local authorities there might be savings, but reablement seems to need quite a sophisticated combination of support groups to work well. Equipment and specialist support from professionals such as occupational therapists are a necessary part of the picture.

In the light of personalisation and greater take up by all user groups, reablement can potentially play a part in helping with extended assessments, so that appropriate levels of long-term support or resources may eventually be commissioned or arranged. This might be helpful, for example, if there is a strong possibility a service user would rather stay at home.

ANALYSIS

The report sets out a number of points for commissioners to consider, especially at a time of reduced resources. The first is that a return to a more targeted service may be appropriate. In other words, not everyone will have the same capacity to gain from reablement.

The authors recommend close working with NHS partners when developing reablement services or changing their focus.

While the study does not focus specifically on carers, carers appear to benefit from reablement in their caring role.Certainly, having the right equipment at the right time and access to professionals to ask questions of and seek reassurance is beneficial. The authors recommend professionals involve carers more in improving people's well-being.

The authors also recommend that local managers and commissioners think about extending the scope and skill-mix of reablement services. NHS investment in this area may be a spur to improving the confidence and skills of staff, for example by helping them feel able to work on exercise regimes and undertaking activities outside the home with the client or user.

This study took place in five areas of England and these are as typical of other local authorities as possible. One of the strengths of the study is that it was able to compare the experiences and outcomes for home care reablement users with those of a group that received conventional home care services.

In addition, there was the opportunity to consider what happened over time, generally nine or 10 months. This approach is not always possible in social care research.

Practice implications

For practitioners:

● The evidence on home care reablement is positive, so hospital workers talking to people who are being discharged from hospital can tell them that this sort of service is proven to work in many cases.

● Social workers should consider involving carers more in improving people's well-being.

● For social care workers and support workers, taking up a job in reablement may make the most of your skills and is likely to provide you with the opportunities to learn more about important areas such as therapy.

● For occupational therapists working for local authorities, a focus on reablement may change practice and relationships with primary care colleagues.

For commissioners:

● The study's findings provide welcome evidence of the costings of reablement services and these may be useful in discussing budgets with clinical commissioning groups and the best way to make use of scarce resources among communities.

On World Elders’ Day, many register at ‘Jobs 60+’

On World Elders’ Day, many register at ‘Jobs 60+’

Published: Sunday, Oct 2, 2011, 15:29 IST
By DNA Correspondent | Place: Bangalore | Agency: DNA

At 62, Balaraju, a retired accounts officer, wants to restart working so that he may have an active life. Likewise, Shyam Sundar, who retired from the state accounts department six years ago, says he is still fit to serve the society and wants to take up a part-time job or work from home.

They are among thousands of retired citizens in the city who are looking for an opportunity to augment their income or simply spend their time productively. The urge to work is strong among the retired class. This was evident by the large gathering of the retired citizens, eagerly registering themselves for training programmes at the ‘Jobs 60+’ training centre. It was inaugurated on Saturday, on the occasion of World Elders’ Day.

Justice MN Venkatachalaiah, who inaugurated the centre, said we need 50,000 such training centres in the Karnataka. The plight of the elderly, especially in villages, is pathetic as they do not get even basic healthcare. Helping them generate income is necessary as many seniors are productive even after retirement, he said.

Nightingale’s Medical Trust, which has started the centre, says that out of the 10-crore elderly people in India, only 10.8% get pension. With the population of senior citizens going up, more could be left without economic security. About 8-9% of the country’s population consists of seniors; in Bangalore it is about 10%.

“By 2050, the numbers of the young and old will be equal. The number of the elderly is growing rapidly. We need to empower them economically, improve their skills so they can take up jobs,” said Dr Radha Murthy, founder of the trust.

The trust found that the elderly people were looking for training and jobs in the city during the job mela held in 2009. About 800 senior citizens had registered but only 40 had found jobs. Fewer than 20 held on to their jobs. The project revealed many gaps, which the trust now hopes to fill.

Murthy said there are issues with skill, also with how the person copes with the new set-up. There is a need for counselling to prepare them for workplaces that are different from the ones they had attended. She said the centre would cover all these areas. About 1,000 elders will be trained in a year.

Abuse continues

The elders’ helpline run by the Nightingale’s Medical Trust receives about 25-30 calls every day. About 57% of these are related to abuse. Family problems are driving the statistics.

Changing lifestyles is widening the chasm between generations.

“Often, there is a clash between the elderly parents and young children. There is intolerance for the other’s point of view, way of life,” Murthy says.

Workshop "Youth for Elderly"

The Two half day workshop on “Youth for Elderly” was organized by the Centre for Lifelong Learning, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, on 18^th and 19^th July,2011,mainly to bring together the two focus areas of CLL, the youth and the elderly. 

The Two Half Day Workshop was designed mainly to sensitize the college youth of the colleges falling under M Ward on the Elderly Issues and to motivate them to work for the care of Elderly. 

Total 5 colleges from M-ward were chosen for this workshop. Six NSS volunteers from each college along with their Programme Officer were invited to participate. The participants of this workshop included 39 students and 3 program officers (total-42) from 5 colleges of M-ward, namely; Dr. Ambedkar College of Arts, Science & Commerce, Shri Narayan Guru College, N. G. Acharya and D.K. Marathe college of Arts, Commerce and Science, Swami Vivekanand College of Science, Arts and Commerce and Mahatma Gandhi Society.

The sessions of the workshop were designed mainly to provide the participants with a comprehensive knowledge on the issues of elderly and the ways by which these issues can be tackled in the field. In our society some people tend to carry their own myths and disbeliefs vis-à-vis the elderly. The elderly are generally labeled as irritating, physically and mentally weak, very interfering people etc. So, to start with, breaking of these myths and disbeliefs is very essential in order to gain a proper understanding of the problem. Hence the first session of the workshop was on Aging- Myths and Realities. The second session on Issues and concerns of Elderly was mainly an attempt to widen the horizons of the participants on some facts and to develop sensitivity towards the issues of elderly. The issues of the youth vis-a-vis elderly were also addressed in this session. This helped the youth in understanding and analyzing themselves in relation to the elders.

The second day of the workshop concentrated on providing field based inputs to the participants regarding the work being done by NGOs working in the area of elderly. The first session on Working with the elderly strived towards acquainting the participants regarding the plight of a range of senior citizens in our society and the services being provided by various organizations working on elderly with a special focus on the work done by Dignity foundation (an NGO working for elderly). The second session was an attempt to familiarize the participants on the rights and entitlements of the elderly, which is very important to know while working with them. And lastly, in the last session the CLL team sat with individual colleges and helped them develop a feasible action plan that would integrate the concept of Youth for Elderly (working with the elderly) with the NSS activities at the college level.

Thus, the whole workshop was an attempt to enlighten and sensitize the youth, making them aware about the power they have to bring about a positive change in the life of the elderly. 

WORLD ELDERS DAY

YOU ARE INVITED!

YOU ARE INVITED for the MEGA FESTIVAL on SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

YOU ARE INVITED for the MEGA FESTIVAL on SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Invitation to participate in a One‐Day Mega‐Festival for Senior Citizens on the 24th September, 2011.

Dear Friends,

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai is celebrating its Platinum Jubilee this year. As a part of these celebrations the Centre for Lifelong Learning (CLL), TISS is organizing a One‐Day Mega‐Festival for Senior Citizens on the 24^th September, 2011

CLL through its Diploma and Short term programs for adult learners has a first hand experience of working with 60 + population. As a part of teaching the Diploma in Gerontology course since the last three years, the Centre has also been working closely with several associations for senior citizens, old age homes and organizations working for senior citizens in advocating for the rights of the seniors, fighting with the stereotypes associated with them and making ageing a positive and fulfilling experience for the seniors.

The One Day Mega Festival for Senior citizens is an effort to demonstrate 'Elder Power' and to enable the senior citizens experience ‘Positive Ageing’. This would mainly be done by involving them in fun activities like dance, recreational activities, movie screening, fashion show etc. Also on display would be products which are elder friendly and which can contribute towards the well‐being of the seniors.

Besides, the event is also an effort to bring together the various stake holders involved in working for the senior citizens, which includes, senior citizens associations, organizations working on elderly issues and old age homes. Organizations which may have an indirect benefit for the elders would also be involved; this would include organizations providing medical services, financial services, legal help, wellness organizations and those manufacturing products especially for the elderly.

Please join the event, participate in the day long activities and help us in our endeavor of making ageing a positive experience in the life of the elderly.

Venue: Main Quadrangle, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Main Campus

Date: 24^th September, 2011

Time: 10 am-5.30 pm.

Your suggestions for making the event successful are welcome.

Thanking you,
Warm regards,

CLL Team

(Nasreen Rustomfram, Lata Narayan, Sabiha Vasi, Deepak Mathew, Saman Afroz, Saigita Chitturu, Sandeep Ravindra, Pallavi Kumari, Bhargavi Nair, Ritesh Vaity)

Contact us at:

Email : cll-faculty@tiss.edu

cll-tiss@tiss.edu

Blog: http://centreforlifelonglearningtiss.blogspot.com

Tele: 25525000/25525500

RSVP

Ms. Saigita Chitturu Ext 5692

Ms. Pallavi Kumari Ext 5683

Ms. Bhargavi Nair Ext 5682

Celebrating the Platinum Era: BInding Generations

Senior Citizen National Solidarity Day: August 16, 2011

                                                                                                     

TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Senior Citizens

August 16, 2011

National Solidarity Day

Senior Citizens, inspite of their numbers, collective wisdom and experience, will continue to be ignored and marginalized, unless they unite

Kofi Annan

Another year will be added to the celebrations of India’s Independence Day on 15th August 2011 and the platitudes regarding people, culture, ethnicity, values, etc will once again be repeated through various mediums.  Have these good intentions been translated into practice?

When it comes to intentions and practice, especially with senior citizens it raises a big question. Despite the fact that the NPOP(National Policy for Older Persons) was adopted by the Central Government as far back as 1999, the neglect by the State and Central Governments and the entire bureaucracy in the tardy or virtual  non-implementation of policies with regard to the welfare of senior citizens is most obvious.

In response to this injustice and neglect, 16th August 2010 was observed as a National Protest Day. As a result of nationwide activity last year, there has been some semblance of positive action from the Central Government such as concessions in Income Tax structure, Railway  fares, quantum of Old Age Pension, eligibility criteria for concessions  etc.   There are also numerous glaring disparities in payment of pensions to retirees from different sectors, causing severe hardship in some cases. These need to be highlighted and their redressal sought

 On the National Solidarity Day 16th August, the Centre For Lifelong Learning, Tata Institute of Social Sciences along with 10 crores Older Persons (60 +) citizens of the country, the vast majority of whom are indigent, underfed, insecure and unorganized, are demanding the Government’s immediate attention and action to implement welfare policies  at state level. The intentions of the Central Government in formulating schemes / policies for the older persons has been to relieve them from the clutches of hunger, disease, poverty, neglect and insecurity. Three policies  exists to translate their intention. These are;National Policy on Older Persons, (NPOP, 1999), enacting the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (MWPSCA, 2007), and announcing the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS, 2007).   These Acts and Schemes are a part of the country’s commitment to protect the Human Rights of its senior citizens.

These steps also safeguard the rights of the Older Persons as citizens mandated in the  Directive Principles of State Policy of the Indian Constitution which states that “the State will extend support for financial security, health care and shelter for senior citizens and provide protection against abuse and exploitation”.

At the core of the problem is the non-implementation of the NPOP, MWPSCA, and IGNOAPS.  The Central Government has directed the State Governments to adopt and operationalise these provisions, however they have largely ignored the issue by declaring a lack of resources.  The situation is no better for schemes where the Central Government has allocated partial resources.

The following illustrate the above mentioned statements.

a)      Though mandated in the National Policy on Older Persons no health security has been provided by most of the States / UT’s. In the absence of State subsidized health insurance, if a senior citizen falls ill, quality health care is unaffordable.

Today unaffordable health care costs are the major contributor to the poverty in our country as every year 2.1 % of population is pushed below poverty line due to unaffordable health care costs.

b)     The status of adoption of NPOP by various states, even after 11 years of its promulgation by the Central Government is bleak; as only seven states, that is, Goa, Kerala, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi have adopted NPOP.

c)      The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (MWPSCA, 2007), largely remains on paper even after its enactment four years ago.  This Act if implemented will give protection to the most vulnerable sections of senior citizens who are at risk of abandonment from their own family .But only 7 states have adopted it with fulfillment of two or three conditions out of the specified 5 conditions  recommended in the act.

d)        The amount that is paid through Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) is a meagre Rs.200 from the Central Government. This provision is intended to provide monetary support to senior citizens who are Below Poverty Line and States are expected to match the grant of Rs.200 with an equal amount.  Here too, the range between States in the share they provide is from Rs.800 to none at all.  While Delhi & Goa are contributing Rs.800,the states of Haryana and Maharashtra are contributing Rs.500 and Rs.400 respectively but in Uttar Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh there is no contribution by the state at all.  In Andhra Pradesh it is claimed that the amount is being spent on the disabled population.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, the Nodal Ministry which is expected to co-ordinate and monitor the progress of the schemes as well as the setting up of an autonomous National Council of Older Person would do well to have a thorough introspection and take quick and appropriate remedial action urgently and immediately. 

The Senior Citizen Associations (AISSCON & FESSCOM) have over the years been lobbying with the Governments to highlight the non-implementation of provisions of the various Acts and Schemes.  With the slow response forthcoming, it has been decided to observe a SOLIDARITY DAY ON 16TH AUGUST 2011 to make the respective  State Governments aware that Older Persons in the country and state will not be taken for granted any longer. The Solidarity Day proceedings will be supported by 27 National, State and Local level organizations, NGO’s, Associations of Banks / Insurance companies, retired employees and will be observed over the entire country.

The Tata Institute of Social Sciences joins the Joint Action Committee in supporting this nationwide observation on 16^th August 2011  as a National Solidarity Day and appeals to the media to highlight the gross injustice being meted out to Senior Citizens. Society as a whole  shares equal responsibility  for safeguarding the rights of  older persons.

Centre for lifelong Learning

TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

25525000 / 25525682/ 2552 5686 / 25525692

Website: www.tiss.edu

Blog: www.centreforlifelonglearningtiss.blogspot.com

PRESS CONFERENCE on AUGUST 10, 2011at TISS

 TATA INSTITUTE OF SOCIAL SCIENCES

CENTRE FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

In Collaboration with Joint Action Committee for

“Senior Citizens' National Solidarity Day on August 16, 2011

Announces a Press Conference On

10th August 2011

Venue: TISS Convention Centre Lobby, Naoroji Campus, Deonar Farm Road,Mumbai.

When it comes to intentions and practice, especially with senior citizens in India it raises a big question. Despite the fact that the NPOP (National Policy for Older Persons) was adopted by the country as far back as 1999, the neglect by the State and Central Governments and the entire bureaucratic systems in the tardy or non- implementation of policies and ignoring the welfare of the senior citizens is most obvious.

In response to this injustice and neglect, last year 16th August was observed as a National Protest Day by the senior citizens and their associations. As a result of nationwide activity last year, there has been some semblance of positive action from the central government like concessions in Income Tax structure, Railway  fares, quantum of Old Age Pension, eligibility criteria for concessions  etc. However, most State governments are yet to wake up and respond. They continue to be indifferent towards the problems and concerns of senior citizens by not implementing welfare schemes like Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOPS) and The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents And Senior Citizens Act (MWPSC). Hence through the activities on August 16, this year the focus of attention is to demand that state governments fulfill their commitments. Hence to keep up the momentum gained, it has been decided to observe 16th August 2011 as SENIOR CITIZENS NATIONAL SOLIDARITY DAY all over India. As last year Centre for Lifelong Learning, reiterates its support for the ‘Senior Citizens' National Solidarity Day’ by organizing a press conference on10th August 2011.

We appeal to all of you to be part of the press conference to express your support for the cause of rights of senior citizens.

CLL Team

ADULTHOOD AND MATURITY

I know of no greater fallacy, nor one more widely believed, than the statement that youth is the happiest time of life.

              

As we advance in years, we grow happier if we live intelligently. The universe is spectacular, and it is a free show. Difficulties and responsibilities strengthen and enrich the mind. To live abundantly is like climbing a mountain or a tower.

To say that youth is happier than maturity is like saying the view from the bottom of the tower is better than the view from the top. As we ascend, the range of our views widens. The horizon is pushed farther away. Finally, as we reach the summit, it is as if we had the world at our feet.

William Lyon Phelps, Autobiography with Letters. New York: Scribner 1939.