Story in numbers: Elderly population is alone and vulnerable amid lockdown

The problems of elderly callers ranged from the shortage of medicines and physical support to anxiety, fear and anxiousness

A kg of rice and 500 gm of dal is all 61-year-old Savitri Bai Padaliya has had to see her through the ongoing lockdown declared nearly one-and-a-half month ago to contain the spread of Covid-19. The woman, who lost her only child around two years ago, lives alone in Ujjain and survives on a small pension and sporadic earnings from selling fodder.

“Everything is closed, so I called a helpline number someone gave me and was given some ration,” she said, referring to the helpline set up by HelpAge India, an NGO working for the disadvantaged elderly. “But what will I