Daily News Analysis

Elder Mental healthcare

stylish_lining

Elder Mental healthcare

 

 

Why in the News?

The World Elders Day (1st) and Mental Health Day (10th) has been observed in the month of October, which is significant given the increasingly greying population of India.

Increasing old-age population:

              1. In the history of humanity, there are more older people on the globe now than ever before. 
              2. In 2022, the no. of people >60 years was 1.1 billion, comprising 13.9 % of the population, which is expected to increase to 2.1 billion, constituting 22% by 2050.
              3. A similar trend can be observed in India with 149 million older adults (10.5%) in 2022, which is expected to grow to 347 million (20.8%) by 2050.

Significant social challenges faced by elders:

        1. Increased dependency
        2. Social isolation
        3. Poverty
        4. Ageism
        5. Pessimism and nihilism 
        6. Vulnerable to emotional, physical, sexual, and financial abuse by others.
        7. Many towns and cities in India are not “elder-friendly” such as public buildings are inaccessible without ramps or handrails, pavements are non-existent, uneven, or used for parking, and public transport is limited.

Psychological challenges:

              1. Feel lost and becoming unproductive after retirement leads to depression.
              2. Indulging in other interests in life, be it music, sports, social work, domestic responsibilities etc. from a young age can helps mitigate such situations.

Mental health problems of Elders:

        1. Roughly 15% of elders (22 million in India) have serious mental illness. 
        2. The common mental health problems faced by elders are depression, anxiety, dementia, and substance use disorders.
        3. The “treatment gap“due to elders with mental illness not seeking treatment stands at a staggering 90% in India. 
        4. Pessimistic attitude among many healthcare professionals about treatment of mental health problems in elders due to low understanding of treatment with cure.
  • For instance, there is no cure for a neurodegenerative condition such as dementia, but there are treatments that can reduce their suffering, improve their quality of life, and reduce the burden on families.
        1. Double whammy of stigma: due to ageing and mental illness. Such stigma makes it difficult for families to admit the elder people’s mental illness and also creates reluctance to take them for treatment.
        2. The breakage of joint family system that had the advantages of multi-generational interactions and bonds which were crucial to the well-being of elders, can be one factor for increased mental health problems of elders.

Way forward:

              1. Creation of a network in the rural community to improve elders’ mental health by pooling in volunteers to create awareness about mental health problems elders face, seek help from service providers such as District Mental Health Programme. 
              2. Provide better access to mental health services for elders by the co-ordinated actions of the individual, families, civic society, private organisations, non-governmental organisations, and government to achieve healthy ageing.
              3. At the individual level, a plan for old age with financial savings and lifestyle changes to maintain good physical health and a satisfying social life has to be sorted.
              4. Healthy ageing, as a concept, should be introduced in the school curriculum.
              5. City and town planning should consider elder-friendly designs to improve mobility and reduce dependency. 

Local Governance in India

The Panchayati Raj system and municipal bodies serve as the first point of contact between citizens and the state. However, grassroots governance in India often struggles with inaccessible, detail
Share It

China’s Mega-Dam on Brahmaputra

China is constructing a massive 60,000 MW hydropower project on the Yarlung Zangbo River (called the Brahmaputra in India and Jamuna in Bangladesh), located in Tibet near Gelling in Arunachal Prad
Share It

India Hosts 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave

India recently hosted the 2nd BIMSTEC Ports Conclave in Visakhapatnam, focusing on enhancing maritime connectivity and sustainable development across the Bay of Bengal region. This event underscor
Share It

Manipur Crisis

The ongoing crisis in Manipur, which has now lasted for over two years, has resulted in over 250 deaths and widespread displacement, yet it has not received the same level of national priority as
Share It

India Africa

India and Africa are building a robust and evolving partnership, particularly in the realm of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which holds tremendous potential to boost socio-economic developm
Share It

Mangrove Ecosystems

The International Day for Conservation of Mangrove Ecosystems, observed annually on 26th July, serves as a vital reminder of the urgent need to protect mangroves, which are disappearing at an alar
Share It

Food Security and Nutrition

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI) 2025 report presents a mixed picture of global progress in combating hunger, highlighting both positive trends and pressing challenges,
Share It

The ‘Rising Northeast

The Investor Summit 2025’ organized by the Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region (DoNER) in New Delhi is a major event aimed at showcasing the immense investment and trade potentia
Share It

India's Smart Cities Mission (SCM)

Launched in 2015, India's Smart Cities Mission (SCM) was conceived to tackle urban challenges using technology and sustainable development practices. The mission has witnessed significant inve
Share It

Ethanol Blending Success

India's achievement of 20% ethanol blending in petrol by 2025 is a significant milestone in the country’s pursuit of clean energy and sustainable development. Factors Behind India&rsq
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS