Elderly Healthcare

The concluding part of the silver economy series looks at innovative apps and wearables that are empowering seniors and their families

By 2050, India will host 15% of the world's silver generation, facing a rising wave of dementia

A new study that surveyed elderly people across India has found that nearly half of its respondents in urban areas do not visit doctors regularly due to financial constraints and logistical challenges and the corresponding figure for rural areas is over 62 per cent. The study conducted by NGO Agewell had a sample size of 10,000. The organisation recently shared examples of some of the responses it received in the course of the survey. It said Prabhkar Sharma, a 78-year-old resident of Agra who has been grappling with arthritis for a decade, found navigating hospitals for routine check-ups painful and difficult which often forces him to postpone essential medical visits. "If there were door-step or mobile health check-up services... it would be very helpful for people of my age group," he told the NGO. In Ludhiana, 72-year-old Rajesh Kumar faces a different predicament, according to the study. Dependent solely on his retirement pension, Kumar finds the exorbitant cost of healthcare

Most companies had an internal policy which did not allow them to sell health insurance products to persons of more than 65 years

From adding all older persons in the Ayushman Bharat scheme to online counseling services, the NGOs working for the elderly have asked the government for more inclusive measures in the upcoming Budget. The Union Budget will be presented on February 1. Ahead of the Budget, the HelpAge India and the Agewell Foundation have asked for a more inclusive Budget that keeps in mind the welfare of the elderly. The Agewell Foundation outlined its expectations for the upcoming Budget. The foundation, with its vast network of over 87,500 volunteers, put forward a detailed list of recommendations, emphasising the need for a holistic approach to support the elderly. The proposed measures included monthly Nutri Kits for elderly individuals from the Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, dedicated healthcare facilities at the local level and online counseling services to address various issues faced by older persons. The foundation also urged a revision of the monthly Old Age Pension to account for .

India's healthcare infrastructure needs to adapt to the requirements of the aging population as the number of citizens above 60 years age is projected to rise to 193 million by 2031, according to a joint report by PwC and Association of Senior Living India (ASLI). "The population above the age of 60 accounts for approximately 9.8 per cent of the total Indian population, and this number is projected to increase from 138 million in 2021 to around 193 million by 2031," the report said. The United Nations projects that India will become home to one of the world's largest elderly populations by 2050, with an estimated 319 million individuals aged 60 and above, it added. The report said the elderly population is highly susceptible to chronic diseases, infections, age-related health issues and cognitive decline, making their healthcare needs more complex. "India's healthcare infrastructure needs to adapt to the requirements of this aging population. There is a pressing need for geriatric

The platform has closed $11 million in its Pre-Series B round from Rainmatter Capital (Zerodha's investment arm) and Gruhas (venture capital fund co-founded by Nikhil Kamath and Abhijeet Pai)

WHO estimates 684,000 fatal falls occur each year; the elderly are at greater risk

The first nine patients that they will inject would be legally blind, as they have to prove safety first

Portea's Meena Ganesh on the evolving home healthcare in India

The past two years have been transformative for the home healthcare industry, says Meena Ganesh, co-founder, Portea. She says her focus is on developing a strong tech ecosystem to manage patients

Health insurance plans for elderly: They might want to consider critical illness covers, super top-ups and plans that cover homecare treatment among other things

There are a whole lot of gadgets to fight pain, address mobility issues and live a better life. They come at various price points but their perceived value is pretty high

While most people who have had Covid-19 are protected from catching it again for at least six months, elderly patients above 65 years of age are more prone to reinfection, says a new study

The survey found that more than one in 10 people aged 60 and above have 'probable major depression' in states including Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar and Goa

New research suggests that older adults about to undergo elective surgery should undertake a sustained program of targeted exercise beforehand to counteract the muscle-wasting effects of bed rest.

While shortages of critical care equipment may be most alarming, the coronavirus has exposed how generally ill-equipped the health system is for a pandemic