Aging is natural, what’s also natural are problems that come with it. A senior (60+years old) can experience several problems in their day-to-day life. This could be due to physiological changes in their body, lifestyle, or even shifts in technology. All problems of senior citizens in India are not related to health. Let’s explore these problems of elderly and see how see how elder care can help address them to make their life convenient.

major problems do senior citizens experince


Problems of Senior Citizens in India


Chronic Medical Conditions

Agingcauses numerous changes in the body, including weakening of muscle mass andstrength called sarcopenia. This often makes it difficult for older adults towalk and increases risk of falls. Similarly, as people age, they can alsoexperience medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, Chronic PulmonaryDisease (COPD), etc. 70% of older adults in India suffer from one more chronicconditionsprofessional financial planners1.

Chronic conditions can be managed through better care. If you’re a caregiver,you can schedule regular doctor visits, check vitals like blood sugar level (incase of diabetic seniors), take them for physiotherapy sessions, preparehealthy meals, giving medication on time, etc. This will alleviate painful symptomsand make their life a little convenient.

Senior citizens often experience mobility issues due to osteoarthritis or otherconditions. In India, nearly 45% of women (older than 65 years) experiencesymptoms related to osteoarthritis, which makes it difficult for them to movearound.  Most of the infrastructure isinaccessible to older adults with mobility issues due to lack of properinfrastructure like a sliding ramp to move wheels chairs, etc.
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Solution: Building sliding ramps and installing lifts at home can help elders access areas in and around house. Frequent physiotherapies, checkups, and nutrition can help further alleviate mobility issues among older adults. 

Lack of financial planning

Senior citizens often miss out on planning their finances, including theirexpanses, budget, policy renewals, insurance, investments, etc. It is oftenvery difficult for them to pay for their utilities and plan their monthlyexpenditure. Given the changing economy and regulatory guidelines in India, itbecomes extremely difficult for them to plan their finance.

Solution: As adults, we can help them sort out their finances by filing their taxes, paying for utilities, etc. There are also professional financial planners who specialize in planning for older adults; you can seek their services.

Financial frauds

Financial frauds among elderly are growing. Lack of awareness about technology, apps, and internet-led banking among older adults makes them vulnerable to thefts and scams. Fraudster often scare senior citizens into believing that their bank accounts are on the verge of being blocked, or their policy may expire, etc., leading to money being debited from their bank account or unauthorized transaction on their credit cards.

Solution: Financial frauds is one of the major problems of senior citizens, especially in India. This is due to lack of awareness. Adults can address this problem by educating elders about security and privacy features available from their bank.

Lack of companionship

Older adults who live alone, especially NRIs’ parents often lack companionship. Since they don’t have much to talk to anyone. This isolation often gives rise to mental disorders and gradual decline in cognitive functions.

Solution: Involving senior citizens in chats and getting them involved in activities now and then helps. Small physical activities with seniors can help them bond and interact with each other.

senior citizens problems


Ageism

Ageism is real. People tend to exclude senior citizens from certain aspects because they are older. We tend to see them unfit for certain work, responsibilities, etc. Research suggests that ageism can affect older people’s mental health.2

Solution: We can combat ageism by giving opportunities to older adults and involving them in various social events. Including them in casual get togethers is another way to do so.

Conclusion

Old age people’s problems go beyond health issues. While improving healthcare can help elderly live a comfortable life. We can help older adults in living a wholesome life by involving them in our day-to-day activities and educating them about technology and keeping them up to date.  

FAQs

What are the problems with old age in India?

Older adults in India experience several problems, including chronic medical conditions, loneliness and depression, financial frauds, ageism, etc. We can help elderly


How can I be happy at old age?

Being grateful for what you’ve achieved and making peace with the existing circumstance can help you stay happy in old age.

What is the hardest part of aging?

The hardest part of aging is perhaps deteriorating health. Good personal hygiene, regular exercise, physiotherapy, nutrition, etc. can help in improving health.  


How do you solve old age problems?

Old age problems, like health issues, can be solved by taking good care of older adults. Issues like inaccessibility can be solved by building necessary infrastructure; loneliness and depression can be solved by involving older adults in our day-to-day activities.

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References:
1. https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news/health/almost-70-senior-citizens-in-india-have-a-chronic-illness-74944
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9008869/