Ensuring a Better Life for the Elderly

The latest India Ageing Report 2023 by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS) reveals that India’s elderly population is growing rapidly with a decadal growth rate of 41%.

Going by this, by 2050, over 20% of people in India will be elderly. Not merely this, the elderly people will surpass the population of children of 0-15 years by 2046.

It further says, the number of people aged 80 Plus is expected to increase by around 279% between 2022 and 2050. While higher life expectancy of people is representative of better quality of life, it is disturbing to note that more than 40% of the elderly in India are in the poorest wealth quintile.

A substantial proportion of elderly people, especially women, are living without any income thereby reducing their access to healthcare.

According to the report, the elderly in India have low awareness about the various social security schemes as only 55% were found to be aware of the old-age pension scheme (IGNOAPS), 44% about the widow pension scheme and 12% about the Annapurna Scheme.

Lack of care for the elderly, their loneliness, possible widowhood, and deficient support infrastructure for the sick and the disabled among them are major issues afflicting the aged people in India. Add to this increasing urbanisation and health issues of the population.

Though urban areas have of late been witnessing emergence of senior living communities, the people need to be made aware of, as well as encouraged to accept the in-situ living of the elderly which carries a guarantee of better care while living with respective families and healthy intergenerational communication and exchanges.