Perspectives on Old Age in India

The elderly population of India is projected to increase to about 300 million by 2050. Families, the traditional source of support for the elderly in India, are getting smaller as result of reduction in fertility and, in rural areas, due to migration. Changing norms and attitudes on intergenerational relations and filial piety have the potential to weaken traditional social and family support structures that the elderly depend on. As institutional and welfare support systems are lacking in India, changes to the family and social support structures will have serious implications for ageing in India. The demographic, economic, family and health perspectives presented in this chapter reveal some of the complexities of ageing in India. They show that the nature, type and direction of support between the generations depends on the situation and resources of both parents and children, embedded within the wider social and cultural values of support and care, and the expectations and meanings attributed to these values. The perspectives presented also raise important questions about the relationships, roles and responsibilities of individuals, families and the state.