Latest news with #EldersHelpline
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- The Hindu
70% elder abuse complaints in last 3 years were against family members: helpline data
Around 70% elder abuse complaints reported in the last three years (2022 - 2025) were against family members, according to data from the Elders Helpline, a toll free number (1090) which is a joint project of Bengaluru City police and Nightingales Medical Trust (NMT), supported by the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens. This data was revealed on Saturday ahead of the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD), observed on June 15 every year globally to spotlight the issue of elder abuse, which includes physical, emotional, financial, and sexual harm, as well as neglect. The data showed that sons rank consistently as primary perpetrators, followed by daughters-in-law and other close relatives. 'The leading causes of abuse include disputes related to property and financial matters, alongside caregiving burdens and a growing lack of adjustment within multi-generational households, highlighting intergenerational tensions and the urgent need for elder-sensitive support systems,' said Radha S. Murthy, managing trustee, NMT. NMT, in association with Elders Helpline, had organised a public awareness campaign against elder abuse on June 14. The event featured street plays and a roadshow from Shivajinagar to KR market, aiming to raise public awareness and promote community-level action. Flagging off the campaign, Nataraj S., Joint Director of the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, stated, 'Our culture is to value our elders. There is an urgent need to protect and take collective action against elder abuse.' S Premkumar Raja, Co-founder and Secretary of NMT, lamented, 'Generally in India, we think that old age home is a solution for the problems of the elderly. However, that is not the ideal solution. Elders always want to be part of their families and society.' Further commenting on elder abuse, he said, 'Sadly, since most of the time the abusers are family members, the problem is hidden.' It was also revealed during the event that since its inception in 2002, the helpline has received over 2,73,600 calls and walk-ins have registered more than 15,000 complaints. More than 69% of the cases have been resovled and 44,500 counselling sessions have been conducted. Registration for Ayush Vaya Vandana Card To assist the elderly, the Elders Helpline – composed of social workers, counsellors, legal professionals and police personnel – will be initiating a registration help desk for issuing 'Ayush Vaya Vandana Card' for elders over 70 years. Registrations will be conducted by prior appointment once a week on Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Ayushman Bharat Vaya Vandana Card is a specialised health and welfare card under the Ayushman Bharat scheme for senior citizens, particularly those aged 70 and above.
The Hindu
13-06-2025
- The Hindu
Elder abuse awareness campaign in Bengaluru tomorrow
To observe World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the Elders Helpline—run by Bengaluru City police and Nightingales Medical Trust—will host a public awareness campaign on Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at Shivajinagar bus stand. Supported by the Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens, the event aims to raise awareness about elder abuse. The programme features street plays and a road show from Shivajinagar to K.R. Market bus station, highlighting the challenges faced by the elderly.
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- The Hindu
Chennai Police's response time to emergency calls is now five minutes, claim officials
The Greater Chennai City Police (GCP) has said that its response time to emergency calls received via the control room is now five minutes. The police said the State Police Master Control Room (SPMCR) receives distress calls on the numbers 100/112 from all parts of Tamil Nadu, and forwards them to the city/district control rooms concerned, which in turn communicate the details with patrol vehicles based on their jurisdictional area. The police personnel deployed in the patrol vehicles attend to these calls and deal with the problem, the GCP said. Listing a few instances, the police said that at 1:30 a.m. on April 7 this year, the control room received a call from R. Venkataramanan, 58, a consultant with an IT firm who resides in West Mambalam, about a burglary. Mr. Venkataramanan, who was abroad at the time, happened to discover through CCTV cameras that unknown persons had gained entry into his home. At 1:34 am, the police arrived at the spot and caught the two burglary suspects red-handed. Similarly, at 8:40 a.m. on April 19, the police received a call from the public about a woman patient attempting to jump off the fifth floor of a private hospital in Alwarpet. Immediately, a patrolling team, comprising a head constable and a constable, arrived at the spot and got to the fifth floor. They pacified the woman and brought her down, officials said. City Police Commissioner A. Arun has instructed police personnel to respond to emergencies and reach a crime scene as soon possible to provide assistance, officials said. Patrol vehicles As many as 234 four-wheelers are being used for patrolling in the city. Each police station has a main patrol vehicle, an additional patrol vehicle, a gypsy patrol vehicle, and a special vehicle. Additionally, Amma patrol vehicles are being operated by women police personnel in areas where crimes against women have been reported previously. 'Most police stations have three patrol vehicles now. In some stations, we have four vehicles for this purpose. Their job is to attend to any emergency calls and immediately rush to the spot within five minutes of the receipt of the call. Patrolling teams have been working on a shift basis, round the clock,' said a senior police officer. In 2025, so far, the police control room helpline 100 has received 60,417 calls. Additionally, 9,211 calls were received on Women Helpline 1091, Elders Helpline 1253, Bandham Helpline 9499957575 (for senior citizens above 75 years of age), Kaval Karangal 94447-171700 (helpline to rescue abandoned persons/destitutes), besides text messages to COP at 95009910. There have, however, been a few complaints from the public that calls were not connected quickly to the call centre.
