Context:

• This article is based on the report “Caring for Our Elders – Institutional Responses – UNFPA India” which was published in the UNFPA-India. UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) India, in collaboration with the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), released the India Ageing Report 2023. 

What are key highlights of the  India Ageing Report 2023?

• It highlights the challenges, opportunities, and institutional responses related to elderly care in India, as India navigates a demographic shift towards an aging population.
  • Population ageing is associated with a rise in the proportion of the population termed as ‘old’, usually at 60 or 65 years and above.
• It represents a thorough review of the living conditions and welfare of older individuals in India.
• It leverages the latest data available from the Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India (LASI), 2017–18, Census of India, Population Projections by the Government of India (2011–2036), and World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

India Ageing Report 2023: Levels and Trends:

• Prospects of the older population:
  • According to the India Ageing Report, the share of the population over the age of 60 years is projected to increase from 10.5 percent in 2022 to 20.8 percent in 2050 (Figure 2.3). 
  • By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36 percent of the total population of the country.
  • Four years before 2050, the population size of the elderly in India will be higher than the population size of children aged 0–14 years (Figure 2.3). 
  • By that time, the population share of 15–59 years will also see a dip. Undoubtedly, the relatively young India today will turn into a rapidly ageing society in the coming decades.
    
• State differentials:
  • Accordion to the India Ageing report, most of the states in the southern region and select northern states such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab reported a higher share of the elderly population than the national average in 2021.
    • This gap is expected to widen by 2036.

• Decadal growth of the elderly population
  • The decadal growth of the elderly population in India declined slightly from 32 percent between 1961 and 1971 to 31 percent in 1981–1991 (Figure 2.5). 
  • Growth picked up pace during 1991–2001 (35 percent) and is projected to shoot to 41 percent between 2021 and 2031. 

What are the challenges of an ageing population?

• Feminization of the aging population: Women, who generally outlive men, are at the centre of this crisis. 
  • As a high share of them are out of the labour force, they lack savings and thus, are more prone to health issues.
  • They are also less aware of government schemes than men.
  • The share of the elderly population is estimated to double to 20.8% by 2050.
• Ruralization: According to the Census of India 2011, on average, 71 percent of older persons live in rural areas.
  • Large parts of rural India are still remote with poor road and transport access. 
  • Income insecurity, lack of access to adequate and quality healthcare and isolation are, therefore, more acute for the rural elderly than their urban counterparts. 
• Ageing of the aged: During 2000–2022, the total population of the country grew by 34 percent, while the population of 60+ years grew by 103 percent. 
  • The population growth of older persons aged 80+ years has been even higher at 128 percent during the same period. 
• Poor health: Ageing is associated with poor health status due to chronic morbid conditions and degenerating physiological capacity.
• • With the increase in age, disability becomes a major concern thus, increasing the caregiving burden. 
  • Over 30 percent of the elderly women and 28 percent of the men suffered from one chronic morbid condition and nearly one-fourth suffered from more than two morbid conditions.
• Physical impairment and disabilities:  Women over 80 years reported a far higher incidence of impairments (179 per 1,000) than their male counterparts (119 per 1,000).
• • Among the 60+ years, the incidence of any impairment was found to be 105 per 1,000 population.
• Mental health: As per the LASI survey, the Incidence of depression was seen to be rising with increasing age and was higher among elderly women than men.
• Pension-related issues and income security: There is no dedicated funding available for the care of older persons. 

What are the existing laws for older persons in India?

• Maintenance and Welfare of Senior Citizens Act, 2007: The act lays down measures for providing maintenance and support to elderly parents and senior citizens.
• National Policy on Older Persons(NPOP) 1999: It acknowledges population ageing and lays down a strategy to address the demographic change. 
• National Council of Senior Citizens: It suggested forming an advisory body for framing policies and programmes for senior citizens.
• Senior Citizens’ Welfare Fund: It provides financial assistance to schemes that promote financial security, healthcare, and nutrition of senior citizens. 

What are the government schemes for elderly people?

• Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana: It provides financial assistance for the running and maintenance of Senior Citizen Homes/ Continuous Care Homes.
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana: It provides physical aids and assisted living devices to below-poverty-line (BPL) senior citizens suffering from age-related disabilities and infirmities.
• Vayoshreshtha Sammans:  This scheme is applicable to eminent senior citizens and institutes involved in rendering distinguished services for the cause of elderly persons.
• Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS):  It provides social assistance for old age persons.
• National Social Assistance Programme: It provides support to aged persons, widows, disabled persons, and bereaved families on the death of a primary breadwinner, belonging to BPL households.

Learn more about: National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP)

Way Forward

• Mobile clinics for the elderly: It should provide free healthcare to the elderly, including free medicines, and palliative care. Ex- On the lines of the Vayomithram project of Kerala.
• Regulatory body for old age homes: Numerous private old age homes remain out of the purview of any form of scrutiny. 
  • Hence, these should be brought under government monitoring, and a regulatory body should be set up for the same.
• Elderly self-help groups(ESHG): They should be actively promoted and supported. 
  • They should also be linked with the Livelihood Mission, wherein senior citizens may be provided with raw materials to make finished products for sale in the market.
  • Action Groups Aimed at Social Reconstruction(AGRASR )Programme is to create and make Senior citizens SHG functional and self-sufficient at each village level.
• Creche for the elderly: Creche-like facilities or equipped day-care centres may be developed for them where they may stay for the duration that their family members are away. 
• Mental health programs: They should include companionship to senior citizens during the daytime through day-care centres. Ex- Pakal Veedu project of Thrissur.
• Digital literacy:  Exposure to computers, the internet, and new modes of communication is very important, particularly amongst the elderly. 
  • This requires regular training as technology gets updated frequently. 
• Awareness Programs: It is imperative that the benefits of the schemes reach the rural areas and also address the needs of elderly women.
  • As per the LASI Report, only 12 percent elderly were aware of the Annapurna Scheme.