In many Indian homes, our elders are not shouted at, pushed out, or openly rejected. In fact, they are often given food, a room, and medicines on time. But still, something deep is missing. They are not truly cared for. They are slowly becoming invisible inside the very homes they helped build. This is what we can call comfortable neglect.
It sounds strange at first, but it is real. A father may sit in the same house where his children live, yet spend the whole day waiting for someone to talk to him. A grandmother may get her evening tea on time, but no one asks how she feels. An uncle may have a bed, a fan, and a tablet for his sugar, but no one checks whether he feels lonely, afraid, or confused. This is the quiet crisis India is facing today.
India is ageing fast. That is not a future problem. It is a present one. Recent reports show that India had around 153 million people aged 60 and above in 2023. This number may grow to 230 million by 2036 and around 347 million by 2050. These are huge numbers. They tell us one simple thing: elder care is no longer a small family matter. It is a national emergency.
The painful part is that many people still do not see it that way. We celebrate children, youth, and working adults. But we rarely plan properly for old age. We do not ask questions like: Who will check on my parents if I live in another city? Who will help them in an emergency? Who will remind them to take their medicines? Who will sit with them when they feel lonely? Most families only think about these questions after a fall, a hospital visit, or a sudden health scare.
That is why the phrase “comfortable neglect” is so powerful. It describes a situation where elders are not abandoned in the usual sense, but they are still ignored in daily life. They may have a roof over their head, yet feel unwanted. They may have enough money for basic needs, yet feel emotionally poor. They may live with family, yet feel alone.
This neglect hurts more because it is often silent. Elders may not complain. Many of them have spent their whole lives sacrificing for others. They do not want to look weak. They do not want to become a burden. So they remain quiet. They sit in silence, watching the world move faster around them. Their children are busy. Their grandchildren are on phones. Their doctor visits are rushed. Their stories are heard less and less.
There is also a health side to this crisis. As people grow older, they need more support. They may have diabetes, blood pressure issues, joint pain, memory loss, or hearing problems. Some need regular tests. Some need help with walking. Some need emergency support at odd hours.
Yet a large number of seniors in India still do not have strong health coverage. Reports have shown that only about 18 percent of seniors are covered by health insurance. That means many families end up paying from their own pockets when an emergency comes.
And let us be honest: health care can be expensive and stressful. A sudden hospital trip can disturb the income of an entire family. One test leads to another. One medicine leads to another. One day of delay can create a bigger problem. That is why elder care cannot be limited to emotional respect alone. It must include practical support too.
Modern Indian life has made things harder. Many sons and daughters work in different cities. Some live abroad. Even those who stay in the same city may spend most of the day outside. Houses are smaller. Families are busier. Time is shorter. In earlier times, there were more people at home.
There were grandparents, uncles, aunts, neighbours, and a slower rhythm of life. Today, families are more scattered. That is not always anyone’s fault. It is just how life has changed. But the change has created a new problem: who looks after the old when everyone is always rushing?
This is where elder care must grow beyond old thinking. Elder care should not mean only medicine and hospital visits. It should also mean daily check-ins, emotional comfort, safety at home, help in emergencies, medicine reminders, and basic companionship. A senior citizen should not have to feel forgotten just because their children are busy.
This is also where technology can help in a very human way. One good example is Yodda, a tech-enabled elder care service designed to support seniors and their families. Yodda is built around the idea that older adults need more than just one-time help. They need constant care, quick action, and someone trustworthy who can step in when family members are far away or unavailable.
According to its services, Yodda offers support such as 24/7 emergency response, health and wellness assistance, periodic wellbeing calls, medicine delivery, health record digitisation, ambulance coordination, doctor consultations at home, grocery support, and help with daily tasks.
These may sound like small things, but for an elderly person, they can make a huge difference. A reminder call can reduce stress. A medicine delivery can save a difficult trip. A quick emergency response can protect a life.
What makes such services important is not only the technology behind them. It is the feeling of being remembered. An elder should not feel like they are waiting alone for a child who lives far away. They should feel that someone is there, watching over them. That is why services like Yodda matter. They do not replace family love, but they support it. They act like a safety net.
Think about it in simple terms. If a child falls, the parent runs. If a parent falls, who runs? That question is uncomfortable, but every family should ask it. Because old age is not a disease. It is a stage of life that every one of us will reach one day. The way we treat our elders today is also the way we are preparing our own future.
India needs a bigger shift in attitude. We must stop seeing elder care as something extra. It is not a luxury. It is not only for rich families. It is a basic need. We need more awareness, better services, stronger systems, and kinder habits at home.
We need children to call their parents not only for formal updates but to truly listen. We need families to share elder care work instead of leaving it all on one person. We need society to value ageing instead of hiding it.
We also need to teach younger generations that respect is not enough if it is not followed by attention. Saying “touching your parents’ feet” means little if you never sit with them. Offering a chair means little if you never ask whether they are lonely. Elder care is not just about duty. It is about dignity.
The future of India will be judged not only by how fast it grows, but by how gently it treats those who built it. Our elders gave us language, food, values, stories, and strength. They carried us when we were small. Now it is our turn to carry them with care.
If India is serious about becoming a strong and humane country, it must face this elder care emergency head-on. Families must wake up. Communities must help. Services like Yodda can fill important gaps. And all of us must remember one simple truth: growing old should never mean becoming invisible.
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