Rich Gulf Keralites and 'abandoned' parents back home: UAE show asks tough questions

A UAE-based Malayalam television channel is running a year-long campaign to protect the aged back home and create awareness among the youth.

The campaign comes in the wake of increasing number of old-age homes springing up in the South Indian state of Kerala and reports of non-resident Keralites (NRKs) abandoning their old parents.

The channel aims to interact with more than 3,000 high-school students in Kerala and the UAE to create awareness of the needs of the elderly population and the importance of taking care of their parents.

The channel also intends visiting old-age homes in Kerala and talking to ‘abandoned’ elders and telecasting their stories.

Speaking to Emirates24|7, Mathukutti Kadone, Chairman and Managing Director of the channel said: “The number of old-age homes has been steadily going up in Kerala, especially in places where the Gulf expatriate population is significant.”

According to a study, the proportion of aged population in the state increased from 5.8 per cent in 1961 to 10.84 per cent in 2001. The projected figures indicate that the aged population of the state will be 16 per cent in 2021 and about 30 per cent in 2051.
 
“In Kerala, there are 14 old-age homes run by the government with a capacity of 1,400, However, there are only 700 inhabitants. Churches and private sector together operate another 274 old-age homes accommodating 13,000 people. In most of the old-age homes, couples are not allowed to stay together, thus the old parents feel isolated and lonely,” the TV official said.

He alleges that organ-donating racket is also targeting old-age homes in the state. “We will speak to as many elders as possible and highlight their plight.”

“We believe 25 per cent inhabitants in old-age homes belong to NRK families and the maximum number of old age homes can be found in places like Pathanamthitta, home to large number of NRKs in the Gulf,” he added.

The population of world senior citizens is 809 million, which would be around 1 billion in 2025, and 2 billion in 2050. In a period of 60 years, the number of senior citizens has quadrupled (200 million in 1950).  In India,  at present,  senior citizens constitute 7.4 per cent of the total population. It will grow to 13 per cent in 2025. In  Kerala, the senior citizens constitute 11 per cent of the population of 3.48 crore. This proportion  will be around 14 per cent in 2016 and 25 per cent in 2050.  One reason for growing ageing population is due to heavy emigration of youngsters and the  return  of elderly people working abroad  to spend their retired life in native place.

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