India launches national helpline for the elderly
India has rolled out its first-ever national helpline for the elderly to help them resolve various mental, emotional, financial, legal, and physical challenges.
Called "Elder Line" the helpline provides free information and guidance on pension issues, legal issues, extends emotional support, rescues the homeless elderly, and even intervenes in cases of abuse, the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said today.
India is expected to have over 300 million senior citizens by 2050, it said.
The intent of "Elder Line" is to provide all senior citizens, or their well-wishers, with one platform to connect and share their concerns, get information and guidance regarding issues they face on a day-to-day basis, without having to struggle for it.
So far, 17 states have already opened the Elder line for their respective areas, and others are in the pipeline.
In the last four months alone, over two lakh calls were received, and over 30,000 seniors serviced. Of these, nearly 40 percent of calls were related to guidance on Covid-19 vaccines and related queries, and nearly 23 percent of calls were related to pension.
Comments