A formal approach to homes for the elderly is an important policy and planning issue for India
- As India is increasingly urbanizing and families are breaking up into smaller units, homes for the elderly have increased.
- The care of elderly people is managed by a set of professionals or voluntary organizations interested in geriatric services.
About
- The number of homes for elderly care is rising rapidly in urban and semi-urban India. These homes are either paid for, or offer free or subsidized service.
- Generally these homes are run by NGOs, religious or voluntary organizations with support from the government, or by local philanthropists.
- They provide accommodation, timely care, and a sense of security for their residents.
- However, the quality of service varies as these homes lack regulatory oversight.
- Many homes lack clearly established standard operating procedures, and their referral paths to health care are informal.
- There is an urgent need to understand the quality of life at such institutions, including the impact of these homes on the mental health of their residents.
A rapidly growing section
- A formal approach to homes for the elderly is an important policy and planning issue for India.
- The UN World Population Ageing Report notes that India’s ageing population (those aged 60 and above) is projected to increase to nearly 20% by 2050 from about 8% now.
- By 2050, the percentage of elderly people will increase by 326%, with those aged 80 years and above set to increase by 700%, making them the fastest-growing age group in India. With this future in mind, it is essential that our policy framework and social responses are geared to meet this reality.
- A recent set of research papers highlight that good intentions and a sense of charity are often inadequate when it comes to addressing the basic health needs of their elderly residents.
- The study also found some ‘unseen’ effects of vision impairment: many were prone to depression.
- Those with both vision and hearing impairment had a rate of depression that was five times higher than those without.
- Our homes, buildings and social environment are not built keeping the elderly (or people with disabilities) in mind.
- As people age, and their motor skills weaken, they are at a greater risk of falling down and hurting themselves.
- Instead of planning for accessible and elderly-friendly structures that allow them to operate safely, we reduce their mobility.
- This reduces their sociability, their sense of independence and well-being leading up to mental health issues and depression.
Measures to be taken
- The state of homes for the elderly offers us some low-hanging fruit we can address easily.
- Build formal pathways for basic health screening between such homes and public health facilities.
- This can include screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure, periodic vision and hearing screening, and a simple questionnaire to assess mental health.
- Such interventions are inexpensive and could go a long way in identifying health issues and offering support.
- Formal channel to address any health issues that such screenings identify.
- Many hospitals (public, NGO-run, and private care) can help.
Public policy support
- There is a need for robust public policy to support homes for the elderly.
- Health institutions also need to offer a comprehensive set of packages that are tailored for the elderly
- Homes for the elderly must be guided, by policy, to make their facilities, buildings and social environment elderly- and disabled-friendly.
- Design, architecture and civic facilities must be thought from the ground up and these innovations must be available for all residents, not just those living in expensive ones.
- There are lessons here for society as a whole, but, as they say, let’s take one step at a time.