Age Care

Many people develop disabilities in later life related to the wear and tear of ageing (e.g., arthritis) or the onset of a chronic disease, (e.g., lung cancer, diabetes and peripheral vascular disease) or a degenerative illness (e.g., dementia). But disabilities associated with ageing and the onset of chronic disease can be prevented or delayed.

The traditional Indian society and the age-old joint family system have been instrumental in safeguarding the social and economic security of the elderly people. However, with rapid changes in society and the emergence of nuclear families in India in recent years, the elderly are likely to be exposed to emotional, physical and financial insecurity in the years to come. With the profligately paced advancement in all spheres of life, the joint family system has turned into a nuclear culture. The young generations of the family are no keen to shoulder the responsibilities or take care of their aged parents or family members PECUC believes in promoting an age inclusive society by ensuring better living standards and improving the quality of life for the people in the grey age, to realise the difference it creates in the society we live in, PECUC’s work derive inspiration from the UN principles addressing independence, participation, care, self-fulfillment, and dignity of older persons seeking financial security, health care nutrition, welfare, and protection of life.

PECUC focus over the years has moved from Welfare to Development. It provides elderly relief through various age care interventions in health camp, their livelihood through the formation of Elder-Self-Help Groups making self-reliant, conduct cataract surgeries to restore their sight, provides relief & rehabilitation for elders post disasters and provides active-ageing opportunities ,support services for their basic needs though linkage and convergence with Govt schemes and programme.

PECUC focuses to enhance expertise & capacities in policy, legal & community level interventions that will ensure the rights of the senior citizens. Senior citizens live with dignity. Increased Participation in decision making process, reduction of abuse & violence on senior citizens, family & community take responsibility of the senior citizens, increased access to social security measures & basic services, Senior citizens voice for their demands & entitlement, Senior Citizens Care & Maintenance Act. -2005 effectively enforced in Odisha, Community level protection mechanism established, alternative livelihood options - capacities & facilities available ,geriatric care givers at family and community level available, State policy/State plan of action for the senior citizen in place and implemented, Senior citizens forums at different levels to voice their entitlements promoted & strengthen at different. Human resources (Trained Persons) on Geriatric care, financial resources, Policy intervention efforts initiated ,Community level service centres established with trained care givers, existing health care networks capacitated to take up geriatric health care services, Set up old age home ,Senior citizens network formation and strengthening, Study on older people

PECUC, with its protracted experience of working with the older people has learnt that people need socio-economic security in old age. To restore the normal livelihood process, reduce dependency, enhance the dignity of the older people in the community, and to make them economically nurturing the sense of dignity among the elderly, thereby bringing them to the mainstream of the developmental process, by creating an atmosphere of positive attitude towards the ageing process. Alternative Sources for Help and Action (ASHA), a concept introduced by PECUC, fostering the self-help capacity among the aged in order to achieve socio-economic security