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.

Tamil Nadu, with its projected increase in elderly residents by 2036, has a significant opportunity to lead in elder care training. Leveraging its universities and healthcare institutions, the state can develop a model for geriatric care training, aligning with global initiatives for healthy aging.