Wisdom bridge for elderly people: Helpline

Abstract

Ageing is a universal phenomenon besides an ascriptive status of an individual. Being continuing process, it is characterised by conception and death. Socio-cultural factors play a vital role in determining the status of an individual as an “old”. It is inevitable stage in which majority of the elderly people undergo through numerous economic, social and psychological problems which vary from individual to individual (Kumar, 2016). Furthermore, the determination of elderly age differs from country and society in accordance with the system and its sub-systems. In general, people reached the old age stage by adding the number of years from time of birth. But there is no one-to-one relationship between the age and the characteristics commonly assigned to that age. The problem is compounded particularly in under-developed countries with wide socio-economic differences, by the fact that some individuals are energetic and dynamic even at the age of 75, while some individuals are lazy and have withdrawn themselves from active life even at the age of 50. On the contrary, in developed countries, the aged are very active even at the age of 70 and above, because of special diet, good health care, physical and mental conditions, healthy environment and the cultural aspect of their work mindedness (Sharma, 2009).