Declining security for Elderly citizens

Many pan-India survey reveals that almost 30% of India’s elderly people are subject to some form of abuse or neglect by their families. Shockingly 47.3% of abuse against elders is committed by adult care givers, partners or family members.

According to INPEA survey, the problems of the elderly can be broadly categorized as economic, health, disability, and social. In Delhi, the survey revealed that the most prevalent health problems among the elderly related to mental handicap, orthopedic and ophthalmic problems. Loneliness, no source of income, and unemployment were also found to be widespread among Delhi's elderly.

The above mentioned startling figures make one think of the safety for senior citizens who at times are abandoned and live alone.

Few basic tips for senior citizens that will help them in mitigating these risks:

Do’s & Don’ts for Senior Citizens

• Never discuss any financial matter with your servant
• Don’t allow any friends or family of your servant to visit your house
• Make your neighbor & society know that you are staying alone
• Install a peep hole in your door and check the identity of the person before you let anybody inside your house
• Never leave spare keys in open
• Inform your society about the uninformed visitors at your home to enable them check their background
• Have all the emergency numbers handy:
• Police- 100
• Ambulance (Mumbai, Kerala, Bihar, Punjab)- 1298
• Senior Citizen Helpline- 1298
• Your family doctor
• Your neighbors number

All about Ebola Virus Disease

Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) formerly known as Ebola hemorrhagic fever is a rare but deadly virus often fatal to human life. EVD kills up to 90% of people who are infected. As he virus spreads through the body it weakens the immune system and the organs.

Symptoms of EVD

EVD or Ebola fever can feel like flu or other illness and symptoms show up 2 to 21 days after the infection and usually include:

1. High fever
2. Sore throat
3. Lack of appetite
4. Weakness
5. Stomach pain
6. Joint and muscle aches

This is followed by vomiting, impaired liver and kidney function and in some cases internal & external bleeding takes over.

How it is transmitted?

It spreads to people by contact with the skin and bodily fluids, one can’t get Ebola from air, water or food.

Prevention

Few primary prevention measures have been established and no vaccine exists.

Risk of transmission is increased in the healthcare setting where the patient is treated.

1.    Wearing of protective clothing (such as masks, gloves, gowns, and goggles)

2.    Using infection-control measures (such as complete equipment sterilization and routine use of disinfectant)

3.    Isolating patients with Ebola from contact with unprotected persons

Chennai skips a heartbeat to save Mumbai woman

On 16^th June, 2014, a green corridor was created to transport a heart from Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital to Fortis Malar Hospital in Adyar. This seamless transport helped save a precious life. Check out the entire coverage here:

Times of India 

Times of India 

DNA

The Hindu

Yahoo! News

Business Standard

The New Indian Express

DNA

Road accidents involving children on the rise

Every alternate day we come across shocking news of young children dying in road accidents. This no doubt raises umpteen number of questions regarding child safety, children suffering due to no fault of their own and what corrective measures to be taken to avoid further such casualties.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau 20 children under the age of 14 years die daily in road accidents in India. The nearly 70 deaths between January 2013 and July 2014 are of school students. In all the instances victims were travelling in their school buses which were either hit by other vehicles or rolled down from the slope.

India has only about one percent of the world's vehicles but accounts for 10 percent of the world's road accidents. These stunning figures definitely highlight how grave the issue of child safety is in India.

According to NGO Save Life Foundation’s Founder & President Mr. Piyush Tewari school buses should come as a part of special vehicle like Ambulance unlike commercial vehicles. As this implies even a truck driver can drive the school bus which reduces the probability of sensitivity towards children riding in the bus.

Currently there are no child safety laws, few measures under the same would mitigate the risk:

-          Seat belts & helmets for child

-          An adult supervisor to be designated in all the buses who would keep a check on errant drivers

-          Drivers should undergo formal training and they would need to renew their licenses every year. These drivers should also be imparted training on First Aid in case of any medical emergency.