Pics: Spoorthi Ullal

Daijiworld Media Network-Mangalore (MD)

Mangalore, Sep 19: HelpAge India, in collaboration with Vishwas Trust organised a ‘Mobilization meeting with Elders’ at St Antony’s Home for the Poor in Valencia and Dr Olinda Pereira launched the ‘Neighbourhood Group Project’ here on Friday September 19 at St Antony Home, Mangalore.

Inaugurating the project which involved the formation of a neighbourhood group in the city to address the needs of the elderly and provide them much-needed emotional support, Dr Olinda Pereira, director of Vishwas Trust, said that the elderly were less capable of movement due to their age and also less capable of seeking help and having their needs answered.

"The launch of the neighbourhood project is one of the dreams of Vishwas Trust. Noting the loneliness of most of the elderly with concern, this kind of help is required for the well-being of the elderly, who mostly need reassurance and a sympathetic hand. Since there is need for a concerned neighbourhood and concerned neighbourliness among people to address the problems of the elderly, the neighbourhood project, which promotes networking among families and the elderly, is a small change in this direction," she added.

Fr Oneil D’Souza, director of St Antony Home in his speech said that the elderly do not get respect in the society because the generation has changed. "When a machine stops working, the machine will be given to the scrap shop; it is the same with humans same. When a person becomes old, he/she is cornered or is brought to the orphanage," he said.

"A person tries to grab whatever he gets it from another person and when this person does not have anything much to entertain, he will be left alone," he said. He also wished that a man should be born old and die young.

Speaking on the occasion, Prakash, a representative with HelpAge India said, "There should be networking and groups in the neighbourhood to create bonds between community and neighbours in the society, which are important in addressing the needs and problems of the elderly. Most of them merely require reassurance, a helping hand or a sympathetic ear, which can be brought through individuals as part of promoting neighbourliness and neighbourhood groups."

He also informed that an informal survey would be conducted in the city to identify problems faced by the elderly in the neighbourhood.

Suresh Shetty, social worker and several others were present during the launch of the project.