Forget everything you think you know about being old. Far from letting the elderly have a lonely, decrepit existence, it is time to harness their skills, knowledge, and experience.
The Elikkulam grama panchayat in Kottayam, which recently won the government’s award for the best elder-friendly local body in the State, has now kick-started works to explore this sunny disposition of elders. As part of it, the panchayat has now joined hands with Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU) to become the first complete U3A (University of the Third Age) village to help the elderly to positively relish their lives.
The project takes its cue from the success of the U3A programme by the MGU, which guides those aged above 55 years into a happy third phase of their life. Launched in March this year, the project now has units in all 14 districts in the State with over 200 members.
As per estimates, the local body has 5,332 people aged above 60 years of age. The scope of the project includes those aged above 55 years as well. Each of the 16 wards will have two units comprising 15 to 20 members, which will be functional before November 1. The local body will be officially declared a complete U3A village on November 1.
Facilitators from different parts of the State have been assigned to each unit, who have already completed home visits. This will be followed up with unit-level meetings to explain the project and to elect office-bearers. The unit-level meetings will be held every month.
“The objective is to convince the elders that they are not past their prime. We are particularly careful not to use the word retirement anywhere. The community groups will offer them solace from loneliness,” says C. Thomas Abraham, mentor of the U3A project. A two-tier system, at the district and zonal levels, will be established to monitor the functioning of these units.
The formation of the U3A units is spearheaded by members of the volunteer organisation `Butterfly Foundation for Social Metamorphosis’. These units have adopted the growth psychology called ‘temperament and character inventory’ as its methodology.
Commenting on the initiative, MGU Vice-Chancellor C.T. Aravindakumar says the varsity is taking its U3A scheme to villages with a view to bringing social change. “It is about creating a society where there is less stereotyping of older people, more intergenerational contact, and more opportunities for elders,” he says
