Khammam: The state government is contemplating opening a senior citizen service centre to look into the welfare of the elderly.
According to collector K. Ilambarithi, data relating to senior citizens will be collected and complaints by elders that their children do not care for them and other issues would be dealt by the centre.
The Centre had brought an Act to ensure welfare of senior citizens in 2007, he said.
The collector suggested that the elderly can be happy by considering themselves young even at the age of 90. He said children should remember to care for their elders as they had been all through the process of their growing up, by sacrificing many things.
“None can escape the process of ageing. Birth, death, disease and old age are the four miseries of material life,” said G. Radhakrishna Murthy, 76, a retired medical officer.
“It is important to have hobbies for a happy retired life,” he said, speaking at a programme held at Ramadasu Kalakshetram on the occasion of World Elders Day on Wednesday.
Many old-aged persons attended the meeting and shared their views on ways to lead a happy life after 60 years.
“My children live abroad. I engage myself by reading books and visiting temples. I am not worried that my children are not there with me. I live in an old age home and spend my time mingling with other inmates,” said K. Sarada Devi, a retired teacher.
“The way one looks at life is important to be happy,” she added.
P Ramakrishna, 50, felt having an elderly person at home should be treated like an asset as many things can be learnt from them.
A farmer, N. Ramaiah, opined it was not proper on the part of the senior citizens to find fault with children, for every small issue.
“We have to understand the conditions in which our children are living and properly plan for our retirement life,” he said.
