“From Neglect to Awareness: Aarna Bhura's Mission to Elevate India's Seniors"

The growth rate of the elderly population in India saw a sharp increase from 2001 onward after a series of successive falls. According to projections for 2021-31, the growth rate was expected to be five times the growth rate of the total population; by 2050, it's poised to be 30 Crores. The government offers several pension plans to encourage financial security after retirement, but are they enough?

Significant flaws exist in the country's policymaking process: an abject neglect of state support for older people. Barring a few token measures, India's elders languish in the blind spot of its policymakers. A mix of factors are at play. For all practical purposes, the country's public healthcare facilities do not inspire the people's confidence. At the one end of this spectrum of healthcare, providers are expensive, privately run hospitals that can push patients and their families into poverty. Societal changes, including the rising number of nuclear families, smaller family sizes, and migration for employment by the economically active population, have also affected the provision of care for older people.

Aarna Bhura, a 16-year-old proactive 11th-grade student at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya in Delhi, while working on her initiatives for HPV vaccines for sex workers for protection against cervical cancer, came across Senior Citizens in languid condition. Deeply perturbed by the neglect and the failure of society and families to recognize the significant contributions of India's Seniors, motivated her to research and create awareness about challenges faced by the elderly in our community and investigate the field of gerontology, a complex study of ageing and its ramifications. She realized the common perception that elders will have informal caregivers available from the family is misplaced. The revelations from her research propelled her to translate knowledge into action. "The outcomes were both astonishing and disheartening," shared Aarna. "Determined to effect change, I set out to create a documentary that would raise awareness and provide assistance for our senior citizens."

Aarna's documentary portrays a compelling storyline through interviews with the elderly, unveiling the frequently overlooked lack of emphasis on this specific societal group. As she embarked on her journey to comprehend their difficulties, she spent much time immersing herself in elderly care institutions. Here, she passionately conversed with senior citizens and their families, aiming to solve the complexities they faced. This led Aarna to the realization that a considerable number of elderly individuals experience feelings of isolation, neglect, and intensifying mental health issues that range from depression to anxiety and question government initiatives and the absence of other public support systems and actionable programs.

Aarna's dedicated efforts are bringing attention to the often-unaddressed difficulties faced by senior citizens. She aims to promote better care and support systems for them.

Moreover, Aarna's initiatives have caught the attention of many senior citizens advisory bodies and they praised her for being dedicated to such an important cause. They believe that Aarna's research paper is a strong call from the millennials and that It's nice to see young students like her leading social causes and making positive changes in the community." Aarna hopes that her research will inspire others to act and improve senior citizens' lives and agree that our older citizens have given a lot to society, and it's our job to take care of them as they get older.

Beyond her documentary work, Aarna is deeply involved in a range of initiatives focused on elderly care. She is diligently crafting a research paper under a title with aspirations to have it published in an international journal, an effort aimed at spreading her message worldwide. Aarna plans to strengthen her mission by organizing seminars and workshops to raise awareness of the importance of cultivating an environment rich in compassion and consideration for the elderly.

Aarna's commitment has turned her into a role model for her peers. Even though she's dealing with the demands of her senior year, she has still managed to create a meaningful impact. Her academic achievements demonstrate her commitment to succeeding in all aspects of her life. Aarna's proactive approach to this critical issue serves as a reminder that collective efforts are essential when assisting older people. Hopefully, more young people will become involved in social causes and inspire others toward a more compassionate and thoughtful future.