Social Studies Note for Grade X (OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS SENIOR CITIZENS - Unit- 3)

Social Studies Note for Grade X

LESSON- 8

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES TOWARDS SENIOR CITIZENS

Elderly or edged person, especially one above 60 or 65 years of age is known as a senior citizen. According to the Senior Citizens Act, 2063, ‘Senior Citizen means a citizen of Nepal having completed the age of sixty years.’

Senior citizen are the wealth of social and cultural knowledge, value, belief and tradition. They are the founder of our society. They have already experienced lots of ups and downs in life. They have got unlimited experience and knowledge. We have to utilize the knowledge and experience of senior citizens. Some of the senior citizens are still contributing to the family, society and the nation as per their experience and ability.

It is the duty of state to take care of the senior citizens. It comes under the social and moral responsibility of the state. Society also has to provide the services to their citizens with respect and sympathy. A network of social organizations to provide services to senior citizens is working in Nepal. Those organizations can help in the sector of the interest of senior citizens but most of them are limited only in the urban areas. There is more need of such organizations in the rural areas. The state has to manage them on the basis of priority.

The senior citizens lose energy, feel laziness, pay less interest in personal hygiene, have the habit of expressing dissatisfaction, etc. So, some people ignore senior citizens. In some families, the senior citizens are being neglected by the family members too due to the influence of western lifestyle, busyness, financial shortages, wish to have nuclear family, ancestral distance, etc. As a result, some of the senior citizens are also deprived of getting the services and facilities provided by the state.

Constitutional Provision and other rights and benefits for senior citizens:

a.    In part three article 41 there is a fundamental right for senior people 'Rights of Senior Citizens' and to social Security' in article no 43.
Government has been providing old age allowance to the people above 70 years in general and Dalit, single old women are provided allowance from 60 years of age.

b.    It is obligatory in public vehicles to separate at least two seats for senior citizens and 50% discount in fares.

c.    Government has announced to provide free health check -up and discount in health services.

d.    Senior Citizen Act-2063 and senior citizens rules 2065 have made some provisions for the right and of the senior citizens.

e.    It is duty of everyone to provide help, facility and services to the senior citizens in religious or public places, religious functions, etc.

Though citizens are wealth of knowledge and experience, they are neglected in family. In the modem time; everyone wants to live in nuclear family, so sons and daughters-in- law take aged people as family burden. Other reasons can be mentioned as below.

a.    Old age people have traditional thinking and belief so they cannot adjust in modern culture and practice easily.

b.    Family members feel economic burden to look after aged people as family member.

c.    Aged people suffer from health hazards. So, family members may feel economic burden to provide regular health check- up in old age.

d.    Aged people expect their suggestion and ideas should be heard by the young generations but family do not pay attention to their talk because of which old people feel they are neglected by the family Human Trafficking.