Old Age Homes in India: Sharing the Burden of Elderly Care with the Family

Abstract

Population ageing is silently becoming a major challenge for our country. According to estimates, by the year 2050, 20% of our population will be over the age of 60 years. Average life expectancy at the age of 60 years is also expected to increase to 30 years from the current rate of 17 years. This coupled with the fact that the adding years to life may not always mean adding life to years. In other words, advancing age brings with it the threat of frailty, dependence and handicap. The demographic estimates also say that the number of younger people is likely to decrease due to lower birth rate. So, care in old age that was so heavily dependent on family will be in peril. The decreasing family size, immigration and changing ethos have started posing challenges for care in many parts of the country. The elderly can no longer blindly depend on family to take care of them in the twilight years. Old age homes are filling the gap to a certain extent. But as of now, it is not a popular and affordable choice for most. Traditionally, old age homes were meant for the poor and destitute and hence mostly managed by charitable organisations, but in recent years, paid facilities have also emerged to cater to the needs of middle and upper middle class older persons, who can pay for care in old age. However, due to its unstructured growth, there is no regulatory regime to deal with it. This is a cause for concern in more than one way.