Experts call for urgent policy on trained caregivers, mental health support for elderly in India

New Delhi [India], August 1 (ANI): Experts at the National Conference on Ageing in India on Friday called for urgent measures to professionalise the caregiver workforce and strengthen mental health services for the elderly, stressing that India faces a severe gap in both formal and family-based care.

The session, part of the National Conference on Ageing in India organised by Sankala Foundation, was supported by NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Social Justice, and the National Human Rights Commission.

Speaking at a session on Health and Mental Wellbeing of the Elderly, chaired by former UPSC Chairperson and former Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, panellists highlighted that caregiving remains a largely informal, underpaid sector despite the rising needs of India ageing population.

Caregiving is not just a profession but a national need. We will need both formal as well as informal caregivers, and they must be trained, certified, and dignified, said Dr Manohar Agnani, Professor at Azim Premji University and former Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He noted that India has only 5,000-6,000 trained caregivers despite the scale of its elderly population.

AIIMS Professor Dr Sanjay Wadhwa emphasised that rehabilitation and assistive support are critical. Very few conditions are fully reversible at an advanced age. Caregivers, along with rehabilitation services, play a crucial role in ensuring quality of life, he said, pointing to the lack of geriatric rehabilitation facilities across the country.

Prof Sivakumar Palanimuthu Thangaraju, who heads the Geriatric Psychiatry Unit at NIMHANS, said the treatment gap for elderly mental health is as high as 90 per cent despite existing national programs. We need a realignment of health and social services, with a focus on complex care. Post-diagnostic support services for conditions like dementia are crucial, covering daycare, residential care and home-based care. Caregivers need continued training, and digital tools like Tele-MANAS and the Digital Academy can help, he said. He also stressed the need for task-sharing, with trained volunteers and family caregivers complementing specialists to meet India massive demand.

Sudan, drawing from personal experiences, underlined the emotional dimension of elderly care. The elderly should be able to talk and feel heard. Beyond healthcare, a spiritual or emotional anchor is equally important, she said.

Experts agreed that with India demographic transition, there is an urgent need for policies to expand caregiver training, link certification with employment, and integrate mental health services into home- and community-based care. (ANI)

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