Twilight Years - an Indian Perspective

Twilight Years - an Indian Perspective

A short report by
Dr Raksha Lutchman*

A Regional Networking day of Mental Health Services for Older Persons (MHSOP) was held on Friday, 6th March 2009 at the Tauhara Centre in the scenic city of Taupo. This day-long event featured a wide range of activities including service roundup, informative lectures, workshops, presentations and ample networking opportunities.

The aim of this programme is to bring together the inter-disciplinary health professionals who are interested in ageing and mental health. Over 80 professionals (psychiatrists, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, regional managers, team leaders, psychologists and consumer representatives) from Gisborne, Tauranga, Rotorua, Taranaki and Hamilton attended.

The theme of the seminar was “Positive ageing: Towards health, wellbeing and happiness”. Fostering a positive view of ageing in our society contributes to improving the general wellbeing of our older persons. A combination of physical, psychological, social, economic, spiritual and cultural factors contribute to the enhancement of health in older persons. Promoting such a concept leads not only to the enrichment of the quality of life, but also to the prevention of mental illness.

The first symposium was on Cultural Perspectives on Ageing, which was chaired by Dr PSDV Prasadarao. The cultural perspectives included Maori, Indian, Chinese and Dutch.

Hindu Council of New Zealand’s work with Mental Health is well recognised by many professionals in various District Health Boards of Greater Auckland area. Hindu Council had organised two Mental Health seminars: Spirituality and Mental Health in March 2008, and Medication & Meditation in March 2009.

On behalf of the MHSOP, Waikato District Health Board, Hamilton, invited Hindu Council of New Zealand to present Indian perspective.

Hindu Council of New Zealand accepted this invitation, and the presentation was made by Dr Raksha Lutchman, Chairperson of Hindu Social Services Foundation (Social Services Division of Hindu Council of New Zealand). Dr Raksha Lutchman’s presentation was on Twilight Years - an Indian Perspective. It was well received and many were enlightened with the strengths and attitudes the Indian culture offers to ageing. The presentation also highlighted that ageing in the Indian community is a sensitive phase and is becoming a major social problem not only in India but the rest of the world. It also highlighted the challenges Indians face that hinders their ageing process in being positive and many professional mentioned that these were new knowledge and insightful for their learnings.

Of interest, the Chinese perspectives delivered by Dr Xiaoning Wang and the Dutch Perspective by Jos Jongenelen complimented the challenges raised from the Indian perspective, indicating that isolation, communication problems and the void the elderly face in a new country are common human problems when it comes to ageing away from home.

It was a good networking day, with a lot of sharing of ideas, interventions and experiences from the regional teams that enhanced the value of the day.

ends

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