{"id":156625,"date":"2026-06-06T14:34:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T21:34:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=156625"},"modified":"2026-06-06T14:34:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T21:34:41","slug":"who-speaks-for-sri-lankas-forgotten-elderly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2026\/06\/06\/who-speaks-for-sri-lankas-forgotten-elderly\/","title":{"rendered":"Who Speaks for Sri Lanka’s Forgotten Elderly?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Sarath Obeysekera<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

The recent tragic fire at an elders’ home in Sri Lanka, where vulnerable senior citizens reportedly suffocated and lost their lives, should shock the conscience of the nation. Yet beyond the immediate tragedy lies a deeper and more uncomfortable question: how do we treat the people who once cared for us, built our families, and contributed to our society?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Public debate has rightly focused on the need for stricter regulations governing elders’ homes. However, regulations alone will not solve the problem. What is needed is a complete reassessment of our responsibility towards the elderly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many years ago, I became involved with an elders’ home managed by the Colombo Municipal Council. Living nearby, I often heard the cries of elderly residents in the early morning. I learned that many were being bathed with cold water. Disturbed by their suffering, I donated and installed a solar-powered hot water system to improve their comfort and dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, the story did not end there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The equipment was neglected, damaged, and eventually rendered unusable. I repaired it again, hoping the situation would improve. Yet the cries of elderly residents continued. The problem was not merely the lack of facilities; it was the lack of care, accountability, and compassion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have also visited another elders’ home in Mount Lavinia where a relative was accommodated. The conditions were deeply disappointing and raised serious concerns about standards of care. Sadly, these experiences are not isolated incidents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An observation that has often struck me is the relatively small number of Muslim elders found in such institutions. While there may be various social and economic reasons, one cannot ignore the strong cultural and religious emphasis placed on caring for ageing parents within the family. There may be valuable lessons for all communities in Sri Lanka to reflect upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Traditionally, Sri Lankan society, particularly within Buddhist culture, revered parents and elders. Looking after one’s mother and father was considered a sacred duty. Yet economic pressures, migration, changing lifestyles, and the erosion of family structures have left many elderly people abandoned, lonely, and dependent on institutions that are often underfunded and poorly monitored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In countries such as the United Kingdom, care homes operate under strict regulatory frameworks. Facilities are regularly inspected. Standards relating to hygiene, nutrition, medical care, fire safety, staffing levels, and resident welfare are rigorously enforced. Institutions that fail to meet standards face penalties, closure, or legal action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sri Lanka must urgently move in the same direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Every elders’ home should be licensed, inspected regularly, and subjected to independent audits. Minimum standards for accommodation, nutrition, healthcare, sanitation, and safety must be legally enforced. Staff should receive proper training in geriatric care, and residents must have access to mechanisms for reporting abuse or neglect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most importantly, society must recognise that caring for the elderly is not simply a welfare issue. It is a measure of our humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History remembers powerful rulers such as Genghis Khan, Alexander the Great, and Emperor Ashoka for their conquests and achievements. Modern leaders continue to exercise immense power over nations and economies. Yet the true greatness of a society is not measured by military victories, economic statistics, or political influence. It is measured by how it treats its weakest and most vulnerable citizens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The elderly are not a burden. They are living libraries of experience, sacrifice, and wisdom. They deserve dignity, comfort, safety, and respect in the final chapters of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The recent tragedy should not become another forgotten headline. It should be a turning point that compels Sri Lanka to establish strong regulations, enforce accountability, and restore the values of compassion and respect that have long been central to our culture.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

A nation that neglects its elderly ultimately neglects its own future.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regards

Dr Sarath Obeysekera<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Dr. Sarath Obeysekera The recent tragic fire at an elders’ home in Sri Lanka, where vulnerable senior citizens reportedly suffocated and lost their lives, should shock the conscience of the nation. Yet beyond the immediate tragedy lies a deeper and more uncomfortable question: how do we treat the people who once cared for us, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[116],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-156625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-sarath-obeysekera"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156625","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=156625"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156625\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":156626,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/156625\/revisions\/156626"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=156625"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=156625"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=156625"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}