Kerala has created what officials describe as India’s first dedicated department for elderly welfare to address the twin challenges of rapid population ageing and widespread out-migration. The policy centres on ageing in place, expanding home- and community-based care, certified caregiver training, and social prescribing, backed by a statewide survey to guide a Silver Economy roadmap. Officials have allocated 100 million rupees to kickstart coordination and pilot projects, but experts warn loneliness, a shortage of geriatric specialists and the lack of a regulated senior-care market mean broader reforms will be needed.
Kerala Launches India's First Dedicated Elderly Welfare Department — A Bid To Stop People Growing Old Alone
The Dominics have two sons - both of whom left home in search of better employment opportunities [Arun Chandra Bose]
In Kerala, India's fastest-ageing state, 70-year-old T.O. Dominic begins many mornings with a phone call to one of his sons. One child works in neighbouring Karnataka and the other in the Middle East; both left years ago for work. Dominic and his wife, M.J. Martha, now manage daily life largely on their own — a situation increasingly common across the state as migration and demographic change reshape family care.
New Department, New Approach
Last month the Kerala government announced what officials describe as India’s first dedicated department for elderly welfare. Its central goal is to promote ageing in place: helping older people stay in their homes and communities rather than move into institutions. Officials say the department will coordinate existing schemes such as pensions and the Vayomithram community palliative care programme, while piloting new services to fill gaps.
Planned Measures
- Expand community- and home-based care and scale volunteer networks to reduce isolation.
- Introduce "social prescribing" to connect seniors with meaningful local activities and support.
- Launch certified caregiver training and build a professional care workforce.
- Create elderly-friendly parks, day-care centres and fitness facilities.
- Conduct a statewide survey of senior citizens to shape a long-term Silver Economy roadmap.
“Ageing is no longer just a welfare issue. It cuts across healthcare, housing, transport, local governance, technology, employment, safety, financial services and community life,” says Dr Rathan Kelkar, head of the new department.
Why Kerala Needs This
Kerala already has the highest proportion of older residents among India’s major states. A Reserve Bank of India report projects that by 2036 nearly one in four people in Kerala (22.8%) will be over 60, compared with a national average of 14.9%. Improved healthcare, longer life expectancy and lower birth rates have contributed to this trend, while decades of labour migration to the Middle East, Europe and other regions have often left parents living apart from working-age children.
Doctors say India needs elderly care programmes tailored to its ageing population [Hindustan Times via Getty Images]
Remittances have raised many households’ living standards, but money cannot replace physical presence. A Sydney-based IT worker quoted in interviews said that, despite sending money home, he felt helpless during his parents’ medical emergencies because he was thousands of kilometres away.
Limits, Risks And Wider Needs
The state has allocated 100 million rupees (about $1.05m) this year to kickstart coordination, pilot projects and data systems — an amount some critics call largely symbolic. Officials say the funding is intended to build capacity and evidence for longer-term investment.
Experts warn that policy coordination alone will not solve the challenge. Doctors point to too few geriatric specialists and health services not designed around older people’s needs, while care operators call for a regulated senior-care market with uniform quality standards. Srinivasan Govindaraj, CEO of Athulya Seniorcare, says a trusted, regulated ecosystem is essential for families who cannot afford private options.
MSR Dev is a retired scientist and lives with his wife in Kerala [Ashraf Padanna]
Loneliness and social isolation are emerging as central public-health concerns. The new department plans volunteer-driven and community programmes to reduce isolation, with the stated vision that no elderly person in Kerala should feel invisible or abandoned regardless of where their children live.
On The Ground
For people like Dominic and Martha the need is simple and practical: someone to call who can actually come. Whether the new department can deliver reliable local support in a state where families are often separated by oceans and time zones remains to be seen, but the initiative signals a shift in how Kerala plans to respond to an ageing, dispersed population.
Existing Programmes Mentioned: Pensions, Vayomithram community palliative care and other welfare schemes will be coordinated under the new department.
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