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3 Apr, 2016

India to conduct world’s largest study on the economy of ageing – The Hindu

An ageing population that can topple existing insurance and pension systems, strain the public health-care system and fundamentally alter disease burdens, economies and trade, and human migration. To prepare for this, India wants to better understand those on the cusp of being senior citizens. Later this year a host of research organisations, and supported by the Indian government, will be initiating the world’s largest survey of the elderly. Called the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI), it will follow the health and socio-economic condition of 60,000 Indians over the age of 45 for at least 25 years and provide regular reports on how ageing affects Indians. With increased life expectancy and the breakdown of the joint family system, those involved with the project say that ageing will pose unique challenges. “We need to be able to design policies to mainstream the elderly, to reduce their vulnerabilities and enhance access to various services,” says Anita Agnihotri, Secretary, Social Justice and Empowerment Ministry, which is among the key government agencies involved.

Read the rest: Understanding the economy of ageing – The Hindu