There are many health issues impacting the elderly everywhere in the world. A new study however, found that a staggering 25 percent of the seniors in India are suffering from depression; a third has arthritis and a fifth is unable to hear. In addition, it seems this problem is only going to get worse since it is estimated that by next year, there will be 100 million people in the 60+ age group and by 2030, that figure will almost double to 198 million.
So how is India planning on dealing with this phenomenon? There has been a revision of the National Programme for the Healthcare of the Elderly (NPHCE) which is now planning on establishing 20 institutions that can turn out 40 post-graduates in MD in geriatric medicine annually. As well, it will have another 6,400 beds in district hospitals and 1,000 beds in medical colleges for the elderly by 2017.
This is definitely a good start but there is still a long way to go until the issue of the elderly is solved in India.