Shelter From the Storm

Many senior citizens often end up in destitution after being abandoned by their kith and kin, typically after transferring their property. Can taking recourse to laws meant for seniors lend a helping hand?

- Versha Jain

Two years ago, when Shashi Kant Sharma, now 76, returned to his job of a security guard in Surat after spending a few months with his family in Delhi because of a serious illness, he was in for a shock.

The company he had worked for since 2007 had shut down without notice. Unable to find another job, he returned to Delhi and faced another shock—his brothers refused to keep him on a permanent basis and he had already given his house to his wife, with whom he had longstanding differences.

As his meagre savings ran out quickly on lodging and fooding, Sharma took refuge at a rain basera, a government-run night shelter for the homeless. From there, he was picked up by Saint Hardyal Educational and Orphans' Welfare Society (SHEOWS), a nongovernmental organisation (NGO), which runs old-age homes across India, in Delhi in 2024, where he now lives. “The family has nothing to do with me since I have been at the old-age home, but they know where I am,” he says.

Sharma is not a lone case. According to the HelpAge study released in June 2025, "Understanding Intergenerational Dynamics & Perceptions”, approximately 34% of seniors feel neglected and are abused in old age. Financial and physical vulnerabilities leave many helpless, often preventing them from reporting neglect or abuse to authorities, either due to lack of information, reluctance to confront the family or the fear of social stigma.

“When medical issues, such as dementia arise, family members start avoiding seniors rather than taking better care of them. Further, after a spouse's death, the surviving spouse becomes vulnerable to neglect and is often abandoned by the family,” says Dr GP Bhagat, founder, SHEOWS.

Most seniors are, however, unaware that they can go for legal remedy. Sharma expected his family to take care of him, but has no idea about what he is entitled to. We have put together a list of rights seniors should be aware of to lead a better life.