Sparkling Old Wine – Employment for the aged

Most old people of our generation cannot imagine a life of leisure. They yearn to keep themselves busy, and if they don’t find a suitable outlet to employ their vast wealth of knowledge, they get restless. It is precisely for this reason that Agewell Foundation has set up an ‘employment exchange’ for the old, in which it has helped thousands of senior citizens find gainful employment.

Raj Kumar Sharma reports in the Press Trust of India:

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Started in 1999 the Foundation’s aim is to instill self-confidence in the senior citizens and to tell them that there is nothing wrong in becoming old. Our endeavour is to bring about a change in the perception of old age,” says Himanshu Rath, who founded the organisation.

The NGO has its offices in 540 districts all over the country and says its employs services of professionals, senior bureaucrats, professors; artists, writers, judges – all people who sincerely feel for the cause. They are assisted by a huge base of volunteers and trained counselors.

These jobs could range from home tuitions to management positions. More important than any monetary compensation is the sense of achievement and worthiness for these aged. According to Himanshu Rath of the Foundation, the most common problem faced by these old persons is alienation, due to ‘generation gap’ between them and their family members.

Let us take steps to eliminate this gap before it ever creeps in so that our elders do not need to feel alone at such a fragile age. They have years of experience and learning behind them. So let’s value them as our greatest assets and treat them well.

Read the complete article here.

Image Courtesy: Agewell Foundation