Institutionalizing the Care Economy: Addressing the Geriatric Crisis in India

India is currently undergoing a significant demographic shift as its population ages. Historically, the burden of care for the elderly has rested within the private sphere of the joint family system. However, the twin forces of internal migration—driven by economic necessity—and rapid urbanization are effectively dismantling these traditional support structures. With younger generations moving to urban centers for employment, older individuals are increasingly left to navigate their twilight years in isolation or with limited family oversight, creating an urgent need for the state to intervene through the development of a formal 'care economy.'

This emerging challenge requires more than just incremental welfare measures; it demands a comprehensive institutional framework. A robust care economy would involve integrating state-led social security, public-private partnerships in geriatric health, and the formalization of home-based care services. The existing policy landscape often focuses on pension schemes, yet these fail to address the qualitative 'care deficit'—the daily assistance required for personal, medical, and emotional support.

Policy planners must recognize that the 'care burden' disproportionately falls on women, who often sacrifice their own economic participation to provide unpaid care. A gender-sensitive approach to the care economy could therefore serve dual purposes: promoting gender equality by professionalizing care work and ensuring that the dignity of the elderly is upheld as a matter of public policy rather than just a private domestic responsibility. Moving forward, India needs to prioritize investments in geriatric infrastructure, community-based care networks, and legislative frameworks that recognize caregiving as a vital economic activity.