Geriatric care leads to boom in home health services
The Nightingales Medical Trust in the city, which runs a dedicated care centre for senior citizens suffering from alzheimer’s or dementia, receives several calls asking if it provides long term stay for the elderly.
“We receive many calls from people asking for old age homes and whether we run one, but ours is a dedicated centre for alzheimer’s. A lot of the calls come from the elderly themselves, who are alone and find it difficult to manage on their own,” says Ms Swati of NMT.
The Department for the Empowerment of Differently Abled and Senior Citizens in Karnataka, which runs helpline centres across 28 districts , has noted a marked increased in the calls it receives. “The callers seek legal advice, complain about being shunned by their families or ask for old age homes,” says Ms Vasantha Prema D P, former Joint Director, Directorate of Welfare of Disabled and Senior Citizen, who admits that besides providing pension for those below poverty line ( BPL), there are not many schemes for the elderly in the state.
Dr Arvind Kasthuri, professor, Department of Community Health, and coordinator of senior citizens’ healthcare at St John’s Medical College, says there is an increasing trend to look at the elderly as a market.
“There is a boom in home healthcare services and nurses which all come at a huge cost. Of course it is a business opportunity, but we need to start with a holistic healthcare programme. Perhaps we could have ward level or village level healthcare centres for senior citizens, providing them daycare along with recreation and subsidised drugs,” he suggests, emphasising that the government needs to understand that the ageing population needs attention and make suitable long term efforts to take care of it both in urban and rural areas.
There is a boom in home healthcare services and nurses which all come at a huge cost. Of course it is a business opportunity, but we need to start with a holistic healthcare programme. We could have ward level or village level healthcare centres for senior citizens
— DR ARVIDN KASTHURI, PROFESSOR, DEPT OF COMMUNITY HEALTH