Aging in contemporary India: A qualitative inquiry. 

The increase in India’s older population has raised concerns about their well-being. While it is essential to highlight and document the ageing experience of the elderly in India, their voices are largely missing from academic literature. The present study sought to address this gap by collecting data from sixty-three community-dwelling and Old Age Home (OAH) residents of Delhi NCR to understand their ageing experience, views about old age and perceived need for government intervention in old age care and support, through a reflexive thematic analysis. Five themes and six sub-themes emerged, encompassing a wide range of aspects including but not limited to the aging body; psychological gains and social losses; affiliation, distraction and anticipation; the aging parent and the adult child; and time for religious and spiritual devotion. Lastly, the analysis of the older population’s perceived need for government support in old age care generated five sub-themes – Political cynicism, I was a private employee but am I not a part of this country? Government or Private Hospitals: A no-win situation, Everyday life, and Reforms in OAHs. The present findings highlight the multidimensional and multidirectional experience of aging and the diverse needs of older persons in the Indian context. Read Here…