New Delhi, Feb 3 || Amid a rapidly ageing population in India, experts on Tuesday stressed the need for a home-based, community-led and integrated elder care model to boost geriatric care in the country.
Speaking at an event held in the national capital, the health experts also discussed the growing challenges confronting the country’s elderly population and the urgent need for more responsive and inclusive approaches to geriatric care.
The experts highlighted that the challenges for geriatric care are multi-dimensional in nature. These include rising disabilities and age-related health conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s, significant gaps in geriatric healthcare infrastructure coupled with a sharp urban–rural divide in access to medical services, and mounting economic pressures driven by inadequate social security and rising healthcare costs.
“Ageing is not just about adding years to life, but adding life to those years. Geriatric care must be coordinated, continuous, community-based, and compassionate. Mental and emotional well-being are as critical as physical health, especially in an era of nuclear families and increasing social isolation.