Elders helpline seeking help

BANGALORE: The elders’ helpline (1090) launched in the city about eight years ago is looking to the government to continue financial aid which was stopped last year.It provides a single toll free number that senior citizens can call to get all their problems resolved. It is operational at the premises of the traffic police station at the Shivajinagar bus stand and currently has a staff of four with one policeman.It is run by the Bangalore City Police and the Nightingale’s Medical Trust. “We provide legal assistance in case of disputes and also methods for alternative dispute resolution. Fifty seven per cent of our cases are resolved successfully,” said Dr Radhamurthy, trustee.The helpline also has a database of Alzheimer’s patients and helps track down senior citizens who might go missing.“We also provide assistance in obtaining government ID cards for senior citizens besides other help with pensions and financial cheating cases.Legal counsel is provided twice a week to interested people,” she added.According to Dr Radhamurthy, the government stopped funding the center since last year.“We are trying to request them to help. It is not possible to find enough resources without funding,” she said. The government had extended support to the tune of 3.68 lakh a year for five years before withdrawing support in 2010.“All our services are free. We need assistance financially to work better.We also need more legal representatives to volunteer for us as there currently are only two,” she pointed out.The minister for Women and Child Development C C Patil promised to look into the matter and requested the helpline to approach him on October 12 with a representation. “The funding was part of the government’s five year plan. They were supposed to mobilise their own resources later. However, I will consider the issue and do whatever is possible from my side,” he said.