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” highlighted the growing challenges faced by the country’s elderly population. The discussions underscored the urgent need for more responsive, inclusive, and community-driven approaches to geriatric care.
Ageing Challenges Are Multi-Dimensional
Speakers emphasised that the challenges of ageing in India extend far beyond medical issues. These include rising disability levels and age-related conditions such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, alongside significant gaps in geriatric healthcare infrastructure. Moreover, a pronounced urban–rural divide continues to limit access to quality care.
In addition, participants highlighted mounting economic pressures caused by inadequate social security systems and rising healthcare costs. They also drew attention to the widening digital divide, where many senior citizens struggle with technology due to limited access and lack of age-friendly training. Compounding these issues, physical infrastructure—including public spaces, transport systems, and emergency services—often remains ill-equipped to support the safety, mobility, and independence of older adults.
Experts Call for Integrated and Community-Based Care Models
Against this backdrop, the conference brought together senior government leaders, medical experts, and public health practitioners to deliberate on preventive care, neurological and mental health, assistive technologies, nutrition, and lifestyle interventions. Importantly, speakers called for integrated, community-based, and home-led geriatric care models that address both the medical and social dimensions of ageing.
Geriatric Care Must Become a Public Health Priority
Delivering the keynote address, Mr. Rajesh Bhushan, Former Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India, and Chairperson, Governing Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, stressed that geriatric care must be recognised as a core public health priority—on par with mental health and non-communicable diseases.
He emphasised that geriatric care cannot remain confined to tertiary hospitals or centres of excellence. Instead, care must begin at home and strengthen district-level health systems. Many elderly health concerns, he noted, do not require hospitalisation and can be effectively managed through trained caregivers, home-based services, and coordinated community support. According to him, the real challenge lies in scaling services, integrating systems, and ensuring last-mile delivery.
Mr. Bhushan further called for repurposing and upskilling general physicians, integrating social care with medical services, and drawing lessons from countries such as Japan and South Korea to develop unified, one-stop elder care models that combine healthcare, rehabilitation, and social support.
Demographic Transition Demands Dignity-Centred Care
Setting the context, Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, welcomed participants and highlighted the growing national focus on strengthening healthcare systems to address the evolving needs of India’s ageing population.
He noted that as India undergoes a significant demographic transition, ensuring that longer lives are lived with dignity, independence, and good health has become increasingly important. Referring to the Union Budget’s emphasis on healthcare strengthening, geriatric and mental health expansion, and caregiver capacity building, he described these measures as a timely recognition of emerging needs.
At the same time, he pointed out that changing social structures—such as the shift from joint families to nuclear households and increased migration—are reshaping elder care. Preserving dignity, emotional support, and intergenerational responsibility, he said, must remain central to India’s approach to healthy and graceful ageing.
Geriatric Medicine Moves from Margins to Mainstream
Speaking on the evolution of geriatric medicine, Dr. A. B. Dey, Founder and Former Head, Department of Geriatric Medicine, AIIMS New Delhi, and Chairperson – Geriatric Medicine, Artemis Hospital, highlighted how the discipline has transitioned from the margins to the mainstream of clinical practice.
He noted that three decades ago, geriatrics was barely recognised as a specialty. Today, however, demand for skilled geriatric care far exceeds the current training capacity and healthcare systems. Importantly, he stressed that healthy ageing is not merely the absence of disease, but the ability to live independently, purposefully, and with dignity. Ultimately, the true measure of good care lies in whether a person lives better and ages gracefully.
Mental and Neurological Health Require Continuous Care
Focusing on neurological and mental health, Dr. Rajinder K. Dhamija, Director, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Government of NCT of Delhi, stressed that elder care must move beyond episodic treatment.
He emphasised that ageing should focus on adding life to years, not just years to life. According to him, geriatric care must be coordinated, continuous, community-based, and compassionate. In an era of nuclear families and rising social isolation, mental and emotional well-being are as critical as physical health. He asserted that geriatric care is no longer a luxury but a necessity.
Social Engagement and Prevention Shape Ageing Outcomes
Offering a broader public health perspective, Prof. Nirmal Kumar Ganguly, Former Director General, ICMR, highlighted that ageing outcomes depend heavily on social engagement, mental stimulation, and timely management of chronic conditions.
He observed that proactive management of vision, hearing, balance, and chronic diseases—combined with mental and social engagement—can dramatically improve quality of life. While challenges such as dementia, diabetes, and hypertension are rising, he noted that advances in technology and medical science offer meaningful solutions, provided they are accessible and equitable.
Longevity Must Be Matched with Dignity and Purpose
Delivering the vote of thanks, Dr. Arun Agarwal, Chair, FICCI Task Force on Active & Healthy Ageing, and Former Additional DGHS, Government of India, emphasised that longevity must be accompanied by health, dignity, and grace.
He remarked that while medical science has helped add years to life, society’s larger responsibility is to ensure those years are lived with strength, purpose, and self-respect. Drawing inspiration from individuals like Fauja Singh, he stressed the importance of creating systems that enable every senior citizen to age actively and independently.
Focused Sessions Explore Medical, Technological, and Lifestyle Dimensions
The conference featured three thematic sessions addressing key aspects 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 brain-healthy lifestyles, caregiver education, behavioural symptom management, genetic risk awareness, and safe home modifications.
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, reminder systems, and emerging trends such as AI-enabled solutions, robotics, predictive analytics, and personalised geriatric care technologies.
The third session focused on holistic approaches to ageing, emphasising balanced nutrition, emotional well-being, and physical resilience. Experts highlighted key nutrients for bone, brain, heart, and digestive health, alongside the benefits of yoga, meditation, and breathing practices in improving flexibility, balance, and mobility.
A Collective Call for Action
The conference concluded with a unified call for policy alignment, workforce training, community participation, and shared societal responsibility. Speakers emphasised that by strengthening systems and fostering collaboration, India can ensure its ageing population lives with autonomy, dignity, and pride—transforming longevity from a challenge into an opportunity for national well-being.