THE INTERNATIONAL LONGEVITY CENTRE-INDIA (ILC-I)

The International Longevity Centre-India (ILC-I) is a not-for-profit organization

registered under Section 25 of the Indian Company Act, 1956. It is one of the

fourteen members of the Global Alliance of the International Longevity Centres-

USA, UK, Argentina, Dominican Republic, South Africa, Brazil, China, France, Israel,

Czechoslovakia, Netherlands, Singapore, Japan and India.

POPULATION AGEING:- AN INTRODUCTION :-

The emerging challenge of the 21st century is the phenomenon of population ageing.

The issue of population ageing is a matter of great concern as today there are nearly

690 billion people over the age of 60 years in the world amounting to 11% of the total

global population. This segment of the population will become 22% by 2030.

India today has a population of 77 million elderly above the age of 60 years

accounting for 8% of the total Indian population. This number will reach 15% by 2015!

Amongst the elderly there are more females over the age of 60 years than women

(7.8% women over 60 to 7.1% men over 60). The sex ratio for the population of age

60+ is favourable – 1029 women per 1000 males over the age of 60 years. This

phenomenon is known as ‗feminisation of ageing‖.

The increasing numbers of senior citizens both, globally in general and in India in

particular, necessitates the fact that the issues and concerns of the senior citizens

need to be addressed on a priority level.

THE GENESIS OF ILC-I:

Dr. S. D. Gokhale, the eminent international gerontologist from India, founded The

Longevity Centre (TLC) in 2003. In 2004, at the meeting of the Global Alliance of the

International Longevity Centres held at Tokyo, TLC, under the sterling guidance of

Dr. Gokhale was inducted into the Global Alliance as its sixth member

Dr. Gokhale, with his invaluable experience as an internationally renowned social

scientist has been associated with various international organizations in the field of

social development, including in the area of population ageing, as a Consultant.

Dr. Gokhale served as the President of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA),

an international organization with UN Consultative Status, for two terms of five

years each from 1990 to 2000. He was

also the Consultant for WHO and also

of the United Nations for several

years, besides also representing the

Indian Government on both these

bodies.

Dr. Gokhale was also a member of the

Drafting Committees for the

internationally acclaimed document on

ageing, the Madrid International Plan of Action for Ageing,2002 (the UN document

on Ageing which is universally recognized as the background and framework for all

policies and programmes of the member nations of UN) and also the Indian National

Policy on Older Persons (NPOP, 1999).

MISSION: The mission of the International Longevity Centre-India is to function as a not-for-

profit organization in the areas of Policy, Training, Research, Documentation and

Advocacy and also undertaking pilot projects for Population Ageing.

VISION: Celebrating Age and Creating a Society for all ages.

OBJECTIVES:

To work towards promoting better understanding of the issues and concerns of

population ageing at all levels, including those identified by the UN in the Madrid and

Shanghai Plans of Action, in collaboration with government, corporate sector, NGOs

and civil society.

To seek adequate reflection of this understanding in all development plans and

programmes of the government and in non-governmental interventions and community

actions.

To promote and support all activities to upgrade the life of Population Ageing and

ensure fulfillment of their human rights.

To work towards Healthy, Productive, Participatory and Qualitative Ageing.

OUR CORE AREAS OF WORK:

Policy.

Training.

Research.

Advocacy & Forum.

Documentation.

Community-Based Programmes

OUR COLLABORATIONS WITH:

Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of India, New Delhi, including

Project Research, Evaluation and Monitoring Division (PREM) & the National

Institute of Social Defence (NISD).

Department of Science & Technology (DST), Govt.of India, New Delhi.

United Nations International Institute on Ageing (UN INIA), Malta.

International Federation on Ageing, (IFA), Canada.

WHO.

UNFPA.

Bharati Vidyapeeth University.

University of Pune.

Dr. D. Y. Patil University.

Symbiosis International University.

Yashwantrao Chavan Academy of Development Administration (YASHADA).

Athashri Foundation.

Help Age India.

Commissionerates of Police- Pune & Mumbai.

FESCOM (Federation of the Senior Citizens Organisations of Maharashtra).

AISCCON (All India Senior Citizens Confederation).

ASCOP.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF ILC-I. ILC- India takes inspiration from eminent persons who form the Board of Directors of ILC-I

Dr. R.A.Mashelkar – President Dr.S.D.Gokhale-Hon. President

Late Shri. B.G.Deshmukh (IAS) Retd- Dr. Arun Nigavekar- Vice President

Vice President

Mrs.R.S.Gokhale-Hon.Secretary Prof. Dilip Satbhai- Hon. Treasurer

Shri. R.H. Belavadi- Director Shri. C.S.Pathak- Director

Mrs. Anjali Raje- Mr. Prakash Ahirekar, Executive Director Dy. Executive Director

Aajibai Sathi Batwa (Medical Sachet for the Grandmother)

ILC-I has had the privilege of launching its project called the ―Aajibai Sathi Batwa‖

(Medical Sachet for the Grandmother) by Mr.

Allen Pereira, the former CMD of Bank of

Maharashtra on the 20th of June 2011. This is a

project that provides partial medical support to

needy and elderly grandmothers above the age of

60 years through the sponsorship of Rs. 6000/-p.a

per aaji (grandmother).

In traditional Indian families, the elderly

grandmothers had a small bag(batwa) of home-made

medicines which she would dispense to the family

members who fell ill. Today, the situation is such,

that in underprivileged families, there are many

elderly who do not have adequate food, leave alone,

medicines! The plight of the eld erly women is indeed

more critical.

These are vulnerable, underprivileged women

above the age of 60 years who are poor and in

need of medical sustenance. It is with a view

to address the needs of these elderly women

over the age of 60 years, that ILC-I has

developed a project called ―Aajibai Sathi

Batwa‖ (Grandma‘s Sachet). A healthy and

happy grandmother would be the ideal caregiver for the young children and nurturer

of the values in the family and is a project which

seeks to ensure that some of the health needs of

the poor, neglected and vulnerable elderly women

over the age of 60 years are met.

The syndrome of ‗triple jeopardy‘ affects women-

on account of their gender, being poor and old. The

need of such women, especially their medical need,

is acute but often ignored by family members, that is, if they have a family at all!

The medical needs of the grandmothers are often ignored or neglected by the family

which has a very frugal budget. It is primarily to ensure that this does not happen

and that a needy grandmother‘s medical or health problems are looked after, that

this project was launched.

This project is run with the support of individual and corporate sponsors

THE AREAS OF OPERATION OF ILC-I:

RESEARCH:

ILC-I HAS CARRIED OUT SEVERAL RESEARCH STUDIES-

―Human Rights of the Elderly‖—a study carried out in the states of

Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa (2005),

Crimes against the elderly in Mumbai, Pune and Delhi‖(2006),

―The Demographic Profile of the Elderly in India‖(2007),

―An Evaluation of the Implementation of the Integrated Programme for Older

Persons in Maharashtra and Gujarat‖(2007) with the support of Programme,

Research, Evaluation & Monitoring (PREM) Division, Ministry of Social Justice &

Empowerment, GoI.

―Comparative Study of the National Policies on Older Persons of two developed

countries- Japan and Australia and two developing countries – Bangladesh and

Sri Lanka with that of India‖(2008) with the support of Programme, Research,

Evaluation & Monitoring (PREM) Division, Ministry of Social Justice &

Empowerment, GoI.

A project completed by ILC-I is the ―Audio Visual Infotainment Programme for

Senior Citizens‖ which was supported by the Department of Science and

Technology, (DST), Ministry of Science and Technology, GoI.

ILC-I also conducted a research study for Department of Science and

Technology (DST), Govt. of India on ―Review of the Designs for housing and

how they match with the needs of the Elderly‖.

A research study undertaken by ILC-I is ―Identifying Health (Behavioural &

Social) Determinants as Markers of Dementia with special reference to

Alzheimers in the elderly population of Pune city‖ with the support of HelpAge

India.

An online study on ―Housing Needs of the Elderly‖ supported by Tata Housing.

ILC-I is also proposing to undertake a research study with AYUSH to

determine if Ayurveda would be able to address the issues of dementia and

Alzheimers Disease.

A research study in the offing is ―Rural Ageing in Maharashtra and Goa.‖

FORUM: The International Longevity Centre-India, along with the Chaitanya Mental

Health Care Centre founded the Pune Chapter of the Alzheimers & Related Disorders

Society of India (ARDSI) on 21st September 2011, World Alzheimers Day.

A two days National conference on ―Healthy and Productive Ageing-The Need of

the Hour‖ was organized in Mumbai on the 3rd and 4th of October 2011 in collaboration

with the Leelabai Thackersey College of Nursing of the SNDT University, Mumbai.

The XVIth National Conference on ―Alzheimers‘ & Dementia Related Diseases-

Emerging Challenges‖ was held on the 26th and 27th of November 2011 in Pune under

the aegis of ARDSI, Pune Chapter. A report on

―Dementia in India‖ was released on the

occasion giving a status analysis of dementia,

the level of awareness in the country, the

problems faced by the patients and their

caregivers, the organizations working on this

etc. A National Declaration on Dementia was

also issued at the Conference.

A one day workshop on ―Elder Abuse and Crimes against the Elderly in the

context of the Maintenance and Welfare of

Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007‖ was

organized on the 13th of March 2012 with the

support of the National Institute on Social

Defence, Ministry of Social Justice &

Empowerment, Govt. of India.

A one day workshop on ― Ageing and Health: Good Health Adds Life

to Years‖ was organized by ILC-I

with the support of WHO on the

9th of April 2012 to mark the

World Health Day Celebrations of

7th April. The need for easy access

of the health and preventive

programmes of the government for

the elderly should be one of the priorities on the agenda of all the

stakeholders involved in the cause of population ageing was the major

recommendation that emerged at the workshop. Dr. A. Gunasekhara,

WHO National Professional Officer, while speaking on the occasion

stressed on the need for sensitizing society on the issues of population

ageing.

TRAINING:

ILC-I conducted two one day workshops on ―Sensitisation of

Students/Teachers to the cause of

Population Ageing‖ on the 17th and

28th of February 2012 with the

support of the National Institute on

Social Defence, Ministry of Social

Justice & Empowerment, Govt. of

India.

(17th February 2012)

(28th February 2012)

ILC-I AWARDS:-

The ILC-I Awards function was held on the 17th of December 2011 at the

Bharati Vidyapeeth‘s New Law

College Auditorium in Pune. The

following three sets of awards

were given by Mr. Narayana

Murthy, President-Emeritus,

Infosys Pvt. Ltd., at a grand

function which was well-attended

by the luminaries of Pune.

A. ―The Anjani Mashelkar Inclusive Innovation Award‖ for innovations

in the field of science and technology

to address the ageing issues with cost-

effective measures. Award winners

are- Dr. Ms. Bhawana Chanana for her

elder-friendly diapers made

indigenously and at a cost-effective

price and

Dr. Shyam Vasudev and Mr. K. Chandrasekhar whose innovative eye-

testing device the 3-Nethra makes this procedure easy, comfortable and

is light on the pocket.

B. The Shri B.G. Deshmukh Awards for ― Promoting Excellence in

Qualitative Ageing‖ and the ―Jeevan Gaurav Pursakars‖ were given to senior

citizens organizations for their excellent work for the overall well-being of not

just senior citizens but also of society in general and to senior citizens over

the age of 70 years for their outstanding lifetime contributions, respectively.

The award winners in the first category were- The Jyeshtha Nagrik Sanstha,

Alibag, Raigad district; the Jyeshtha Nagrik Sangha, Akola, Vidharbha; The

Jyeshtha Nagrik Sangha, Otur, Junnar, Pune District. The award winners of

the second category are- Dr. S. P. Kinjawadekar, former President, All India

Senior Citizens Confederation; Ms. Nirmalatai Purnadare, Social Activist; Mr.

S. D. Phadnis, renowned cartoonist.

“ PROMOTING EXCELLENCE IN QUALITATIVE AGEING”:-

THE JYESHTHA NAGRIK SANSTHA

Jyeshtha Nagrik Sangha, Jyeshtha Nagrik Sangha, The Jyeshtha Nagrik Sanstha, Akola,

Vidhrabha Otur, Alibag

“Jeevan Gaurav Pursakars”

Dr.S.P.Kinjawadekar Smt. Nirmalatai Purandare Shri.S.D.Phadnis

C. Dr. S.D. Gokhale Award for ― Qualitative Journalism in

Ageing‖ for qualitative coverage of

the issues of senior citizens and

for advocating the cause of senior

citizens through the print media

was awarded to Ms. Bhagyashree

Kulthe, Principal Correspondent,

DNA Newspaper, Pune edition.

HEALTH CAMP FOR THE RURAL ELDERLY:

In collaboration with the Dr. D. Y. Patil University‘s Medical

College, ILC-I organized a one day

Health Camp for the Rural Elderly in

the village of Takve, Pune district, on

the 15th of May 2012. More than 200

elderly villagers from the nearby four

to five villages took the benefit of the

camp.

A team of 20 doctors and its supporting staff from

Orthopaedics, General

Medicine, ENT, Ophthalmology

and Gynaecology provided their

medical and diagnostic services

to these elders. The Dr. D. Y.

Patil Hospital also distributed

free medicines to these needy

and poor elderly.