Kudumbashree helps senior citizens reconnect
- Loneliness, especially in the twilight years of life, is a concern the world over and Kerala is not an exception where a large section of elderly people stay alone, raising concerns for their physical, economic, and social well-being.
- The Kudumbashree Mission has recently started an effort to identify such people and extend care for them. Pakal Veedu, a day-care initiative of Kudumbashree, has become a solace for many such people.
- “The mission started a programme ‘Snehitha Calling Bell’ sometime back to identify people isolated from society. We identified 5,903 people in Thrissur, most of them above the age of 60,” said U. Monisha, district programme manager of the gender programmes of Kudumbashree.
- The drift towards nuclear families, urbanisation, and mass migration of youngsters for jobs have left many elders alone. Loneliness and social isolation for a long period has taken a toll on their physical, mental, and social health.
- It was in this context that Kudumbashree revived the ‘Pakal Veedu’ project in many panchayats.
- Such social networks are crucial for the elderly to feel socially secure. Now many panchayats have come forward to utilise 5% of their plan funds meant for elder care in their own Pakal Veedus.
- Gender self-learning programme to make women understand their strengths and abilities is another initiative of the mission.
- “Though Kudumbashree had been successful in socially mobilising women, there was no improvement in their reproductive roles. As sharing of roles at home, nurturing of children or household works, was not happening, many women started complaining about doubling of their burden,”
