Click to play videoNew Delhi: It was severe depression that led Retd Air vice Marshall M S Dhillon to shoot himself with a double bore rifle on Wednesday morning. The 65 year old was living with his wife in Chandigarh, while his two children lived separately.
Loneliness among senior citizens is fast becoming a growing concern. Just a day earlier, another couple in West Delhi committed suicide. Lakha Singh and his wife Amarjeet Kaur had no problems in life, except diabetes, and living away from their children.
And this loneliness and depression is what is believed to have led the couple to suicide. The old couple, both in their 60s had five children, all settled outside Delhi.
Experts say, these are not stray cases. While Chandigarh tops the list of the alone and aged, there are more than five lakh elderly in the capital whose children are either living in separate homes or abroad.
Old couples only want to talk so sometimes even if wards call for 20 min it’s more than enough at least make phone calls to your parents if you are living away,” says Matthew Cherian, Chief Executive, Help Age India.
With the no of deserted elderly estimated to reach 200 mn by 2025, NGOs such as Help Age feel the biggest challenge for India's elderly is beating the feeling of neglect.
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