The government will soon bring a new policy for senior citizens. Giving this information, Amit Yadav, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment said that the Ministry has held discussions with all the stakeholders. He was addressing a program organized by the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) last Thursday. The association will organize the 5th ASLI Aging Fest in Bengaluru on December 6, 2024.
The population of senior citizens will be this much by 2050
According to the news, the Secretary highlighted the government’s decision to provide health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above, regardless of income, under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. According to PTI news, ASLI Chairman and Antara Senior Care MD and CEO Rajit Mehta said that the population of senior citizens in India is estimated to exceed 30 crore by 2050, which is about 20 percent of the total population.
Less than 0.7 hospital beds per 1,000 elderly
Keeping this in mind, the demand for comprehensive senior care solutions is going to increase tremendously. Mehta said currently only 5 percent of India’s elderly have access to institutional care, and more than half live without social security. There are also significant gaps in healthcare services for the elderly – with less than 0.7 hospital beds per 1,000 elderly. In such a situation, it is important that we create an inclusive, accessible and sustainable senior care model.
Difficult to bring affordable senior housing project
The ASLI Chairman said the key focus should be on health and healthcare, seamlessly integrated with housing solutions that prioritize safety, comfort and community support. Ankur Gupta, co-founder of ASLI and joint managing director of Ashiana Housing, said it is difficult to bring an affordable senior housing project due to the cost of services including health apart from civil construction.
