pushpa maa foundation – The Metrognome

As reports of abuse against elders in India surface, a walkathon organised in Borivali helps spread awareness about the issue.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

A recent report by HelpAge India painted an extremely grim picture of the state of senior citizens in the country – at an age when they should be enjoying their autumn years, as many as 50 per cent seniors (of those surveyed) complained of abuse from their families. A surprising finding was that apart from daughters-in-law and sons being perpetrators of abuse, even daughters were found to inflict mental and physical abuse on the elderly.

The report was released to coincide with the World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, which is observed on June 15 every year. To mark the occasion in their own small way, Silver Innings Foundation organised a walkathon comprising both seniors and youth at Borivali. The walkathon was flagged off from Dada Dadi Park in Veer Savarkar Udyan, near St Anne’s School.

“On the eve of the 9^th Annual World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) on June 15, 2014 , Silver Innings Helpline, a project of Silver Innings, in association with INPEA and Pushpa Maa Foundation, organised a walkathon observing Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 14,” said Sailesh Mishra, founder President of Silver Innings. “Around 230 senior citizens and 30 youngsters participated for the 20-minute walkathon with banners and placards,” he added. The programme also included the singing of inspirational songs and the tying of purple bands among the youth and seniors.

(Pictures courtesy Sailesh Mishra)

Borivli senior citizens create new world record

Enthusiastic senior citizens, aged 60 to 90 years, gathered at Borivli public park to create world record for laughter yoga.

by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Trust senior citizens to show up in large numbers to participate in something new and fun. And senior citizens of this particular park in Borivli – run by Pushpa Maa Foundation – are a particularly enthusiastic lot.

What else can explain the fact that over 1,500 signed up in a matter of days to participate in creating a new world record for laughter yoga? And further, that at last count, 1,950 of them came together to participate in about 18 different laughter yoga exercises for well over 45 minutes, thus setting a new world record?

Says Jimmy Dordi, part of the managing committee of the park and one of the several members who thought of the idea of seniors entering the record books with a unique record to observe World Laughter Day on May 4, “We anticipated a good response but this was phenomenal. Everyone had a blast and we are happy that a new record has been set.” Seniors from the same park had earlier created another world record – also recorded by the Limca Book of World Records – for the maximum numbers of senior citizens singing the National Anthem at one spot.

A lot of local dignitaries like MLA Gopal Shetty and the DCP Balsing Rajput also showed up to cheer on the participants.

The Metrognome was the online and publicity partner for the event.