Problems of the aged in unorganised sector

The book attempts to sensitize. the Indian
public to the problems of the elderly poor
of of the unorganized sector which have
assumed new dimensions because of the
changed age pyramid, valuee system and
withdrawal of family support.
The senior citizens are faced with several
problems such as loss of income and status,
loneliness, helplessness, illness etc. and
have either to live with deficits or make
good the losses which they are bound to
suffer. The problem of the elderly poor is,
however, not only very acute but is alsoo
conceptually distinct from that of the
a i uent strata because they are not able to
allocate funds for the old age.
The study explodes the myth that family in
India acts as support system for the aged
The younger members of the
persons.
poor strata, who are themselves involved
in a struggle for survival, can ill afford the
burden of looking after the elderly kinsmen.
It is the absence of alternative lighter work
which renders these elderly poor unemployed
and dependent. As this study is based on
an evaluation of the Old Age Pension
Scheme. it highlights the limitations of the
scheme and its implementation. It has been
concluded that the problems of the aged
poor can be dealt with at two levels first,
by checking the circumstances which make
them destitute and secondly, by evoiving
suitable alternative work activities. In the
absence of these remedial measures their
problems would remain perennial and a
stage would come when Old Age Pension
would not help in the amelioration of their
problemns.
Since the theme of the book Pertains
to Social Gerontology, it has rele-
vance for the students" of Sociology
in general and Social Work in particular.
it would also appeal to policy makers,
administrators and voluntary agencies who
ers interes ted in the amelioration of the
problem of the elderly poor.