SENIORS ARE LIKE A LIBRARY, A STOREHOUSE OIF EXPERIENCE

SENIORS ARE LIKE A LIBRARY, A STOREHOUSE OIF EXPERIENCE

21-AUG-ENG 9

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------Today is 'World Senior Citizens Day'. It is celebrated every year on 21st August. The celebration of this day started in the United States of America (USA) and now it is celebrated in most countries of the world.

In 1935, the President of America, Franklin Roosevelt, signed the 'Social Security Act', according to which 'National Senior Citizens Day' was celebrated on 14th August. Till 1988, it was celebrated on 14th August only.

In 1988, the then President of America, Ronald Reagan, declared 21st August as 'National Senior Citizens Day'. Its main objective is to honour those senior citizens in America who make a positive contribution to their communities.

No matter which country it is, respecting the elders is a social culture everywhere. In Indian culture, the elders have always been given importance in the family. No work was done in the house without asking them. In joint families, the experience of elders and the company of everyone made social life easy. Parents did not even realize when their children grew up under the shadow of elders. The life of elders was also spent happily.

In America and western countries, there was a tradition of keeping elders in old age homes. Its effect is now visible in India as well. Joint families have almost broken down. The struggle for livelihood has increased. Consumerism has increased the ambitions of people. The race to earn money has ended traditional values. Today is the era of single and self-centered families in which no one has time to understand the feelings of elders. Children are so busy in their jobs and life that they do not get time to pay attention to the elders of the family. Due to which the seniors either stay alone at home, or go to old age homes to get company. There are some families where children start feeling their elderly parents as a burden. By celebrating 'Senior Citizen Day', people get a day to remember and pay attention to their elders. Along with this, the elderly get a day to spend time with their families.