Understanding the Current Health Needs and Reviewing them in Reference to the Regulatory Policies for the Elderly in India

Description

Page: 37-41

Ojas and Zoya Khan (Department of Humanities & Social Sciences, M.A. Applied Psychology, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Delhi)

“Ageing is not ‘lost youth’ but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” The biological process of ageing is irreversible and is characterized by the survival of an increasing number of people who have reached adulthood. The inevitable result of declining productivity is said to be ‘ageing’. The rate of mortality has decreased, nutritional awareness has increased, medicinal facilities have been improving and life expectancy has increased with the development of technology and modernisation. The present paper aims to understand the current health needs of elderly, and review them in reference to the regulatory policies for the elderly in India. A sample consisting of 6 elderly individuals was considered to be interviewed from an old age home based in Delhi. The data was subjected to qualitative analysis involving thematic analysis in order to explore and take into account their physical and psychological needs, social support and community, future expectations and improvisation in regard to formulation and measure of policies, as well as other miscellaneous problems faced by them. The analysis of the current research is also correlated to the literature over the past few decades.