5,000 depression cases among state elderly in 2 yrs

Despite the enactment of legislation aimed at ensuring the safety and well-being of senior citizens in Himachal Pradesh, cases of elderly neglect continue to rise across the state. The authorities say that the law, which includes provisions to debar children from their parents’ property if they fail to take care of them, has not had the intended impact.

The situation is reportedly deteriorating as more young people migrate out of the state for employment, leaving behind aging parents to live alone. Officials have expressed concern that in the coming years, the state may face a serious crisis in elderly care.

According to information gathered by The Tribune, in educated families, every third elderly couple is living alone, with many suffering from depression, high blood pressure and diabetes. In 20 per cent of these cases, children are working abroad.

A senior Health Department official confirmed that around 5,000 cases of depression have been reported in state hospitals and medical colleges in the past two years. Most of the affected individuals are elderly people living in isolation. Many of them are suffering from early-stage psychosis, he said.

Rising incidents of crime against the elderly have also been reported, adding to their insecurity. There have been cases of robbery and even murder in recent years. In one such incident, a retired couple in Palampur was robbed and even after two years, the stolen cash and jewellery have not been recovered despite the arrest of the accused.

In several cases, cremation ceremonies of elderly individuals had to be conducted by neighbours or relatives, as their children were not present.

While the state government had promised better facilities for the elderly, including old-age homes and support services, little progress has been made. Experts say that Himachal Pradesh still lacks the kind of institutional infrastructure available in metropolitan areas for elderly care.