Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Jan 9: Karnataka has got the dubious distinction of having been listed at No. 2 behind Bihar among Indian states where elderly citizens are badly treated. Ten percent of the senior citizens here have said that they are badly treated, as per the survey conducted in the country to assess the health, social and financial condition of the aged people.

Fourteen percent of the senior citizens in the state claim that they are being looked after badly. Their main grouse is at non-availability of assistance in attending to their daily chores. At the national level, elders have been subjected to this bad experience at least once in two months as per the said survey. Karnataka is ranked second in the list of states where aged people are neglected.

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The survey covered 72,250 elderly people all over the country. Seventy-five percent among them have been suffering from one of the other chronic diseases. Forty percent have physical deformities and 20 percent have mental problems. Forty percent have lung complications and ten percent have issues with having a good sleep. Union health minister Harshvardhan, says that they need to get good medical care.

As per the 2011 census, this country had ten crore senior citizens. This number is likely to cross 30 crore by the year 2050. Fifty percent of people aged 45 and above have lung-related health complications, which is higher than all other states. Ten percent of over 60 face serious breathing problems, which is again higher than all other states. The other problems commonly faced are eyesight, hearing etc and treatment cost is also the highest in Karnataka.