Senior citizens in the city will now be able to spend time with their grandchildren at old age homes.
Senior citizens in the city will now be able to spend time with their grandchildren at old age homes. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), in its revised draft development plan (RDDP) 2034, has made a provision for day-care centres for children at the old age homes.
According to civic officials, the RDDP has reservations for old age homes as well as day-care centres for children. In addition to this, the BMC, keeping in mind the necessities of senior citizens, has proposed one old age home in each of the 24 administrative wards in the city.
According to the RDDP, minimum 1,000 sq mt area will be kept for old age homes. The main feature of reservation is that day-care centres would also be allowed to be set up along with old age homes.
“The senior citizens will stay at these day-care centres and spend time with contemporaries when there is no one at their homes. The day-care centres for children would ensure that senior citizens will also have the company of their grandchildren for a stipulated time,” said a senior civic official.
The spaces reserved for old age homes also include clinic for senior citizens, recreational facilities and other important features. It has been ensured that they would be set up near hospitals and gardens, said civic officials.
With an aim to provide better facilities for senior citizens (persons above 60 years) in the city, the civic body has prepared a special policy for them. The BMC is the first municipal corporation in Asia to prepare such a policy for senior citizens.
According to civic data, there are about 15 lakh senior citizens, who are of 60 years and above. More than 20 per cent of them are below poverty line.
