Thiruvananthapuram, July 30, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Kerala State Human Rights Commission has directed the state government to ensure the complete replacement of the term “Old Age Home” with “Snehalayam” across all official and public platforms, in line with a government order issued in December 2024.
Judicial Member K. Baijunath instructed the Social Justice Department to take immediate administrative measures to update the nomenclature on name boards, official websites, government publications, public records and all other communication channels.
The Commission also called for awareness campaigns to encourage the exclusive use of the term “Snehalayam” in public discourse, noting that the older terminology continues to be widely used despite the government’s earlier decision.
The directive came while disposing of a complaint filed by Prof. Varghese Mathew, who argued that the expression “Old Age Home” carries negative connotations and creates a sense of stigma and inferiority among senior citizens. The Commission observed that the state had already issued Government Order No. 247/2024/SJD on December 2, 2024, officially renaming all such institutions as “Snehalayam.”
The Human Rights Commission directed the Director of the Social Justice Department to ensure strict implementation of the government’s order throughout the state.
The issue assumes particular significance in Kerala, which has the highest proportion of elderly citizens in the country. Nearly 18.7 per cent of the state’s population of around 3.30 crore is above the age of 60, reflecting a rapidly ageing demographic and increasing demand for institutional elderly care.
Kerala currently operates 16 government-run elderly care institutions, including specialised dementia care centres. In addition, around 690 privately managed homes are registered under the Orphanage Control Board. Together, these facilities provide care to more than 35,000 senior citizens across the state.
FOLLOW NOW
