India must prioritise community-based geriatric care as population ages

As India’s population ages at an unprecedented pace, experts at the Illness to Wellness Conference on “The Role of Geriatric Care in Promoting Healthy and Graceful Ageing” discussed the growing challenges confronting the country’s elderly population and the urgent need for more responsive and inclusive approaches to geriatric care.

Multi-dimensional challenges

Speakers said the challenges facing older persons are multi-dimensional. These include rising disabilities and age-related health conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, significant gaps in geriatric healthcare infrastructure, and a sharp urban–rural divide in access to medical services. Participants also flagged mounting economic pressures driven by inadequate social security and rising healthcare costs.

A widening digital divide was another concern, with many seniors struggling to adopt technology due to limited access and lack of age friendly training. Physical infrastructure—public spaces, transport systems and emergency response mechanisms—was also described as largely ill-equipped to support the safety, mobility and independence of older persons.

Against this backdrop, the conference brought together senior government leaders, medical experts and public health practitioners to deliberate on preventive care, mental and neurological health, assistive technologies, nutrition and lifestyle interventions. Speakers called for integrated, community-based and home-led geriatric care models that address both the medical and social dimensions of ageing.

Geriatric care as a public health priority

Delivering the keynote address, Rajesh Bhushan Former Secretary Ministry of Health & Family Welfare Government of India and Chairperson Governing Council Illness to Wellness Foundation underscored that geriatric care must be recognised as a core public health priority, on par with mental health and non-communicable diseases.

“Geriatric care cannot remain confined to a few tertiary hospitals or centres of excellence. In a country as large and demographically diverse as India, care must begin at home and be strengthened through district-level systems,” he said. Many elderly health needs, he added, do not require hospitalisation and can be managed through trained caregivers, home-based services and coordinated community support. “The real challenge is scale, integration, and last-mile delivery.”

Bhushan also highlighted the need to repurpose and upskill general physicians, integrate social care with medical services, and draw lessons from countries such as Japan and South Korea to create unified, one-stop elder care models combining healthcare, rehabilitation and social support.

Social change and ageing

Setting the context, Anil Rajput Chairperson Advisory Council Illness to Wellness Foundation highlighted the growing national focus on strengthening healthcare systems to address the evolving needs of India’s ageing population, with increasing attention to geriatric and mental healthcare.

“As India undergoes a significant demographic transition, ensuring that longer lives are lived with dignity, independence, and good health is becoming increasingly important,” he said. Referring to the Union Budget, Rajput said the emphasis on expanding geriatric and mental healthcare and building caregiver capacity was a timely recognition of emerging needs.

At the same time, he noted that changing social structures—from joint families to nuclear households and increased migration—are reshaping how elders are cared for. “Preserving dignity, intergenerational responsibility, and emotional support must remain central to India’s approach to healthy and graceful ageing,” he said, adding that translating intent into coordinated on-ground action would be crucial.

From margins to mainstream

Speaking on the evolution of geriatric medicine, Dr AB Dey Founder and Former HoD Department of Geriatric Medicine AIIMS New Delhi and Chairperson Geriatric Medicine Artemis Hospital Gurugram said the discipline has moved from the margins to the mainstream of clinical practice.

“Three decades ago, geriatrics was barely understood as a discipline. Today, we are witnessing an overwhelming and growing demand for skilled geriatric care—far greater than the training and systems currently available,” he said. Healthy ageing, Dey added, is not merely about the absence of disease but about independence, purpose and the ability to do what one values in everyday life. “Ultimately, the most meaningful marker of good care is not a test result, but whether the person feels better, lives better, and ages with dignity and grace.”

Mental health and continuity of care

Focusing on neurological and mental health dimensions, Dr Rajinder K Dhamija Director Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences Government of NCT of Delhi emphasised that elder care must move beyond episodic treatment.

“Ageing is not just about adding years to life, but adding life to those years,” he said. Geriatric care, he added, must be coordinated, continuous, community-based and compassionate. “Mental and emotional well-being are as critical as physical health, especially in an era of nuclear families and increasing social isolation. Geriatric care is not a luxury—it is a necessity.”

Offering a broader public health perspective, Prof Nirmal Kumar Ganguly Former Director General Indian Council of Medical Research said ageing outcomes are deeply influenced by social engagement, mental stimulation and timely management of chronic conditions.

“Mental engagement, social interaction, and proactive management of vision, hearing, balance, and chronic diseases can dramatically improve quality of life,” he said. While challenges such as dementia, diabetes and hypertension are rising, Ganguly noted that advances in technology and medical science offer real solutions if made accessible and equitable.

Linking longevity with dignity

Delivering the vote of thanks, Dr Arun Agarwal, Chair, FICCI Task Force on Active & Healthy Ageing, and Former Additional Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Government of India, said longevity must be accompanied by health, dignity and grace.

“Healthy ageing must go hand in hand with graceful ageing,” he said, adding that while medical science has helped add years to life, the larger responsibility is to ensure those years are lived with strength, purpose and self-respect. Referring to the example of Marathon runner Fauja Singh, Agarwal said such stories highlight what is possible when health, resilience and a positive mindset come together.

Thematic sessions

The conference featured three focused thematic sessions examining the medical, technological and lifestyle dimensions of healthy and graceful ageing.

The first session focused on early screening, risk assessment and long-term management of cognitive decline, including dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Discussions highlighted the importance of brain-healthy lifestyles, caregiver education, behavioural symptom management, genetic risk awareness and safe home modifications.

Moderated by Prof Dr Prasun Chatterjee, Former Professor, Department of Geriatric Medicine, National Centre for Ageing, AIIMS, New Delhi, the session included Dr Prashant Singh Walia, Senior Consultant, Geriatric & Internal Medicine, Primus Super Speciality Hospital; Malti Jaswal, Co-chairperson, FICCI Task Force on Active & Healthy Ageing, and Founder, Inspiring Seniors Foundation; Dr Sumit Mrig, Director and Unit Head ENT, Max Smart, Saket; and Dr Vijay Kumar, Senior Consultant, Department of Geriatric Medicine, ShardaCare–Healthcity.

The second session examined the growing role of assistive technologies in supporting independence, safety and dignity among older adults. Panellists discussed mobility aids, fall-prevention tools, hearing and visual assistive devices, and reminder technologies. Emerging trends such as AI-enabled solutions, robotics, predictive analytics and personalised geriatric care technologies were also explored.

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Moderated by Dr Prashant Kulshrestha, Chief of Medical Services, ISIC Multi Specialty Hospital, the session included Prof Dr Ajay Gupta, Head Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital; Dr Ravinder Singh, Scientist, ‘D’ Division of Non- Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare; Dr Saurabh Chaudhary, CEO and Medical Director, ICare Eye Hospital, Noida; and Raj Sharma, Founder and Director, Priority Hearing.

The third session focused on holistic approaches to ageing, highlighting balanced nutrition, emotional well-being and physical resilience. Experts discussed key nutrients essential for bone, brain, heart and digestive health, along with the benefits of yoga, meditation and breathing practices in improving flexibility, balance and mobility.

Moderated by Dr Rajesh Kesari, Member, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, and Member, National Executive Committee – Elect, Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI), the session included Dr Ishwar V Basavaraddi, Director, and Professor, Center for Yoga Wellness and Integrative Medicine, Mahatma Gandhi University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Jaipur, and Former Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush; Dr Deepak Shukla, Spiritual Health Expert, and Former CEO, PSRI Hospital; Prof Dr Kashinath Samagandi, Director, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga; and Sonia Mehta, Founder and Clinical Nutritionist, EverBloom.

The conference concluded with a collective call for policy alignment, workforce training, community participation and societal responsibility to ensure that India’s ageing population can live with autonomy, dignity and pride, transforming longevity from a challenge into an into an opportunity for national wellbeing.