Sense of insecurity emerges as key concern of elderly people during panel’s sitting in Kochi

During a recent sitting held by the Kerala State Elderly Commission (KSEC) in Kochi, concerns about the elderly population's sense of insecurity and lack of support system were brought to light. The Commission received seven complaints during the session, with five complaints from individuals and two from organizations involved in elder community issues.

KSEC Chairperson K. Somaprasad highlighted that a common concern was the alleged neglect of elderly parents by their children after properties were transferred to the former's name. Additionally, complaints about troubles from neighbors and reports of financial fraud, such as cheating by non-banking financial companies and lenders, were also lodged with the Commission.

One notable complaint involved a retired government employee who accused a financial company of defrauding him of ₹85 lakh by falsely promising higher returns on investment. Furthermore, another case alleged that a lender was not returning a property mortgaged by an elderly person despite the repayment of the private loan. The Commission plans to seek reports from relevant departments or agencies regarding the complaints and summon the involved parties for hearings.

Despite two complaints scheduled for hearing on Tuesday, only the complainant appeared in the second case. The Commission is set to conduct similar hearings in other districts in the coming days, having received around 300 complaints across the state in the past nine months, with nearly 50 already resolved.