What integrated elder care model are experts advocating for in India?

Experts are advocating for a home-based, community-led, and integrated elder care model to enhance geriatric care in India.

How many seniors are projected to be in India by 2036?

India's senior population is projected to reach approximately 230 million by the year 2036.

What key aspects should geriatric care in India focus on?

Geriatric care in India needs to be coordinated, continuous, community-based, and compassionate, with a strong focus on mental and emotional well-being alongside physical health.

Home / Health / India's Elder Care Crisis: Experts Urge Home-Based Solutions

India's Elder Care Crisis: Experts Urge Home-Based Solutions

3 Feb

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Summary

Experts advocate for integrated elder care, focusing on home and community.
India's senior population to reach 230 million by 2036.
Geriatric care must address physical, mental, and social well-being needs.

India's Elder Care Crisis: Experts Urge Home-Based Solutions

As India's elderly population surges towards an estimated 230 million by 2036, experts are advocating for a paradigm shift towards home-based and community-led integrated elder care. Health experts convened in New Delhi to highlight the multi-dimensional challenges confronting seniors, including increasing disabilities, age-related illnesses like dementia, and disparities in healthcare access between urban and rural areas.

Dr. Rajinder K. Dhamija stressed that effective geriatric care requires coordination, continuity, and compassion, integrating mental and emotional well-being with physical health. Rajesh Bhushan, former Secretary of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, emphasized that care should extend beyond tertiary hospitals to district-level systems, leveraging trained caregivers and home-based services for needs not requiring hospitalization.