Centre opens in Gurgaon for those in their twilight years

The rejuvenation centre is aimed at offering an engagement platform for senior citizens

A new senior citizens rejuvenation centre was opened in the city on Saturday.

MCG commissioner V Umshankar (centre) inaugurated the rejuvenation centre for senior citizens in DLF Phase 3 on Saturday. (Parveen Kumar/HT PHOTO)

A joint venture of the DLF Foundation and Dignity Foundation, the recreational centre will cater to the needs of the elderly.

The centre is open to all senior citizens and will host a plethora of activities such as Tai chi (a Chinese martial art practised for both its defence training and health benefits) and yoga, laughter club, spiritual lectures, aerobics, quizzes and games, birthday celebrations, panel discussions, hobbies and craft classes, festival celebrations and quarterly outings for the elderly.

Activities for the elderly will be organised five days a week for two hours every evening.

Lalit Mohan, a senior citizen and resident of DLF Phase3, said, “The centre will enable us to spend quality time in the company of our friends. Activities such as Tai chi, yoga and hobby classes will help us improve ourselves but keep us fit. I look forward to becoming a member of the centre.”

Gurgaon Municipal Commissioner V Umashankar inaugurated centre at the DLF Community Centre in DLF Phase-2 on Saturday.

The aim of the initiative is to create an engagement platform for senior citizens to interact socially, build a support network, boost their self esteem and lead an active life.

V Umashankar said, “This is a beautiful initiative and I congratulate DLF Foundation and Dignity Foundation for setting up the centre. We need more such platforms in our city where our elderly can come, socialise and lead a happy life.”

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Colonel (retd) Prakash Tewari, executive director, DLF Foundation, said, “Senior citizens are a valuable asset to society. Unfortunately, the ever-increasing generation gap and urbanisation have weakened the joint family structure leading to the neglect of the elderly. We, at DLF Foundation, have always stressed on empowerment and holistic well-being of communities by providing them multiple opportunities. This centre aims to provide a comfortable and homely environment for interaction among like-minded elderly people.”

According to Census 2011, the elderly population in India has been rising and currently accounts for about 8.6% of the total population, as compared to 5.6% in 1961. This, in turn, has created a demand for special services catering to the elderly such as recreation centres and old age homes.

According to the latest Lancet Global Health study, supported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 16% of the people aged 60 years and above are psychologically abused, financially exploited, neglected, physically hurt or sexually abused. One in every five senior citizens in the country experience some form of abuse or the other, the study said.