Mumbai Paper Clip: ‘Elderly living in Mumbai slums are digitally illiterate’
One-third or 33 per cent elderly are not accompanied by anyone to their health visits, the ratio is almost similar for both men and women, says the study. Another 33 per cent are accompanied by their sons to health visits. (Representative Image: Creative Commons) One-third or 33 per cent elderly are not accompanied by anyone to their health visits, the ratio is almost similar for both men and women, says the study. Another 33 per cent are accompanied by their sons to health visits. (Representative Image: Creative Commons)
Aged residents remain one of the most vulnerable sections of the Indian society. Their problems are compounded further if they are poor, suggests a study, conducted by the SNDT University titled the “Life of Aged Residing in the Urban Slum Areas of Mumbai.”Aged residents remain one of the most vulnerable sections of the Indian society. Their problems are compounded further if they are poor, suggests a study, conducted by the SNDT University titled the “Life of Aged Residing in the Urban Slum Areas of Mumbai.”
The study evaluated the living standards of 1,262 senior citizens across slums in Mumbai.The study suggests that nearly half of the elderly living in Mumbai slums were illiterate. Elderly people of Mumbai are almost digitally illiterate as only 1.3 per cent of them said they knew how to operate a computer.As many as 68 per cent of the aged people residing in the slums do not have toilet facilities in their homes.
The number of aged who were unemployed was as high as 79.6 per cent with both men and women contributing equally. Interestingly, when asked when did they retire, 78.4 per cent said they never did.
“This was may be because they have been working in the unorganised sector and the question of their retirement never occurred in their case,” the study points out.Among the elderly, 30.3 per cent said they had their own source of income. Those who had their income up to Rs 500 per month were almost 50 per cent.
The aged having income more than Rs 5,000 per month were very few.Nearly 71 per cent of aged men and women were never admitted in the hospital in the past one year. The number of elderly covered under any insurance scheme was less about 1 per cent.
Almost half of the elderly studied said they contributed in the family life by taking care of the house in the absence of other members of the family, out of which women (51.4 per cent) were more than men ( 45.1 per cent). The study says 16.8 and 14.1 per cent aged were involved in babysitting and child care for the whole day and half day respectively.
One-third or 33 per cent elderly are not accompanied by anyone to their health visits, the ratio is almost similar for both men and women, says the study. Another 33 per cent are accompanied by their sons to health visits. When admitted to hospital, 40 per cent of the elderly said they were attended either by their spouse or son.
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