PANAJI
Veteran actor and psychiatrist Dr Mohan Agashe made a sharp observation on modern medicine, stating that advancements in healthcare have, in a way, turned death into an illness rather than a natural part of life.
Speaking at the State-program ‘Together into the Twilight’ at ESG, Panaji on Saturday, Agashe spoke about the grim reality of old age, memory loss and mental health struggles among the elderly.
“Birth and death are fundamental to life. While medical science has extended the human lifespan, this added time is not in childhood or youth, but in old age. What medicine has failed to ensure is the quality of this extended life,” he said.
Drawing a stark comparison, he noted that animals live and die naturally, but humans, in their pursuit of longevity have created a system where survival is prolonged artificially. “ICUs in corporate hospitals are mostly with elderly patients,” he said, stressing the importance of making decisions about end-of-life care while one’s brain is still functional.
“If you don’t want to end up in a vegetative state,
think now about what kind of medical intervention you would accept,” he further warned.
On the psychological aspect of aging, he urged senior citizens to stop living in nostalgia. “Instead of lamenting about how things were in your time, understand the present. Engage with the youth, because they are the bridge to your current reality,” he advised.
Rajya Sabha MP Sadanand Shet Tanawade, the chief guest at the event, emphasized the duty of children to care for their aging parents. He further insisted that relying on old-age homes must be minimised.
Social Welfare Director Ajit Panchwadkar created awareness of various welfare schemes for senior citizens, including the DSSS pension scheme, palliative care initiatives, UMMID daycare centers and the Mukhyamantri Sahayat Yojana.
