Good news for senior citizens. Central government will soon bring a new policy for senior citizens. Giving this information, Secretary, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Amit Yadav said that the Ministry has held discussions with all stakeholders. He was addressing an event organised by the Association of Senior Living India (ASLI) on Thursday. The association will organise the 5th ASLI Aging Fest in Bengaluru on December 6, 2024.
The population of senior citizens will be this much by 2050
The secretary highlighted the government’s decision to provide health coverage to all senior citizens aged 70 years and above irrespective of income under the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana. ASLI Chairman and Antara Senior Care MD and CEO Rajit Mehta said that the population of senior citizens in India is estimated to be more than 300 million by 2050, which is about 20 per cent 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 set to increase tremendously. Mehta said just 5 per cent of India’s elderly currently have access to institutional care, and more than half live without social protection. The elderly also have less than 0.7 hospital beds per 1,000 elderly people, with significant gaps in health services. It is imperative that we create an inclusive, accessible and sustainable senior care model.