Emphasizing that elderly care is non-negotiable, the Court proposed a dedicated mechanism for their rescue, care, and continuous monitoring, modelled after the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015.
Geriatric Care in India
- Status: India’s elderly population is currently over 10% (about 104 million) and is projected to rise to 19.5% (319 million) by 2050.
Challenges Associated with Geriatric Care
- Lack of infrastructure: Such as shortage of specialized geriatric care (limited to urban areas) and trained workforce.
- Eroding Social Support: Due to shift from traditional joint families to nuclear families, along with globalization and migration.
- Social Insecurity: 78% of elderly live without a pension, and only 18% are covered by health insurance.
- Financial Vulnerability: High out-of-pocket health expenditures, and vulnerability to financial abuse and fraud.
- Digital Divide: With roughly 85.8% of the elderly being digitally illiterate, limiting their access to modern, tech-enabled services.
Government Initiatives
- The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE): aims to provide accessible, and affordable geriatric care at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels.
- The Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) provides monthly pensions to the elderly belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) categories.
- Silver Economy: Seniorcare Ageing Growth Engine (SAGE) portal to foster innovative senior care products and SACRED portal to connect able senior citizens with employment opportunities respectively.
