Generations of Care: Witnessing India's Aging Population and Emerging Challenges

A glimpse into India's aging population through the eyes of a caregiver’s grandchild. Exploring the challenges, cultural nuances, and untapped opportunities for innovation in elder care.

I’m incredibly grateful and lucky to be spending 6 weeks in India with my grandparents.

My grandma and grandpa 40 years ago

I’m currently in our Chennai house, watching my grandfather takes care of his uncle, a two time colon cancer surviver: serving him every meal, monitoring him, and enabling his daily function. I’ve been here two days and already watched as my grandfather carried his uncle after he fell.

Oh, did I mention? My grandfather is 84 years old, taking care of his uncle, who’s 99.

While my mom’s side of the family has incredible genetics—exemplified by comments like, “so-and-so passed away at the ripe age of 85”—it’s hard to watch as the caretakers of the older generation are themselves in their 80s.

As an India-born American citizen, I know very little about how Indian citizens are thinking about infrastructure for the aging population. So, I did a bit of digging.

Since this is inspired by my time currently living with my grandparents, I’ve included a few short videos to illustrate each point. If you understand Tamil, I hope you’ll enjoy the audio even more! ◡̈

---

Facts from Santosh Gandhi’s Medium Article

India has been a market to watch in so many areas, especially as the country surpasses a population of 1.5 billion, accounting for about 1/5 of the world’s population (17.5%).

• 10% of India’s population is considered elderly, defined as 60+.

• Projections show that 1/5 of India’s population will be 60+ in 2050.

This new generation of elderly individuals has two notable differences:

1. Financial Independence
   Unlike previous generations who relied on their children, this group tends to have greater savings and disposable income, enabling more spending power.

2. Tech Savviness
   The general mobile population penetration rate in India is ~80%, with increasing adoption among older generations, particularly post-COVID.

As the article argues, investing in technological, physical, and mental health solutions for this population isn’t just lucrative—it’s essential.

---

Observations from Caretaking Generations

While I’m optimistic about these advancements, witnessing the realities of caregiving firsthand has taught me a lot. These are the crucial factors I believe need to be addressed:

1. Learning Curve

With the influx of potential technological solutions, who is teaching this older generation how to update software, learn new apps, and stay current with every new app on the block?

Perhaps local classes could help, but I’ve noticed that most older adults rely on their kids or grandkids for tech setup. This approach prioritizes comfort and safety—important factors when sharing sensitive information, like bank details, to set up apps.

2. Scamming

My 84-year-old grandfather uses mobile apps to manage his bank accounts and monitor activity. Unfortunately, this generation is a prime target for scammers. How do we teach them to identify safe links and avoid phishing attempts?

3. Physical Safety

Calling services for household tasks has long been common in India. Apps offering such services could benefit older adults with limited mobility.

However, there’s understandable apprehension about inviting strangers into the home. While apps with ratings work well in countries like the U.S., word-of-mouth recommendations still reign supreme in India.

Caption: great-uncle grandpa getting a haircut every month—because one must stay presentable, even at 99 years young!

4. Gender Gap

Even though mobile penetration may be 80%, phone and app usage often skews by gender.

For example, my grandmother has her own phone but often looks at my grandfather’s because he’s the main point of contact for family and information. From a product perspective, while there are two phones in use, they only contribute to one active user for apps.

Even with a smaller age gap in heteronormative couples in this elder generation, gender-based task segmentation prevails. How can we account for this in the solutions we design?

Caption: “What are you doing on grandpa’s phone, what’s the news?”

5. Maintenance

Physical health innovations like walkers, wheelchairs, and fall detection devices require ongoing maintenance and knowledge of upkeep. Annual battery checks, cleaning, and other routine care can be a challenge.

6. Space and Resource Constraints

Take dishwashers, for example. While they reduce manual labor, they require sufficient space, running water, and consistent electricity—resources that aren’t always reliable in some areas.

7. Culture and Traditions

While new solutions exist, older generations are often set in their ways, guided by religion, culture, and tradition. Managing change is one thing, but what happens when there’s resistance? Does it require convincing, or will these solutions remain underutilized?

---

Open Questions

Given India’s landscape and infrastructure, are these issues significant for those building elder care solutions?

Specifically, are these known challenges with known solutions, or are they unresolved issues that could detract from the effectiveness of new innovations?