Imagine a life where you have worked hard for decades, raised a family, and contributed to your community, only to find yourself struggling in your golden years. This is the reality for many of India’s elderly population, who are often overlooked and forgotten.
The Reality of Aging in India
At this time, India is in the middle of its demographic change where the population aged sixty years and above constitutes a relatively larger proportion and this percentage is projected to increase in the subsequent years. Using the population data from the United Nations Population Division (2012) it is evident that the percentage of Indians, above the age of 60 was 8% in the year 2010 and is estimated to reach 19% in the year 2050.
On the other hand, it is important to note that the creation of such a market means India is entering a new large market, though there are worthy socioeconomic and healthcare implications. As it is today, a large population of the elderly is still in India, many of which are living in poor conditions, lack adequate healthcare to address their illnesses and are socially marginalised.
The concept of retirement living and senior living
Ageing population is one of the major concerns of India; retirement living and senior living are terms that may provide the solution to some of the issues. Retirement living is a segment within the housing market that is primarily used by prolific individuals with the goal of enjoying their retirement and not having to depend on others. The other category of housing is senior living which refers to a type of housing for the old people who on top of getting shelter, they also need some level of care such as health care, meal services or social services.
Retirement living and senior living options can also go a long way to addressing the issues that the elder Indian population faces. For instance, retirement living offers the elders a comfortable and secure neighbourhood of abode and senior living offers access to health care and social amenities aimed at counteracting social exclusion.
The Struggles of India’s Forgotten Elders
The opportunities of retirement living and senior living are something that people in India still dream of, but many elderly persons continue suffering to survive after they reach the age of retirement. The report by HelpAge India reveals that 50 % of the senior citizens in India continue to live below the poverty line and up to 75 % of them cannot afford to access healthcare services.
Furthermore, according to the survey, 40 percent of elderly in India have no one to rely on for emotional support or social contact. Such isolation leads to depression, anxiety and other related ailments among the affected clients.
A Multi-Faceted Perspective: Retirement Living and Senior Living
The retirement living and senior living communities can be used to help reduce some of the problems faced by the elderly in India. For example, retirement living can offer independent living options to help ensure that older adults can live comfortably, safely, and without the worry of feeling alone, while senior living can offer door-step access to medical facilities and healthcare amenities that are so important to combat social isolation.
Also, retirement living or senior living communities can ensure that elderly people can easily stay related, productive, and self-respecting. These ideas aim at offering services and assistance as a way of allowing elderly people to maintain their independence for as long as possible but at the same time enabling them to access care if needed.
The elderly in India currently suffer from problems such as poverty, inadequate access to proper health care and social exclusion. The two other concepts that can be helpful in dealing with some of these issues include retirement living and senior living. The above concepts can be useful to ensure that the elderly in India can live a healthy life during their sunset years, by offering them antiseptic homes, good health care, and social activities, as well as encouraging them to live independently.