Unspoken Realities of Elder Care in India: What Caregivers, Children, and Policymakers Are Missing?

 

https://www.yodda.care/

The Silent Crisis Hiding Behind Every Door.

Picture this: A 70-year-old woman sits alone in her home, waiting for a phone call that never comes. Her son lives just 30 kilometers away but hasn't visited in months. Down the street, a daughter silently battles depression while caring for her bedridden father—exhausted, isolated, and invisible to the world. These are not rare stories. 

They are part of India's rapidly aging reality, where the elderly population is expected to double to over 20% by 2050. Yet, we rarely talk about what really happens behind closed doors.

India's Aging Time Bomb.

India is growing old, and fast. The number of citizens aged 60 years and above is set to more than double from 153 million in 2020 to 347 million by 2050. That means one in every five Indians will be a senior citizen. To put this in perspective, the elder care market in India was valued at around USD 29.62 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow at 13.76% annually until 2030.

But numbers alone don't tell the full story. Behind every statistic is a real person—someone's mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather—struggling to navigate old age in a rapidly changing India.

The Hidden Truth: What's Really Happening to Our Elders?

Financial Struggles Nobody Talks About.

Money worries don't disappear with age; they often get worse. One in every three elders has no income, with the problem being more severe among women (38%) compared to men (27%). Even more concerning, 32% of elderly people or their spouses have an annual income of less than Rs. 50,000—that's barely Rs. 4,000 per month.

Imagine trying to afford medicines, doctor visits, and daily needs on such limited resources. Now add the fact that only 29% of elderly people have access to social security schemes like pensions or provident funds. Many seniors find themselves completely dependent on their children or stuck in impossible situations.

The Abuse We Refuse to See.

Here's a truth that makes us uncomfortable: Elder abuse is happening in Indian homes every single day. Studies show that the prevalence of elder abuse ranges from 9.6% to 61.7% across different parts of India. That's not a small problem—it's an epidemic hiding in plain sight.

Who's responsible? Often, it's the people elders trust most. According to a 2018 survey, about one-fourth of elders in urban areas reported abuse, mostly by their sons (52%) or daughters-in-law (34%). The most common forms include disrespect, verbal abuse, and neglect.

Even more heartbreaking, only one out of every 24 cases of elder abuse is reported. Why? Because 59% of respondents said the primary reason for not reporting abuse is to protect the privacy of family matters. Elders would rather suffer in silence than shame their families.

Living Alone in a Crowded Country.

The Longitudinal Ageing Study of India reports that 26.7% of urban elders now live alone. As nuclear families become the norm and children move to cities for work, the elderly are increasingly left behind. Experts point out that migration to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru for employment has left elderly parents in smaller cities without traditional family support.

The emotional toll is crushing. Studies confirm that living alone increases the risk of depression and anxiety among seniors. When you combine loneliness with health problems and financial worries, you get a recipe for disaster.

Losing Control Over Their Own Lives.

Here's something many people don't realize: There is significant dependency in decision-making among elders, with only 59% deciding on healthcare facilities themselves and 65% making decisions about their own money based on family preferences. Decision-making power drops dramatically after age 80.

Think about that for a moment. After decades of taking care of their families, many elderly people can't even choose their own doctor or decide how to spend their own savings. They become invisible in their own lives.

The Forgotten Heroes: Caregivers Drowning in Silence.

While we focus on elders, we often forget about the caregivers—usually daughters or daughters-in-law—who sacrifice everything to look after aging parents.

Caregiver Burnout is Real.

Studies show that more than 60% of caregivers experience symptoms of burnout. Among caregivers in India, 29% are diagnosed with depressive symptoms. These caregivers face physical exhaustion, emotional stress, and mental health challenges.

Community-based studies have found that 18-47% of caregivers fall into depression. They sacrifice their careers, health, and social lives. Many develop chronic conditions like high blood pressure and diabetes due to constant stress. Yet, they carry on silently because society expects them to.

Women Bear the Burden Alone.

In India's traditionally male-dominated society, caregiving falls disproportionately on women. Daughters and daughters-in-law are expected to handle everything—cooking, cleaning, bathing, medication management, and emotional support—often without help or recognition.

The pressure is immense. These women are supposed to be perfect caregivers while also managing their own families, jobs, and lives. When they break down, there's no safety net. No one asks, "Are you okay?" because caregiving is seen as duty, not as the incredibly demanding job it actually is.

What Are Children Missing?

Many adult children genuinely love their parents but are trapped between modern demands and traditional expectations. They're juggling careers, raising their own children, managing finances, and trying to stay afloat. The guilt is crushing, but the system doesn't support them either.

Despite challenges, 61% of elders contribute to family life by taking care of grandchildren, and more than one-third are involved in household chores, cooking, and shopping. Elders want to feel useful and connected. Children need to recognize this and include them meaningfully in family life, not just in caregiving responsibilities.

What Are Policymakers Getting Wrong?

India has policies on paper—the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007, National Programme for Health Care of Elderly, and others. But implementation is weak and awareness is shockingly low.

Only 14% of people know about the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, and 18% of seniors don't know any redress mechanism at all. What good are laws if nobody knows they exist?

The healthcare system isn't equipped either. Typical at-home elder care services cost between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 35,000 per month, which is unaffordable for most families. These expenses are out-of-pocket since insurance rarely covers home healthcare.

Policymakers need to:

• Create affordable, accessible home healthcare options.
• Build community support systems for caregivers.
• Enforce existing laws against elder abuse.
• Expand pension coverage to all elderly citizens.
• Develop geriatric care infrastructure across India.

Technology as a Game-Changer.

This is where innovation steps in. Technology-based solutions can bridge the enormous care gap India faces. That's exactly what companies like Yodda are doing—using technology to revolutionize elder care and women's safety in India.

Yodda understands that traditional care models can't keep up with India's rapidly aging population. By leveraging technology, they're making quality elder care more accessible, affordable, and efficient. Whether it's remote health monitoring, emergency response systems, or connecting families with trained caregivers, tech-enabled solutions are becoming essential.

Similarly, women's safety—crucial for female caregivers and elderly women—is another area where Yodda is making a difference. Technology can provide real-time support, emergency alerts, and safety networks that weren't possible before.

Small Steps, Big Changes: What You Can Do?

For Children:

• Call your parents regularly—not just on weekends.
• Include them in decisions, even small ones.
• Visit them, or if distance is an issue, use video calls.
• Learn about their health conditions and medications.
• Plan for their long-term care before a crisis hits.

For Caregivers:

• Accept that you can't do everything alone.
• Take breaks without guilt.
• Join caregiver support groups.
• Seek professional help for mental health.
• Set boundaries and ask family members to share responsibilities.

For Society:

• Stop glorifying suffering in silence.
• Treat caregiving as real work deserving respect.
• Support neighbors who are caring for elderly parents.
• Normalize conversations about elder care and aging.

For Policymakers:

• Make elder care a national priority.
• Fund community-based support programs.
• Train geriatric healthcare professionals.
• Create tax incentives for families caring for elderly.
• Enforce strict penalties for elder abuse.

The Path Forward.

India's elder care crisis isn't coming—it's already here. Every day we delay addressing it, thousands of elderly people suffer alone, and thousands of caregivers break under the weight of impossible expectations.

We need a cultural shift. We need to see aging not as a burden but as a natural part of life that requires preparation, compassion, and community support. We need children who prioritize their parents. We need caregivers who feel supported, not guilty. We need policies that actually work.

Most importantly, we need to start talking. Break the silence. Share your struggles. Ask for help. Because when we acknowledge the problem openly, we can finally start solving it together.

The elderly deserve dignity. Caregivers deserve support. And all of us deserve a society where growing old doesn't mean being forgotten.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Q1. What is elder abuse, and how common is it in India? Elder abuse includes physical, emotional, financial, or neglectful treatment of older adults. In India, studies show prevalence ranging from 9.6% to 61.7% depending on the region. Common forms include disrespect, verbal abuse, and neglect, often perpetrated by family members.

Q2. What is caregiver burnout? Caregiver burnout is physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion experienced by people caring for others. More than 60% of caregivers experience burnout symptoms, including fatigue, depression, anxiety, and health problems.

Q3. What financial support is available for elderly Indians? Government schemes include Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana, old-age pensions, and the recently expanded Ayushman Bharat scheme covering senior citizens above 70. However, only 29% of elderly have access to such benefits.

Q4. How can technology help in elder care? Technology enables remote health monitoring, telemedicine consultations, emergency response systems, medication reminders, and connecting families with professional caregivers. Companies like Yodda are pioneering tech-based solutions for elder care in India.

Q5. What are the legal protections for elderly people in India? The Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007 mandates children to provide maintenance to parents. However, awareness remains low, with only 14% knowing about this act.

Q6. How can I prevent caregiver burnout? Take regular breaks, join support groups, set realistic expectations, maintain your own health, ask for help from family members, and consider professional respite care services when needed.

Q7. What should children do if they live far from their elderly parents? Stay in regular contact through calls and video chats, arrange for local caregiver support, install safety and monitoring devices, visit as often as possible, and create a local emergency contact network.

Q8. How much does elder care cost in India? Home healthcare services typically cost Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 35,000 per month, while senior living facilities can range from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 50,000+ per month depending on the level of care and location.

Q9. What are the signs that an elderly person needs care support? Warning signs include difficulty with daily activities (bathing, dressing, eating), memory problems, missing medications, unexplained weight loss, poor hygiene, social withdrawal, and signs of depression or confusion.

Q10. Where can I get help for elder care? Contact government helplines like Elderline (14567), NGOs like HelpAge India, home healthcare services like Portea or Care24, or technology-enabled platforms like Yodda. Many hospitals also have geriatric care departments.