Elderly Population

India's elderly population is expected to double by 2050, UNFPA India chief Andrea Wojnar said, stressing that more investment in healthcare, housing and pensions is needed, especially for older women who are "more likely to live alone and face poverty". In an interview with PTI given days after the World Population Day on July 11, Resident Representative for UNFPA India, Wojnar, outlined key population trends that India is prioritising to accelerate sustainable development. These trends include the youthful population, ageing population, urbanisation, migration, and climate resilience, each presenting unique challenges and opportunities for the nation. She said as the number of individuals, aged 60 and above, is projected to double to 346 million by 2050, there is a pressing need for increased investment in healthcare, housing and pension schemes. "...especially for older women who are more likely to live alone and face poverty," she said. India boasts a substantial youthful ...

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

"If only they can be employed. It's a fantastic opportunity to grow but until recently employment ratios have been falling," says Franziska Ohnsorge

Korean construction giant Booyoung announced the financial incentive as the country is faced with falling birth rates amid rising cost of rearing a child

China will pursue a "proactive national strategy in response to population aging," the reports said

The total number of births in South Korea stood at 230,000 in 2023, a 7.7 per cent decrease and another new low for the country, which has a population of about 50 million people

Longevity dividend can be both a burden and an opportunity

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 .

Over Rs 1.5 trn can be unlocked and put to productive use if unclaimed assets are restored to their rightful owners

As harsh winter grips the state, the Uttar Pradesh Social Welfare Department has launched an initiative to provide shelter to the destitute elderly people at old-age homes to protect them from cold weather conditions. The facility is available across department-run old age homes in all 75 districts of the state, including Gautam Buddh Nagar and Ghaziabad in western Uttar Pradesh, officials said. The general public can also inform government officials about destitute elderly people by calling the Elder Line on 14567 or the state police's emergency number 112, they said. The old age homes have facilities for food, warm clothes, medicines, means of entertainment, etc.. Additionally, doctors are also available so that sick elderly people can be treated, if needed, according to officials. "The state government is continuously working for the safety, health and dignity of the weak and destitute elderly people of the society. For this, adequate arrangements have been made by the governme

Earlier this year, the government committed ¥3.5 trillion ($23.6 billion) on measures to increase the birthrate, but the shortfall in available workers has been challenging employers for some time

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

Indian Railways is going to introduce ramps in trains for the convenience of wheelchair users and senior citizens, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Saturday. Releasing the pictures of the newly designed ramps, Vaishnaw told reporters that these have been used at the Chennai railway station and found to be helpful for passengers who require a ramp. "We will start its use in Vande Bharat trains very soon and later, in all other trains," the minister said, adding that a system is being worked out to let passengers raise a need for a wheelchair at the time of booking tickets. "An alert can be generated and passed on to the respective railway stations for keeping a ramp ready for such passengers," he added. The ramp can be easily placed at train doors and because of its width and low gradient, wheelchair users will find it easy to use it, the minister said. Vaishnaw also said that during its trial, feedback received from passengers was extremely positive and encouraging.

UNFPA report said that most southern states and select northern states such as HP and Punjab reported a higher share of elderly population than national average in 2021; the gap is likely to widen

There was a downfall of 800,000 in the number of weddings in 2022 when compared with 2021

The Uttar Pradesh social welfare department has come up with an 'Elder Line' 14567 service to rescue aged destitute and help them find shelter in old age homes. The initiative is a brain child of Minister of state (Independent Charge) for Social Welfare Asim Arun, who had earlier headed the emergency helpline 112 as an Additional Director General. An MLA from Kannauj constituency, Asim Arun told PTI said the aim of the helpline was to shift the destitute elderly to old age homes and the hotline became active earlier in the week. "If you find such destitute elderly persons on a road side, bus station, railway station or any similar place, who should be in an old age home, then you can share that information with elder line 14567. The department's team will reach the spot, and bring the elderly to an old age home with full respect," Arun said. Pavan Kumar, the Director of UP Social welfare department, told PTI that at present there are 75 old age homes in the state with one in each .

The data reflects a rapid rise in the number of people retiring, likely raising pressure on Beijing to accelerate unpopular plans to raise official retirement ages

According to the UN's projections, world population will cross nine billion in 2037 and by then, India's share of the total population would have crossed China's

Scientists, physicians, and senior administrators suggested to ramp up surveillance and genome sequencing

The study, published recently in The Lancet eBioMedicine journal, suggests that the body's ability to produce cloned immune cells, which cannot be infinitely created, falls off significantly in