Old age homes in TN under scanner after complaints of poor quality food

Chennai, Oct 14 (IANS) The old age homes in Tamil Nadu are under scanner with state Social Welfare Department directing all the district collectors, to take stock of the old age homes in their respective districts.

A team of officials from the Vellore district administration had shut down an old age home at a village in Tiruvalam in the district, St. Josephs Hospice.

According to officials in the district collector’s office, the action was initiated after the collector, Kumarvel Pandyan received a tip-off that the old age home was ill-treating the inmates and that proper food was not given to them.

During the raids, it was found that while the accommodation at the home was good, the residents complained that they were provided only porridge and the food did not include any elements with nutrition.

After the shutting down of the St. Josephs Hospice at Vellore, the state Social Welfare Department directed all the district collectors in Tamil Nadu to conduct a detailed study on all the homes in their respective districts.

While there are homes with both state and Central government registration availing fund from respective governments, complaints have come up from various corners of the state that the inmates were not treated properly at many of these homes.

While speaking to IANS, Aroghyasamy, a social activist at Tiruchendur, said, “We have been monitoring around six old age homes in the district and I can say that except for two, the rest are not performing well. There should be proper intervention from the government to bring in required correction.”

In most of the old age homes that receive grants from the Central government and state governments, regular audits are taking place and in most places accounts are also perfect. However, the inmates in many homes have complained about poor living conditions and poor quality food.

Proper and regular monitoring of old age homes would help raise the standards of these homes with better food and better living conditions.

While speaking to IANS, Sundardas Ramanarayanan, social activist and director, Centre for Research and Development Studies and Geriatric care, said, “The situation in most of the old age homes are poor but if there are regular inspections and checks by the district authorities, things will definitely improve and would give solace to the old people who don’t have anywhere to go.”

–IANS

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