India ageing, elderly to make up 20% of population by 2050: UNFPA report

Source: The post is based on the article “India ageing, elderly to make up 20% of population by 2050: UNFPA report” published in “The Hindu” on 28th September 2023.

What is the News?

The India Ageing Report 2023 has been released y by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS).

What is India Ageing Report 2023?

India Ageing Report 2023 represents a thorough review of the living conditions and welfare of older individuals in India. 

The report is based on the latest data available from the Longitudinal Ageing Survey in India (LASI), 2017–18, Census of India, Population Projections by the Government of India (2011–2036) and World Population Prospects 2022 by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

What are the key findings of the report?

Source: The Hindu

Elderly Population Growth: India’s elderly population is growing significantly, with a projected 41% increase in the decadal growth rate. By 2050, the share of elderly individuals in the total population is expected to double, reaching over 20%.

Elderly vs. Children: It is anticipated that by 2046, the elderly population will surpass the population of children (aged up to 15) in India.

Elderly Poverty: More than 40% of the elderly in India are in the poorest wealth quintile, and about 18.7% of them live without an income.This level of poverty may negatively impact their quality of life and healthcare utilization.

Aging Beyond 80: The report predicts a 279% growth in the population aged 80 and above between 2022 and 2050, with a predominance of widowed and highly dependent very old women.

Life expectancy: In India, a man aged 60 years can live another 18.3 years, while women can live 19 years. Apart from this, it also depends on the different life expectancy of the states. In Kerala and Himachal Pradesh, women can have up to 4 years more than men.

Sex Ratio Among the Elderly: The sex ratio among the elderly has been increasing since 1991, indicating more elderly women than men. 

– For instance, in 1991, there were 930 elderly women per 1,000 men.After this, the ratio started to change and will continue to do so.The report estimates that by 2031, there will be 951 men for 1,078 women.

Gendered Poverty: Poverty among the elderly is often gendered, with older women more likely to be widowed, living alone, without income, and dependent on family support.

Regional Variations: There are significant regional variations in the elderly population’s absolute levels and growth. Southern and select northern states have a higher share of the elderly population, while central and northeastern regions have younger populations.

What are the recommendations given by the report?

Special focus should be there on older persons in disaster-preparedness plans that are formulated henceforth.

There is a lack of credible data on various issues related to the elderly in India and more could be done by including questions on relevant and emerging issues related to older persons in the upcoming data collection exercises of the National Sample Survey, the National Family Health Survey, and the Census of India, respectively.

Government must work on increasing awareness about schemes for older persons, bring all Old Age Homes under regulatory purview and focus on facilitating in-situ ageing to the extent possible.

Government should encourage the creation and running of elderly self-help groups.

Government should also encourage in situ (at home) ageing as much as possible by creating short-term care facilities like creches or day-care facilities, citing better care when elderly people live with their respective families.