Challenges Related to Aging Population | 23 Jan 2025

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

The Supreme Court of India refused to entertain a writ petition that sought the establishment of a dedicated Ministry for senior citizens.  

• The writ petition referred to senior citizens (population ageing) as a vulnerable class that deserves special attention under Article 21 of the Constitution, which ensures the right to a dignified life.

What is the Status of Senior Citizens in India?  

• Current Trends: India's elderly population (60+) is projected to grow from 10.5% in 2022 to 20.8% by 2050 and exceed 36% by 2100. 
  • By 2046, India's elderly population will outnumber children (0–14), and the working-age population (15–59) will decline by 2050. 
• Pace of Ageing: Between 2010 and 2020, India’s elderly population doubled at a rate of 15 years while South and East Asia took 16 years to double their elderly population. 
  • The decadal growth rate of the elderly population increased from 31% (1981–1991) to 41% (2021–2031), indicating accelerated aging. 

• Ageing Index: States in southern India with a higher elderly share have a higher ageing index, reflecting declining fertility and more older persons than children. 
  • The ageing index that measures the number of elderly persons (60+ years) per 100 children (below 15 years) was 39 in India in 2021. 
• Old-Age Dependency Ratio: In 2021, India had 16 elderly per 100 working-age persons, with southern India at 20, western India at 17, and Union Territories and northeastern India at around 13. 
  • The old-age dependency ratio represents the number of elderly persons (60+ years) per 100 working-age persons (15–59 years). 
• Life Expectancy at 60 Years: In India, the average life expectancy at 60 years is 18.3 years, with females living longer than males (19 years for females, 17.5 years for males).  
• State Variations: Southern states and northern states like Himachal Pradesh and Punjab had a higher elderly population than the national average in 2021 (10.5%). 
  • States with higher fertility rates, like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, will see an increase in the elderly population by 2036. 

• Regional Comparisons: By 2050, South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries will have an elderly population average of 19.8%. 
  • In SAARC, Maldives (34.1%) and Sri Lanka (27%) will have higher elderly proportions, while India's share will remain around 20%, though the numbers will be significant (around 34.7 crore). 

What are the Challenges with the Aging Population? 

• Feminization of Aging: Women live longer than men, leading to more elderly women, especially widows, who live alone and rely on family support, making them more vulnerable. 
• Ruralization of Ageing: According to the Census of India 2011, around 71% of the elderly population lives in rural areas.  
  • Limited access to healthcare, income insecurity, and social isolation are exacerbated by the remoteness of rural areas. 
• Aging of the Aged: The aging of the aged means a growing share of the elderly will be 75+, placing additional pressure on healthcare, caregiving, and social welfare systems. 
  • An underdeveloped silver economy further exacerbates the mismatch between the demand and supply of services. 
    • The silver economy involves market opportunities for the aging population (60+), focusing on goods, services, and innovations to enhance their quality of life, health, and financial well-being. 
• Economic Dependency: Only 11% of elderly men receive work pensions, while 16.3% get social pensions. For elderly women, 27.4% receive only social pensions, and just 1.7% get work pensions. 
  • Around one-fifth of the elderly have no income, resulting in financial insecurity. 
• Lack of Geriatric Care Facilities: 30% of elderly women and 28% of elderly men suffer from at least one chronic morbid condition, such as hypertension, diabetes, arthritis etc impairing their ability to perform daily activities . 
  • Aging worsens health conditions, raising healthcare costs and increasing reliance on family or informal support for caregiving and medical care. 
• Employability Challenges: Senior citizens face a range of employability challenges like age discrimination (presumed less tech-savvy, or energetic), outdated skills, rigid work hours, lower wages etc. 
• Social and Family Abuse: Seniors may face verbal abuse, isolation, and physical harm from family members or caregivers, often going unreported due to fear or limited mobility. 

What are the Major Elderly Care Schemes in India? 

• Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana 
• Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) 
• National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) 
• National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly (NPHCE) 
• Atal Pension Yojana (APY)

Way Forward 

• Elderly Self-Help Groups: Establish self-help groups for the elderly to promote community engagement, resource sharing, and socio-economic well-being. 
  • E.g., Vietnam is promoting healthy aging through the country's National Action Programme for the Elderly. 
• Multigenerational Living: Policies promoting multigenerational households (grandparents, parents, and children living together) for the elderly should be prioritized to offer emotional support, family connection, and autonomy. 
  • Promote in-home aging by supporting elderly individuals with short-term care facilities, like daycare centers, providing meals, health monitoring, and companionship. 
  • Building multigenerational bridges can enrich society by fostering the exchange of knowledge, skills, and experiences to rapidly equip the younger generation. 
• Digital Inclusion: Offer training programs for elderly workers to develop skills like digital literacy and technology proficiency, enabling them to engage in the digital economy, e-commerce, and online healthcare. 
• Strengthening Healthcare Infrastructure: Provide quality, affordable healthcare for the elderly by increasing geriatric care, and creating elder-friendly facilities.  
  • Expand telemedicine for remote consultations. 
• Expand Pension Schemes: Ensure the expansion and universal coverage of pension schemes to include all elderly individuals. E.g., PM-JAY now covers all senior citizens aged 70 or above. 
• Policy Reforms: There is a need to include care work in economic activities, create a separate workforce category for the elderly (to harness Silver Dividend), and escalate these efforts. 
  • Adopt Japanese models like providing robots for companionship, assistive devices for mobility, and smart healthcare devices to help elderly people maintain independence.