The Kerala State Human Rights Commission on Wednesday, 29 July directed the state government to completely phase out the term 'Old Age Home' from official and public usage, replacing it with 'Snehalayam' — in line with a government order issued in 2024. The directive carries particular weight in Kerala, which has the highest proportion of elderly citizens of any Indian state.

What the Commission Directed

Judicial Member K. Baijunath ordered the Social Justice Department to take immediate administrative steps to update the nomenclature on name boards, official websites, publications, public records, and all other communication platforms. The Commission also called for awareness campaigns to ensure the older term is retired from public discourse entirely.

The directions were issued while disposing of a complaint filed by Prof Varghese Mathew, who had sought the renaming in the interest of dignity and welfare of senior citizens. The complaint argued that the phrase 'old age' carries a stigma and fosters a sense of inferiority among the elderly.

The Government Order That Was Already in Place

The Commission noted that the state government had, through Government Order No. 247/2024/SJD dated 2 December 2024, officially renamed all such institutions as 'Snehalayam' — meaning 'abode of love' in Malayalam. However, despite the order being over seven months old, the earlier nomenclature reportedly continues to be used widely in common and official contexts alike.

The Commission's intervention, in effect, is an enforcement action — pushing the government to implement a directive it had already passed but not fully executed.

Why Kerala's Elderly Population Makes This Significant

Kerala's demographic profile makes the issue more than symbolic. Nearly 18.7% of the state's 3.30 crore population is above the age of 60, reflecting one of the most rapidly ageing societies in the country. The demand for institutional elderly care is correspondingly high.

The state currently operates 16 government-run elderly care institutions, including specialised dementia care centres. An additional 690 privately managed homes are registered under the Orphanage Control Board. Together, these facilities serve more than 35,000 senior citizens — a population large enough that the language used to describe their homes carries real social weight.

Implementation and Next Steps

The Commission directed the Director of the Social Justice Department to ensure strict compliance with the government's renaming order across the state. No deadline was publicly specified in the order, but the language — 'immediate administrative steps' — signals urgency.

Notably, this is not a new policy but an accountability measure: the government is being held to its own word. Whether departments follow through with physical signage changes, website updates, and revised publications will determine whether 'Snehalayam' moves from gazette to ground reality.