According to an article in The Economist on March 1st, India is facing a severe challenge in terms of population structure of "getting old before getting rich". In 1950, the life expectancy of Indians was only 41.2 years, far below the global average, and it will increase to 72 years by 2023. Currently, nearly half of India's population of over 1.4 billion is under the age of 29 and has enjoyed a 'demographic dividend', but at the same time, the elderly population is also rapidly growing. Currently, there are approximately 150 million people in India aged 60 and above, and it is expected that by 2050, the proportion of this age group will double to 350 million, exceeding the current total population of the United States.
In terms of the healthcare system, India is facing enormous pressure. The total fertility rate has fallen below 2.0, and the proportion of one elderly person corresponding to working age youth is expected to decrease by half by 2050, reaching 1.9 by the end of this century, which is equivalent to Japan's current situation. This has led to a decrease in the working age population, insufficient personal savings, and some elderly people living alone and struggling in retirement. Public services, especially the healthcare system, are under pressure, and the younger generation has to "delay consumption" due to increased elderly care expenses. Older women are in a more difficult situation, with widows being marginalized in some areas, many women not officially employed, and economically vulnerable, making it difficult for them to obtain property after their partner's death.
Although the government has introduced multiple policies to address the growth of the elderly population, many policies have not been implemented. If the pension provided for elderly people below the poverty line is insufficient to maintain independent living, the application procedures will be cumbersome. The free universal health insurance coverage for elderly people aged 70 and above announced last year does not cover outpatient care and other items, while private health insurance has high premiums and limited coverage. The changes in social structure have also exacerbated the problem, with a decrease in the multi generational family model and young people leaving behind the elderly in urban areas. However, the concept of nursing homes in India has not yet been popularized, and the problem of loneliness among the elderly is prominent.
However, the establishment of a "senior day care center" in a village in central India provides a new idea. In this village of only 1136 people, there are 154 elderly people. Except for Sundays, the grandmothers sing, practice yoga, chat, and regain social life at the riverside temple every afternoon. The day care center also monitors their health. India has made significant achievements in improving life expectancy, but the current challenge is how to enable elderly people to live a more dignified and happy life in the extended years.
(Editer：admin)
