App to help senior citizens in emergency is launched

With a view to enhance the safety and security of senior citizens, Welfare First, an NGO, has launched a mobile phone application through which citizens can receive prompt police support on pressing a distress button. According to the NGO, the application is a joint effort with the police and will be accessible all over the state.

Speaking on the need for launching such an application, Dr Varsha Rokade, former secretary of the Bar Council of Maharashtra & Goa and expert on the Maharashtra State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said that many senior citizens stay alone or do not live with their families. “Such people become easy targets for anti-social elements that work hand-in-glove with the house help. In recent times there have been multiple instances of senior citizens getting attacked or killed by house breakers, hence Welfare First decided to come out with an application to address the problem,” said Dr Rokade, who is also the president of Welfare First.

Explaining the working of the application, she said, “The application is called ‘PRATISAAD’ and is user-friendly and provides an emergency telephone number for the senior citizens in distress. This application is available for Android as well as iPhone users. Though it is designed for senior citizens, it can be used by anyone in an emergency when he needs the help of police and instantly he will receive call back from police. People can simply download the app and avail of the services.”

The app was launched by Hemant Nagrale, Navi Mumbai commissioner of police, who lauded the initiative and appealed to the people to desist from misusing it. He also gave a live demonstration of it.