Financial security, supportive care and health technology for seniors in India

India is witnessing a significant demographic shift as the senior population continues to grow, necessitating an urgent focus on improving their health, well-being and community life. Ensuring that seniors lead fulfilling and dignified lives requires a holistic and multifaceted approach. This includes improving geriatric care services, developing accessible infrastructure, ensuring financial stability and providing robust mental health support.

During the TOI Right to Excellence – Senior Well-Being Summit, a panel of industry experts – Mitali Nikore (Economist, Founder, Nikore Associates), Sudhir Mathur (CEO and Founder, MeraDoc) and Ishaan Khanna (CEO, Antara Assisted Care Services) shared their valuable insights on the topic “Transforming Senior Living in India: Financial Aid, Assistive Care, Health Tech, and Inclusivity.”

The talk started with the topic of Assisted Care Services and what it entails. “Assisted care is potentially anything that goes beyond independent living. It is something that can be provided at home or in a nursing home,” said Mr. Ishaan Khanna, CEO, Antara Assisted Care Services.

Discussing the types of services provided to the elderly under assisted care, Mr. Sudhir Mathur, CEO and Founder of MeraDoc, said that at MeraDoc, they did not initially plan to start with assisted care services, but rather to revive the age-old practice of having a family doctor. In doing so, they recognized the need for doctors to know how to communicate with elderly patients about their ailments. “We are all going to get there; just learn to treat each other the way you would want your mother to be treated,” said Mr. Mathur, explaining their approach to care services.

Attention was also paid to the importance of caregivers. “Whether it is a family member or a third party, they (caregivers) need to be trained. They sometimes face difficult situations and need support to express the problems they are going through,” he added.


Speaking about care services from the perspective of the elderly, Mitali Nikore added: “At Nikore Associates, we have been researching the care economy. We are not only looking at the care economy from the perspective of the elderly, children or long-term dependent adults, but also from the perspective of women, as they are in most cases the primary caregivers in a family.”

Mitali Nikore also highlighted a number of issues:

1. Preference for aging at home. There is also a demand for multi-generational care facilities where seniors, children, people with disabilities and the elderly can all come together and engage in leisure activities.

2. Affordability is the second problem. The government should provide support to the lower and middle class.

3. Lack of respect for caregivers. Women often do not feel safe providing care at home.

When should you use a care facility?

“It is important to understand the needs of the elderly first,” said Ishaan Khanna. “It is also important to keep an eye on the physical and mental health of the individual. If they require more care and the primary caregiver cannot provide it, then it is always better to look for nursing facilities,” he added. Geriatric care services should be tailored to the unique health needs of the elderly. This includes not only addressing physical ailments but also ensuring comprehensive mental health care.