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VOICES OF ELDERLY recommendations- Madrid Plan of Action

VOICES OF ELDERLY recommendations- Madrid Plan of Action. Mathew Cherian Chief Executive, HelpAge India. Older persons Access to Food, Shelter and Medical Care. Rushed to Tsunami Areas on 27 Dec Treatment started for all for injuries, and other ailments

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VOICES OF ELDERLY recommendations- Madrid Plan of Action

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  1. VOICES OF ELDERLYrecommendations- Madrid Plan of Action Mathew Cherian Chief Executive, HelpAge India

  2. Older persons Access to Food, Shelter and Medical Care • Rushed to Tsunami Areas on 27 Dec • Treatment started for all for injuries, and other ailments • Moved Vans from Bangalore, Chennai and Coimbatore to the coast • Use of about 200 volunteers from colleges in Tamilandu and doctors. • Health needs continue from day 1 all through the year. • Major ailments are respiratory and lung infections in older persons. • Ensure access to care .

  3. Restoring livelihoods and income- Disaster Programmes need to focus on livelihoods for elderly • Kallipattu, Kovalam 50 kms south of Chennai • Lost all members of family • Now runs a saree shop. • Specific destitute elderly have been taken by HelpAge ( 2000 elders under Adopt a Gran)

  4. HelpAge provided Access to Food with Dignity- 12000 older persons Month 0+ ..1m • Leelama 72 collecting food rations at Cuddalore. • Many older people complained of unsuitability of food supplied by other agencies during relief operations • Many complained that they were unable to stand in long queues • Many complained that they could’nt compete with younger people.

  5. Acess to TraumaCounselling Month 1+..Grief Counselling • Immediate needs were food and temporary shelter. • After that psycho social needs were addressed. • Counselling to older women and men, varying sleep disorders detected • HelpAge mobile medical units along with Psycho Social counselor

  6. Income Security and Social Security provisions of Social pensions- Lobbying with Govt( GO 380) • HelpAge India managed to release social pensions for social security. Inclusion of dalits and lower castes in the list. Photos and enrollment organised by HelpAge for Govt. • Important achievement as 6 months pending pensions were paid by Government for all poor elderly right across the coast of Tamilnadu, and temporary ration cards (many were lost) • Ensuring a regular cash income post Disaster is important for all people more so for the elderly.

  7. Participation of Older People -Boats for 300 older persons- Livelihoods Month 4 + • Livelihood Restoration in Elderly self Help Groups in fishing communities ( 128 ESHG’s formed) • Group formation is essential for taking care of group needs and day care when growing older • Assets and title in the name of older persons

  8. THE HOLDING STRUCTURE- THE FUTURE – REDUCTION OF POVERTY BOTTOM UP – DEMAND SIDE

  9. Month 6- Community Centres for Day Care • Multi-purpose Community Centres for the elderly and construction and maintenance of a cyclone resistant shelter. • Long term support necessary for elders in groups.HelpAge India prefers this approach and has left home construction to Government agencies. • Prevention from displacement is an important issue relating to protection of elders.

  10. Advocacy with other agencies and the government • Older people are equally affected, people from lower castes need special attention. • Agencies need to look at special needs of elderly • Pensions , Rations and Cash transfers are necessary post disaster. • Livelihoods in Groups and Long term protection • Day Care and Community Care for elderly • Report released by Chairman Planning Comission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia • UNDPsupported Tamil Nadu Tsunami Resource Centre organized a workshop on “Women and Elderly in Tsunami” on the 31st August’05 in Chennai. HelpAge India made its recommendations and organised the event.

  11. One year later • Candle light memorial on the beach..

  12. Lessons learnt • Recovery is more than just cash relief • Partnerships are the key to recovery and HelpAge India and International and local NGO’s worked together. The Local NGOs provided the local knowledge. • Older people can also help in all phases of work. • Community Groups are important in recovery process. • Cash transfer and social pensions are useful methods in recovery of older people. • Transparency and Accountability are important and our social mapping and information has helped in community programmes • Social infrastructure AND FUTURE needs to be built after disasters.

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