Lalit Garg
(The writer can be reached at lalitgarg11@gmail.com)
The month of August holds special significance because of the many international days observed during it. Just like Youth Day, Friendship Day, Hiroshima Day, Organ Donation Day, Breastfeeding Day, Tribal Day, Mosquito Day, Photography Day, and Humanitarian Day, another important occasion is World Senior Citizens Day, which is dedicated every year to the elderly. This day is celebrated across the world for ensuring a healthy, dignified, and joyful life for senior citizens. The need for such a day arose because, in modern society, the elderly are increasingly becoming victims of neglect, disrespect, and loneliness. The very generation that laid the foundation of families and society with their sweat and sacrifice is today forced to live in emotional emptiness and sadness. Wrinkled faces, blurred eyes, tired bodies, and weary hearts narrate the tragedy of our modern, self-centred lifestyle.
In a country like India, where parents and elders have been revered as divine beings, where Lord Rama renounced his throne to honour his father’s command, and where Shravan Kumar carried his blind parents on his shoulders for pilgrimage, why then are the distances between children and their elderly parents widening? Why are senior citizens compelled to see themselves as worthless and redundant? This question is not only about the disintegration of families but also about the erosion of values in the new generation, the weakening of the very soul of society, and the distortion in the ideal structure of a new nation. Elders once stood as the strength and support of families and communities, the greatest architects of life. Their wisdom, insight, and wealth of experience were invaluable treasures for society. Yet, why are we ignoring them today? Why do we hesitate to learn from their experiences? To understand this irony, we must accept that this flow of neglect not only harms the elderly but also deepens the emotional distance and lack of sensitivity between generations. If this trend continues, families and society will abandon their moral responsibilities, and the bridge of dialogue and compassion between the old and the young will collapse—an outcome harmful in every sense.
What is needed is an environment of peace and dignity for elders in the final stage of their journey. We must not see the elderly as a burden but as a blessing; not as chains, but as our pride. Their evenings must not be filled with sorrow but must bloom with joy. World Senior Citizens Day is an occasion to awaken this consciousness. It reminds us to appreciate the knowledge, experience, and constant contributions of the elderly. In 2025, this special day will be observed on 21 August. Its purpose is to inspire families, friends, and organizations to respect the elderly and protect their rights. Internationally, its roots go back to the United States, where President Ronald Reagan initiated this day in 1988. Since then, it has transcended borders, with the United Nations and various organizations emphasizing the dignity and rights of ageing populations. This year’s theme is “Empowering the Voices of Older Persons in a Future of Inclusion.” It encourages us to listen to elders carefully and ensure their active participation in families, communities, and policy-making decisions. This theme is a call to action: age should never be an obstacle to participation or leadership. True respect lies in offering leadership roles to elders, listening to their stories, seeking their advice, and entrusting them with creative responsibilities.
Research reveals that in solving life’s complex problems, the thoughts, patience, and vision of the elderly often prove more mature than those of the younger generation. Given a goal, they make up for their slow pace with sharp insight and better planning. Transparent thinking, sound judgement, and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong are qualities more abundantly found in them. Therefore, neglecting them in offices, institutions, and households is not only unfair but also harmful to us. There are many ways society can ensure elders do not feel ignored. Families can hold regular gatherings where elders share their experiences. Schools can observe Grandparents’ Day, allowing children to learn from their grandparents and making elders feel valued. Social and religious organizations should hold joint seminars to foster understanding between generations. Businesses and families should find creative ways to use the capabilities of the elderly. Simple activities like family meals, memory-book projects, or skill-sharing sessions between the young and the old can act as bridges between generations. In the coming years, this relevance will grow stronger. By 2050, nearly 22 per cent of the world’s population will be over 60 years old. Elders will enrich families and societies with their knowledge, traditions, and volunteer service, but they will also face challenges such as health issues, loneliness, and social neglect. Therefore, it is essential that we begin building today a society where age becomes a mark of dignity and respect, not of disregard.
Why then did the world feel the need to observe Senior Citizens Day? Why have neglect and harassment of the elderly become such pressing issues? The deeper concern is to stop this wrong current of disregard, which not only makes the lives of elders miserable but also widens emotional distances between individuals. Old age is the twilight of life. In today’s fast-paced, money-driven, and self-centred world, full of contradictions and distortions, neglect of the elderly has emerged as one of the painful realities. Old age is already a period marked by ailments, stress, and afflictions. If, on top of this, elders face insult, indifference, or mental anguish at the hands of their own families—especially the younger members—the natural outcome is that old age becomes a curse. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said, “Older persons are an invaluable source of knowledge and experience. They have much to contribute to peace, sustainable development, and the protection of our planet.” Yet, why then are the elderly today living with emptiness, loneliness, and apathy? Emptiness is indeed one of the greatest problems of old age. There is a saying: emptiness can be both a punishment and a pleasure. It depends on the elders themselves whether they make this emptiness an experience of joy or of despair. Recognising that “the root of religion is in the depths of life and the root of sin is in the hospitals,” elders must strive to make their twilight years meaningful.
The true significance of celebrating World Senior Citizens Day lies only in honestly fulfilling our responsibility of caring for those who once cared for us. This is among the highest forms of honor. Age is nothing but the count of years through which the world has travelled alongside us. Elders are living libraries, treasures filled with countless worlds of wisdom. To respect them is to respect our own future; it is the path to preserve strength, grace, and legacy. This day offers us the chance to resolve that we will not merely allow the elderly to live, but we will ensure they live with dignity, joy, and enthusiasm. We must honor the past, cherish the present, and aspire to create an inclusive future for people of all ages.