Research Priorities in the Field of Ageing inIndia: Some Suggestions

Special Articles / S. Siva Raju / Old Age in an Indifferent Society

Background
The large scale social, economic and technological changes, which are taking place in the society have significantly transformed the pattern of formal and informal support systems available to the older people.  With the growth of “Individualization” in modern industrial life and materialistic thinking among the younger generation, there is greater alienation and isolation of the elderly from their family members and from society at large. Given the changes, the elderly face a number of problems and adjust to varying degrees.  These problems range from absence of ensured and sufficient income to support themselves and their dependents, to ill health, absence of social security, loss of social role and recognition, to the non-availability of opportunities for creative use of free time.  Given the constraint of resources, care of elderly has received a low priority so far in planning and programming social security provisions and services. 

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