A formal approach to homes for the elderly is an important policy and planning issue for India

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Last Updated10/03/2022

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.

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 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.

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.

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.