Elder care from a distance: Emerging trends and challenges in the contemporary India

Abstract

Forces of social change have, among others, altered the structure and functioning of the family system, which has brought eldercare at the crossroads. Caring for their elderly relatives that used to be the duty of young family members no longer is discharged by many families in contemporary times. In today’s world, migration because of work needs has become a stark reality. At times, it is not possible to take the aged parents along. Migration for education and career options, women’s work participation, inflation, competition, and so on, are some of the reasons that have affected the traditional ways of caregiving to the elderly. Distance care is one such newer system of caregiving that has emerged in the recent times in those cases where children are not staying with their aged parents but trying to maintain close ties and making efforts for providing care and support, though miles apart. This study looks into eldercare issues from a distance. Its objective is to explore how distance care is operationalized in everyday living in the context of the elderly who are living alone. The study is qualitative with descriptive research design with a sample size of 60 (30 elderly and 30 children), conducted in the National Capital Region. It focuses on the challenges and constraints faced by the elderly living alone and strategies and approaches developed by their children as caring responses. Findings of the study have implications for geriatric care initiatives by the government and civil society, other than the family members.