Vijay GarG
The world’s second most populous country, India has experienced a dramatic demographic transition in the past 50 years, entailing almost a tripling of the population over the age of 60 years (i.e., the elderly). This pattern is poised to continue. It is projected that the proportion of Indians aged 60 and older will rise from 7.5% in 2010 to 11.1% in 2025. This is a small percentage point increase, but a remarkable figure in absolute terms. According to UNDESA data on projected age structure of the population (2008), India had more than 91.6 million elderly in 2010 with an annual addition of 2.5 million elderly between 2005 and 2010. The number of elderly in India is projected to reach 158.7 million in 2025 and is expected, by 2050, to surpass the population of children below 14 years.
These data, however, mask the unevenness and complexities of the demographic transition within India across Indian states with different levels of economic development, cultural norms, and political contexts. There is no denying the fact that the India lacks basic infrastructure and expertise to support the health & welfare of our elderly.
According to multiple surveys across the country, for most Indian senior citizens, the biggest concerns are healthcare costs, lack of financial support and isolation. In addition, most of the aged are not accorded the dignity of care they deserve in later life. Lack of physical infrastructure is a major deterrent to providing comfort for the aged. Very little information and knowledge exist about specific geriatric diseases. Mental health issues are rarely discussed and the country is ill-prepared to deal with the increasing incidence of Dementia, Alzheimer’s and depression amongst the elderly. There are few facilities and experts who can manage geriatric health effectively even in major metros. In addition, there is little public or private financial support for the elderly. Research shows that of the 450 million Indians who are working, not more than 45 million are eligible for a pension. Senior Care Health Insurance has very low penetration and has an extremely poor pay-out history. Yet, health costs keep rising in old age.
Unlike most developed countries, Emergency Response infrastructure for senior citizens is ill-developed, including the availability of public ambulance for hospitalization. One of the biggest fears for most senior citizens living alone is how to access an Emergency facility, if required, especially at night.
Rapid socio-economic change, including more nuclear families, is also making Elder Care management difficult, especially for busy adult children responsible for their older parents’ wellbeing. Managing home care for the elderly is a massive challenge as multiple service providers, who often do not talk to each other, are involved in providing that care -nursing agencies, physiotherapists, medical suppliers. Loneliness and isolation are major concerns among elderly Indians. Isolation can result in gradual depression and other mental disorders in the elderly.
It is the duty of the government as well as the private sector to step in with innovative, scalable & affordable Elder Care solutions. from financial services to home care to mobile health solutions for the elderly – the opportunities are massive. |
