- Title: Indians mull dropping elderly at old-age homes amid COVID-19 concerns
- Date: 14th July 2020
- Summary: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA (JULY 13, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) CAMPUS OF OLD-AGE HOME/ELDERLY SEATED ON SWINGS VARIOUS OF ELDERLY ON SWINGS ELDERLY TALKING IN BALCONY VARIOUS OF ELDERLY ON THEIR BEDS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OLD AGE HOME, BHAGWAT SAYING: "Family members of elderly are fearful of COVID-19 that if they (elderly) get infected, because the age-group is vulnerable, then all the family members would be at risk. That's why they want to put the elderly in old age home, so that everyone else in home can stay safe." VARIOUS OF ELDERLY ON THEIR BEDS (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) TRUSTEE, OLD AGE HOME, SUKETU NAGARWADIYA, SAYING: "A lot of people lost their jobs in this crisis, there are financial issues as well. Additionally, I have always seen over the years that people push parents out of their homes before anything else because they don't like (living with) them." VARIOUS OF ELDERLY EATING IN CANTEEN
- Embargoed: 28th July 2020 07:15
- Keywords: Ahmedabad COVID-19 Gujarat India coronavirus disease elderly health old age home
- Location: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA
- City: AHMEDABAD, GUJARAT, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001CMS6ZBJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: The coronavirus crisis in India has not only attacked the health of the elderly but their social status as well as people are increasingly dropping them at old-age homes because of their vulnerable age, worrying about family safety.
Old-age home officials in India's western Ahmedabad city said on Monday (July 13) that people are inquiring about vacancy at old-age homes more than usual over the past few weeks.
The reason they cite is that if the elderly, who are more vulnerable, are sent away, the whole family would be safe.
On the other hand, many have also lost their jobs due to lockdown and restrictions on movement and financial situation is difficult, but elderly are the first ones to face the axe.
Administration at Jeevan Sandhya old-age home says that they are already beyond their capacity of 150, as many as 160 elderly are living there and they are still getting more inquiries about vacancies.
India coronavirus tally crossed 900,000 mark on Tuesday (July 14) with 28,498 new cases and 553 deaths in the last 24 hours.
Ahmedabad has been one of the worst affected cities by the pandemic with more than 1,500 deaths and over 23,000 cases. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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