| Source – www.helpageindia.org |
| Helplines in India – Helpage website
from HelpAge website : senior citizen guide www.helpageindia.org MISCELLANEOUS : (i) Telephone : (ii) Helpline : Elders Helpline-HelpAge India : HelpAge India started a helpline for elders in Chennai city,with the association of Chennai Police. This helpline is operating from the office of the City Police Commissioner. A counsellor and a social worker are available at the no.1253 to provide necessary counselling and help to the elders in the regular office hours.HelpAge India has also tied up with old age homes in the city to admit destitute elderly spotted in streets. Agewell -Helpline : Agewell Foundation has set up a Help Line for the older persons in Delhi. The volunteers are constantly available to attend to matters of medical or emotional nature, as well as legal and financial advice. Help line numbers are: 2983 6484, 2983 0484. Heritage Helpline :Heritage Trust is running a helpline service in Hyderabad. Elders can access the helpline through the number 23390000 daily from 8am to 8pm, except on Sundays and national holidays. Trained volunteers provide counselling, health assistance and referral services through the helpline. Nightingale Helpline :The Nightingales Medical Trust, Bangalore runs a 24-hour, toll-free Elder’s helpline (no.1090) that counsels elders, reconciles family disputes, provides information and renders advocacy services. (iii) Expeditious disposal of Court Cases : Mumbai High Court has announced that it would give out-of-turn priority to hearing and disposal of petitions wherein litigants have crossed 65 years of age. The High Court decision would also be applicable to its benches at Goa, Aurangabad and Nagpur besides the subordinate courts in the State. It would extend to all the matters including civil or criminal pending in any court of law. (iv) Mobile Medicare Unit Programme : These are at : S.No Cities MMU’s Three more MMUs at Jaipur and Bhopal and Delhi-III/Gurgaon are to be launched within next two months or so and another at Coimbatore a little later. In addition, HelpAge India has provided about 80 MMUs to grass root NGOs for the similar services. Banking SURAKSHA is a term deposit scheme by Federal bank for senior citizens. The features of suraksha are:- • All resident Indian individuals aged 60 years and above are eligible. • 0.5 % interest above the normal rates on all term deposits of one year and above. • The accounts opened afresh as well as renewed with effect from 01/05/2001 will qualify for the scheme. • Special privileges of issuing two demand drafts with upper limit of Rs.5000/- and collection of two instruments with an upper limit of Rs.2000/- absolutely free for senior citizens maintaining an aggregate deposit of Rs.25,000/- and above. • Simplified nomination facility. • Opening of joint accounts permitted. Indusind Bank Ltd. has launched a Senior Citizens Scheme – an investment option that gives you high returns with the assured security. It offers Magazines for the Elderly : There are two magazines specifically for elderly Dignity Dialogue brought out by Dignity Foundation and Senior Heritage Selections by Heritage Medical Centre. Dignity Dialogue and Senior Heritage Selections are a refreshing social contribution and restore some balance to the otherwise distorted view society tends to have of old age. The publications deal with a wide spectrum of issues, starting from the indignity of elder abuse to alternative medicine, to some philosophy and some inspirational material. Moreover, they provide a forum for the elderly to express their opinions and creativity. The addresses are : Senior Heritage Selections Delhi Police and Senior Citizens : Delhi police introduced some special schemes for the safety of senior citizens under which the beat officers in the area have been directed to make a list of senior citizens and help ensure a secure environment for them. Under the plan the local SHO will visit them every first Saturday of the month and the beat constable will visit once a week on Sunday. In Delhi, senior citizens can mail to the Commissioner of Police on the following address about any sort of crime/ harassment: ‘Commissioner of Police, P B No.171, GPO, New Delhi’ |