जेरोन्टोलॉजी और जराचिकित्सा अनुसंधान

अमूर्त

India’s Ageing Population: Geriatric Care Still in Infancy

Mane Abhay B, Khandekar Sanjay V and Kevin Fernandez VSM

Healthy ageing is a major public health challenge. The population of India is ageing. This demographic change will necessitate vast resources towards support, care and treatment of elder persons. With the changes in the social scenario and the emergence of nuclear family concept have exposed the elderly people to emotional, physical and financial insecurity. The prevalence and incidence of diseases as well as hospitalization rates are much higher in older people than the total population. Very little effort has been made to understand the health and social care needs of elderly in India. Moreover there is a huge shortage of manpower in geriatrics in the country and this does not seem to improve in very near future. The undergraduate medical curriculum at present does not cover geriatric care completely, while postgraduate geriatric courses are almost absent in India. Making the resources available and capacity building of the staff involved in geriatric care will be a herculean task. Also the other health problems in India and their priorities may push the interest of the older people into the background. The problems and issues of its greying population occupy the back-seat. If we do not address the ground realities with regard to geriatrics, the elderly will not age gracefully. This article highlights the plight of the Indian elder with respect to the changing demographics and assesses the status of geriatric care.