What challenges do elderly people in Tamil Nadu face with living alone?

Elderly individuals living alone often require paid assistance due to a lack of affordable senior living facilities and may struggle with digital services.

How is the government addressing the need for elder care assistants in Tamil Nadu?

The Union government's PM-SPECIAL scheme aims to train geriatric caregivers, and TN Skill facilitates training programs for 'general duty assistants' through various institutions.

What is the current situation regarding elder care worker supply and demand in Tamil Nadu?

Demand for elder care assistants in Tamil Nadu significantly outstrips the supply of trained workers, leading to the employment of migrants and the operation of unregulated agencies.

Home / Lifestyle / Elderly Care Gap: Unskilled Migrants Fill Urgent Need

Elderly Care Gap: Unskilled Migrants Fill Urgent Need

9 Feb

•

Summary

Many seniors live alone and require paid assistance due to lack of facilities.
Unskilled migrants from other states are filling caregiving roles.
A government scheme aims to train geriatric caregivers for better support.

Elderly Care Gap: Unskilled Migrants Fill Urgent Need

As the number of seniors living alone increases in Tamil Nadu, there's a growing demand for home-based care assistants. Many of these elderly individuals struggle with modern digital services and require round-the-clock help. This demand has led to an influx of young migrants from states like Odisha and Bengal, seeking employment as caregivers. These workers, often lacking specific skills, are deployed by various agencies.

The Union government's PM-SPECIAL scheme, focusing on training geriatric caregivers, aims to address this gap. Through TN Skill, training institutions in Tamil Nadu offer courses for 'general duty assistants'. These programs, ranging from 240 to 420 hours, cover paramedical tasks, home-based duties, and companionship.

Despite government initiatives and the clear need for skilled elder care, an unregulated sector of agencies continues to operate, charging high fees. This situation highlights the urgent need for a regulated marketplace of certified agencies to professionalize the elder care sector and ensure adequately trained staff for the aging population.