Defining Eldercare Economy - Why India's Silver Shift demands a Taxonomy
- Leena Chakrabarti
- Aug 24
- 18 min read
Updated: Aug 25
In 2020, India was largely young. By 2050, older adults will make up more than 20% of the population. We are right now, at the starting line of a long journey with just about one third of the time, others had to cover this path
The Demographic Shift & Policy Imperative
India is at the cusp of a steep demographic transition. The share of people aged 60 and above will rise to nearly 20 percent by 2050 from 10 percent in 2023, representing over 347 million older adults. That's more than the current population of United States. Unlike many ageing societies that grew rich before they grew old, India is ageing at lower income levels and with large informal labour markets. Stacked against India is also, the fact that the country has just about 20 years to adapt to this demographic transition, compared to 60 to 80 years that countries like France, United States, and Japan had to adjust to the silver shift.
This is not a distant prospect. The population pyramid is shifting fast. The acceleration of ageing is already reshaping India’s households, healthcare demands, labour markets, and social protection systems.
The demographic shift is inevitable. The policy, financial, and institutional systems to respond are not. The challenge - how to secure dignified, affordable, and inclusive eldercare while sustaining economic growth and social cohesion.
Fragmented Landscape | Dual Risk | Fractured Response
India’s eldercare economy is emerging at the intersection of fragmented policies, fledgling inequitable markets, and family-based care
The eldercare system in India today is fragmented.
Healthcare services are stretched and underprepared for chronic, dementia, and palliative care. Senior housing is either unaffordable or absent. Financial security nets are thin. Social participation opportunities are sporadic, and ageism pervades workplaces and institutions.
Responsibility for eldercare is split across ministries of health, social justice and empowerment, housing, finance, and rural development to name a few. Public financing is limited and scattered across schemes. Ministries work in silos. Markets remain small and fragmented. Private sector solutions remain skewed towards high income households. Market potential continues to be under-leveraged.
This leaves a wide eldercare gap. Families are forced to fill it. Caregiving remains largely unpaid, borne by women predominantly, with little systemic recognition or support.
In India, the actual size & components of the eldercare economy have not been systematically scoped yet. Globally, the silver economy (as the eldercare economy is also known in many parts of the world), covering goods and services for older adults, is valued at over US $15 trillion (OECD, 2021). Recent estimates indicate the senior care market segment is expected to reach US $30–35 billion by 2050 (NITI Aayog, 2024). However given that what constitutes eldercare is yet to be clarified, this estimate might represent only a fraction of the actual eldercare economy in India.
But the scale of the opportunity has not translated into a coordinated response.
This creates a dual risk
older adults being left behind without the care, security, and dignity they need
India missing the opportunity to harness the longevity dividend, the potential social & economic gains of longer lives, if supported by the right systems.
What counts as eldercare?
The eldercare economy, often referred to now as the silver economy is expanding rapidly, yet its boundaries remain blurred. Definitions and inclusions remain inconsistent. Some countries include only healthcare and long term care (LTC), others add housing, assistive technologies, consumer goods & financial products. Governments, investors, financial institutions and civil society, classify it differently, which complicates measurement, financing, policy design, even workforce planning.
For India, with a short timeframe at hand to adapt to the demographic shift, clarity is more essential than most. Without an agreed taxonomy, policy remains fragmented, investors lack visibility, and workforce planning becomes guesswork. Without clarity, data is inconsistent, markets are hard to size, and investment flows remain uncertain.
Why a taxonomy matters?
A recognised taxonomy is more than semantics, it is the operating system of a sector, especially one like eldercare, that combines components of several standalone sectors and sub sectors. It is the foundation for how governments, investors, and providers can understand, finance, coordinate & regulate eldercare. By codifying what counts as eldercare, elements like eligibility levels, service categories, benefit menus, product classes, budgets, capital, and workforce pipelines can move in sync. Where taxonomies are missing, fragmentation sets in across policy, investment, and workforce planning.
Table 1 - The Cost Of Not Having A Common Taxonomy For The Eldercare Economy with references from countries/regions with eldercare systems with higher levels of clarity compared to the current Indian context
Impact Area | Without a Taxonomy | With a Taxonomy | What's working? |
|---|---|---|---|
Policy & Regulation | Fragmented laws, misaligned budgets, inconsistent eligibility, gaps in service delivery | Clear categories enable integrated policies and bundled benefits | Japan’s Long-Term Care Insurance (LTCI) Act (2000) defined service menus and eligibility, uniform national coverage |
Investment | Markets hard to size, higher investor risk, slower due diligence | Comparable data, clear segments, improved deal flow | EU’s Silver Economy segmentation enabled multi-country investment platforms and scaling of ageing tech solutions |
Workforce Planning | Undefined roles, unclear skill demand, ad hoc training | Defined job/skill ladders, accredited training, predictable workforce supply | Australia’s aged-care menus tied to skills classification improved workforce pipeline and supply alignment |
Innovation & Growth | Startups struggle to target customers; investors lack benchmarks | Defined categories attract VC funds, corporate procurement, and SME participation | US AgeTech mappings unlocked dedicated venture funds and accelerated innovation ecosystems |
Data & Visibility | Inconsistent tracking of services, outcomes, and costs | Standardised reporting allows monitoring, benchmarking, and outcome-based incentives | South Korea’s LTCI (2008) tied benefits to reimbursement rules , predictable fiscal planning and service growth |
Unpaid Care | Invisible in budgets and GDP, leaving family caregivers, mainly women unsupported | Measured, valued, and integrated into national accounts and care support programmes | OECD countries embed unpaid care in time-use surveys and satellite accounts |
Does having a taxonomy help?
Japan (2000 LTCI) - Defined need levels and standard service menus. Coverage rose from 2.18M (2000) to 6.41M (2017), private nursing homes expanded 15X, and care workers quadrupled as roles and credentials were standardised
South Korea (2008 LTCI) - Clear eligibility and benefit types tied to reimbursement rules. Beneficiaries grew 4X in 13 years; workforce more than doubled; 98 percent providers are now private under a public-regulated framework
European Union (Silver Economy Framework) - Ageing-tech and care categories were explicitly defined for funding. The AAL Programme (€700M budget) channelled capital to SMEs and regions, creating an investable pipeline and multi-country scaling pathways.
Why India’s Silver Shift Demands a Taxonomy
The eldercare economy in India is at an inflection point. As India progresses through a dramatic demographic shift, systems and markets that enable older adults to live with dignity, health, and security are becoming central to the country’s future.
But India’s eldercare economy is emerging at the intersection of fragmented policies, fledgling inequitable markets, and unpaid family-based care.
Without a recognised eldercare taxonomy, India's eldercare linked policies, markets & budgets operate without a shared map. Policies exist across multiple silos, regulatory environment has not kept pace, private sector markets are emerging, inequitably while its overall potential remains under-leveraged, unpaid care by family members, especially women fills the void. components of the formal care ecosystem, from long term care services and pensions to digital solutions and community programmes remaining small and fragmented. No shared architecture ties them together.
For instance, fragmented policy landscape is dotted with schemes such as the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE), social care under the Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY), financial floors like the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), schemes for assistive devices (Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana) & MoHUA’s Model Guidelines for Retirement Homes.
Private markets are mainly shaping around senior living, tele-health, home care support, and functional foods, but apart from tele-health, the focus and uptake is concentrated in metros among high income households. Access and affordability remains out of reach for most low income households. We are shaping an inequitable eldercare economy.
India requires more than incremental schemes...
To respond effectively, India needs a structured framework to organise the wide and complex demands of eldercare into actionable categories. The India Eldercare Taxonomy, developed under the State of Care initiative, provides a potential framework, a starting point of sorts. It spans across 16 interlinked categories, from long-term care to financial security, housing, assistive devices, social participation, caregiving, mobility, elder justice, and lifelong learning.
This taxonomy aims to shape India's eldercare system holistically, not as isolated programmes, but as an integrated ecosystem where healthcare, housing, social security, and community life reinforce each other. It also provides policymakers and other stakeholders with a diagnostic lens to locate specific gaps, assign priorities, and design policy levers that fit the Indian institutional context.
read more on gaps, priorities and actionable pathways in the upcoming Silver Shift Policymakers Matrix - A structured tool that translates the India Eldercare Taxonomy into an actionable roadmap
Framing the eldercare taxonomy
starting with what exists...
The eldercare economy in India, is often talked about in terms of healthcare (hospitals, nursing homes), pensions, and retirement homes. But eldercare is way more than that, it spans multiple sectors and sub-sectors, includes products, services, technologies, and infrastructure that sustain older adults. The taxonomy presented here is a preliminary synthesis of what is being included in eldercare globally. We start by assigning recognisable categories to the eldercare landscape that's either documented or seen in practice across the world.
In the proposed Silver Shift taxonomy, these categories are the building blocks of the eldercare economy, apex level attributes of the eldercare ecosystem. From this global view, we propose a taxonomy for India. It shows what exists today, and what could be built in the future, to create a functional equitable eldercare ecosystem.
The table below is a starting point, offering a synthesis of categories and components included in eldercare across the world. It is intended to spark discussion, guide further refinement, and provide a foundation for India’s policy and market responses to a fast ageing society.
Table 2 - What counts as Eldercare across the world?
Category | Market segments (incl. emerging) | Primary payers/buyers | Typical offerings/examples | Reference Frames |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Long-Term Care | Hospitals & geriatric clinics; nursing homes; home health; rehabilitation; palliative & hospice; community day & respite; transitional/post-acute care; hospital-at-home; telemedicine | Public insurers, social insurance, private insurers, OOP households | LTC packages; home nursing; day/respite slots; hospice; virtual consults | OECD LTC definitions; WHO ICOPE; Japan & Australia LTC service menus |
Housing & Independent Living | Assisted living; senior co-housing; continuing-care/retirement communities; age-friendly retrofits; smart-home safety/monitoring; rental with services; villages/ageing-in-place membership models | Seniors/households, RE operators, public housing funds | Retrofit grants; alert sensors; service-integrated housing | European Commission silver-economy framework; Australia home-modification supports |
Financial Security & Insurance | Pensions & annuities; LTC insurance; health riders; reverse mortgages/equity release; senior financial planning; fraud protection; longevity fintech (decumulation, drawdown tools) | Governments, insurers, households, employers | Defined LTC benefits; reverse-mortgage products; anti-fraud advisories | EU silver-economy scope; OECD ageing & finance |
Assistive Devices & Technologies | Mobility aids; hearing/vision aids; incontinence; prosthetics & orthotics; ramps/grab bars; communication & memory aids; fall-detection wearables; exoskeletons; smart wheelchairs | Public programmes, private pay, insurers | Priority assistive products; home safety kits | WHO Priority Assistive Products List; EU assistive-tech reports |
Digital Health & Connectivity | Telehealth platforms; remote patient monitoring; PERS; medication management; senior-friendly phones/apps; caregiver coordination tools; AI care copilots; digital therapeutics for cognition/mood | Health systems, insurers, employers, households | RPM kits; adherence tools; shared care plans | WHO ICOPE implementation; AgeTech market mappings |
Nutrition & Consumer Goods | Functional foods; nutraceuticals; diabetic/cardiac-friendly lines; tailored meal services; adaptive kitchen tools; personalised nutrition & home delivery | Households, insurers (limited), community programmes | Meal subscriptions; fortified staples; adaptive utensils | EU silver-economy consumption analysis |
Daily Living & Household Support | Domestic help; laundry/cleaning; in-home meal prep; grocery & errands; handyman/home maintenance; on-demand micro-franchises; transport within neighbourhood | Households, municipalities, insurers (select pilots) | IADL/ADL support bundles; vetted marketplaces | OECD “help at home” / ADL–IADL support taxonomies |
Social Participation & Leisure | Senior travel; cultural programmes/memberships; lifelong learning; digital literacy; community/day centres; intergenerational programmes; age-friendly volunteering | Households, municipalities, NGOs, CSR | Day-centre memberships; learning platforms; concession passes | UN Decade of Healthy Ageing; EU silver-economy scope |
Employer & Workplace Care Solutions | Employer-paid/subsidised eldercare; caregiver leave & benefits; workplace navigation; insurance-linked care bundles; payroll-integrated stipends | Employers, group insurers | Navigation/concierge; backup care days; EAP for caregiving | The Holding Co. Investor’s Guide; BCG analysis |
Workforce & Unpaid Care Support | Respite services; training/certification for family carers; caregiver mental-health; caregiver support tech; products/services that ease unpaid care; cash/credit for care | Governments, NGOs, households; (emerging) employers | Respite hours; caregiver curricula; peer support | ILO 5R care framework; investor guidance (Invest in Care) |
Care Navigation & Marketplaces (nascent) | Aggregators for providers/housing/devices; eligibility tools; price/quality transparency; intermediaries for public benefits | Households, insurers, governments, employers | Navigation hotlines; digital marketplaces; benefits enrollment | Used across AgeTech and EU digital inclusion initiatives |
Quality, Data & Outcomes (emerging) | Minimum standards; inspection & ratings; outcome measurement; price/costing datasets; interoperability & data trusts | Regulators, payers, providers | Public dashboards; accreditation; PROMs/PREMs | OECD health/LTC stats traditions; EU data spaces work |
Elder Justice, Legal & Safeguarding (emerging) | Financial guardianship; POA/advance directives; anti-fraud/abuse; supported decision-making | Governments, courts, legal aid, households | Legal planning kits; abuse hotlines; ombuds services | Incorporated in many national ageing strategies; UN principles |
Transportation & Mobility Services (emerging) | Accessible public transport; demand-responsive/ride-hail; patient transport; micro-mobility adapted for seniors | Municipalities, health systems, households | Paratransit; medical transport; escorted rides | Age-friendly cities frameworks; EU accessible mobility |
End-of-Life & Bereavement (emerging) | Advance care planning; palliative navigation; grief/bereavement services; estate admin support | Health systems, insurers, households, employers | ACP toolkits; grief counseling; benefits navigation | WHO palliative care guidance; employer benefits playbooks |
Age-Friendly Cities & Infrastructure (emerging) | Public space design; benches/lighting; toilets; signage; heat resilience; retail/service accessibility | Municipalities, developers, CSR | Age-friendly audits; universal design upgrades | WHO Age-Friendly Cities; EU urban inclusion |
Education & Lifelong Work (nascent) | Upskilling for encore careers; digital/work retraining; senior entrepreneurship | Governments, NGOs, platforms | Short courses; job matching; micro-credentials | UN healthy ageing; OECD lifelong learning |
Starting point for India's eldercare...
Using the above categorisation (ref: Table 2) as the reference frame, we initiated mapping of the Indian eldercare ecosystem (components, policies related to supporting and sustaining life of older adults - senior citizens). While the detailed Eldercare Taxonomy is outside the scope of this feature, the two tables (Table 3 & 4) below, help set the frame. The first, maps what exists (policy instruments and observed market segments), the second table proposes some components, together presenting a potential India taxonomy to serve as a shared map for India’s eldercare economy shaping efforts. (The tables are representatives and not exhaustive - only few critical anchors have been mentioned). Together these tables also provide a glimpse of what already exists and where more work is required.
For more details on the Silver Shift Taxonomy for eldercare - track the release of the ABCs of Eldercare Taxonomy - an interactive tool for policymakers and other key stakeholders. Launch Scheduled for February 2026. All updates will be available at the Caring Futures Hub & The Silver Shift Hub here
As shown in Table 3 below, India has the pieces, some hidden, some at a nascent stage, some maturing, some not yet explored. These components span across health packages, pensions, retirement housing guidelines, mobility aids, digital platforms, but the underlying map that can build a system does not exist.
Policy anchors exist — NPHCE, NSAP, AVYAY, and MoHUA guidelines set the rails
Markets follow policy signals, but remain urban, fragmented, and often unaffordable
Integration is absent — sectors operate in silos, without a unified eldercare framework
Unpaid care dominates the system, largely invisible but essential
Without a taxonomy, eldercare remains fragmented: a couple of schemes here, a private sector or startup pilot there, invisible unpaid care, predominantly by women everywhere.
But building a coherent eldercare ecosystem in India will take more than a patchwork of schemes and market experiments.
Table 3. Eldercare Economy in India - Current Policy and Market Segments
Note: Senior citizen/Older Adults 👉 Indians aged 60+ (MWPSC Act, 2007)
Category (Global Taxonomy Anchor) | Policy / Public Instruments in India | Market Segments in India |
|---|---|---|
Long-Term Care | National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) service packages across facility levels; eSanjeevani national telemedicine platform | Home health services, rehabilitation, palliative care packages (emerging in metros), teleconsultation bundles |
Housing & Independent Living | MoHUA Model Guidelines for Development and Regulation of Retirement Homes (2019) | Assisted living residences(mainly in in Tier-1 cities), retrofit services (nascent), smart-home safety systems (nascent), private retirement communities; independent senior living; |
Financial Security & Insurance | National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) social pensions (central floor with state top-ups) - with IGNOAPS pensions; Reverse Mortgage Loan scheme (NHB) | Senior health plans, annuities, pension products, reverse-mortgage payouts (limited uptake); financial planning services (nascent/pilots) for care costs; private LTC insurance (limited) |
Assistive Devices & Technologies | Rashtriya Vayoshri Yojana (RVY) provides free free assistive devices for BPL seniors | Mature market for traditional mobility aids, smart-home devices/smart-home safety and monitoring tools (nascent) sensory aids; home-adaptation kits; fall-prevention devices (emerging) |
Digital Health & Connectivity | eSanjeevani telemedicine at scale; public digital rails referenced (NDHM/UHI context in prior inputs) | Remote patient monitoring devices; medication management tools; personal emergency response systems; senior-friendly phones and apps; caregiver coordination tools (nascent) |
Nutrition & Consumer Goods | No elder-specific food/nutrition support schemes; AVYAY umbrella for community-based day care and centres. AVYAY grants can fund senior day care centres where food/nutrition is delivered | Private brands offering fortified foods, diabetic and cardiac-friendly lines/products, senior meal services, tailored meal services; adaptive kitchen and daily-living aids (emerging/nascent) |
Daily Living & Household Support | Atal Vayo Abhyuday Yojana (AVYAY) covers community care and Elderline; municipal schemes vary, municipal schemes vary by state | Private domestic help, Paid in-home ADL/IADL support, at-home support services, emerging tech-enabled service aggregators - grocery and errands; home repairs & maintenance; tech-enabled platforms |
Mobility & Transport | Senior concessions in Indian Railways and some state bus systems(currently discontinued); Accessible India Campaign (Sugamya Bharat Abhiyan) | Ride-hailing services piloting senior-friendly features; limited accessible public transit, UberAssist-type services; escorted/ride-hail support |
Social Participation & Leisure | AVYAY-supported community centres and elder engagement; Elderline referrals | senior clubs and memberships;, digital literacy workshops, travel services (niche), Day centres; digital literacy and learning programmes; senior travel offerings |
Employer & Workplace Care Solutions | No formal policy mandate; no national eldercare-benefit mandate noted | Minimal employer-led eldercare services; limited insurance-linked workplace benefits, Employer-paid or subsidised eldercare services; navigation/concierge bundles; insurance-linked care benefits (early stage) |
Workforce & Unpaid Care Support | NSDC skill standards for General Duty Assistants and Home Health Aides; MOSPI Time Use Survey recognises unpaid care | Caregiver training modules; NGO-led training; family-care toolkits; respite-care packages; caregiver mental-health services; caregiver support tech & respite-care pilots (nascent), family caregiver toolkits (nascent) |
Care Navigation & Marketplaces | Elderline (under AVYAY) for information/referral; SAGE market-shaping pilots referenced | Aggregators/directories; eligibility/referral helplines; benefits navigation (growing) |
Quality, Data & Outcomes | MOSPI Time Use Survey (unpaid care); digital health rails referenced for data flows | Public/market dashboards and provider listings |
Elder Justice, Legal & Safeguarding | Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 (MWPSC Act) | Legal planning/POA and elder-rights services |
End-of-Life & Bereavement | Palliative care embedded within NPHCE packages (as referenced); bereavement services not specified in inputs | Palliative/hospice services in metros (emerging) |
Age-Friendly Cities & Infrastructure | Accessibility/retrofit activity adjacent to housing; city-level initiatives not detailed | |
Education & Lifelong Work | Lifelong learning and digital literacy noted under social participation; encore/upskilling not detailed |
The table below (Table 4) lays out a potential Eldercare Taxonomy for India. It is not a map of what exists, that baseline is covered in Table 3 above, rather this is a reference structure India can use to align policies, shape investment, and account for both market and non-market contributions. Each category (C1–C16) represents a distinct pillar of the eldercare economy, tied to global anchors but relevant for India.
From Taxonomy to an Actionable roadmap - The Silver Shift Policymakers Matrix — a tool that translates India’s complex eldercare ecosystem into a short to medium term actionable roadmap. Mapped against 16 taxonomy categories identified here, the matrix identifies system gaps, assigns priorities, clarifies Union vs State potential actionable, and highlights practical policy levers and quick wins. It is designed to help policymakers move from analysis to action & facilitate the Silver Shift - from ageing crisis to ageing opportunity. Releasing Sep 23, 2025 - A short preview is available here
Why This Taxonomy Matters for India
This taxonomy gives India a starting architecture. It does three things,
Defines scope - clarifying what is part of the eldercare economy and what is not.
Builds comparability - aligning India with global definitions so that data, investments, and innovations can be benchmarked.
Enables accountability - making unpaid and invisible care visible in the economy.
By making categories explicit - from C1 Long-Term Care to C16 Lifelong Learning & Productive Ageing, India can begin to treat eldercare as a system, not a set of disconnected programmes, schemes or pilots.
Table 4. Proposed Eldercare Economy Taxonomy for India - Components & Sub-Segments
ID | Category | Inclusions (Concrete Components of the Eldercare Segment in India) | Also found in |
|---|---|---|---|
C1 | Long-Term Care in India | Geriatric OPD/clinics; hospital geriatrics units; post-acute & step-down care; rehabilitation & physiotherapy centres; dementia assessment & memory clinics; geriatric psychiatry; home-based nursing & personal care; community day-care & respite centres; residential long-term care; hospice & specialist palliative teams; wound & continence clinics; falls and frailty clinics; multidisciplinary care planning aligned to ADL/IADL needs; care quality auditing/inspection services. | OECD LTC definitions; WHO ICOPE; Japan LTCI; Australia aged-care service modes |
C2 | Senior Housing & Independent Living in India | Independent senior living communities; assisted-living residences; memory-care units; continuing-care/CCRC models; affordable senior rentals; co-living & intergenerational housing; age-friendly home retrofits (bathroom safety, ramps, railings); universal design certification; smart-home safety/monitoring packages. | EU Silver Economy framework; Australia housing & home-mods guidance; AARP housing benchmarks |
C3 | Senior Financial Security, Care Plan Financing & Insurance in India | Contributory pensions & annuities; pension drawdown products; long-term care (LTC) insurance; health plans with chronic/dementia riders; disease-specific income protection; reverse mortgages/equity release; prepaid care packages/subscriptions; elder-focused financial advisory; fraud-risk monitoring & safe-banking services; micro-insurance for home-care episodes. | OECD ageing & finance; EU silver-economy consumption; The Holding Co. care-economy product lenses; AARP longevity finance |
C4 | Assistive Devices & Mobility Aids in India | Mobility aids (wheelchairs, walkers, canes); transfer & lifting aids (hoists, slide sheets); seating & pressure-care (cushions, mattresses); bathroom safety (grab bars, shower chairs, raised seats); low-vision aids (magnifiers, CCT lighting, talking devices); hearing devices & loops; communication & memory aids (reminder clocks, large-button phones, AAC); orthopedic supports & prosthetics; incontinence products; home adaptation kits; repair & maintenance services. | WHO Priority Assistive Products List; EU assistive-tech reports |
C5 | Digital Health & AgeTech in India | Teleconsultation platforms; remote patient monitoring (vitals, glucose, ECG); fall detection & PERS; medication adherence tech (dispensers, reminders); care-team/caregiver coordination apps; cognitive screening & digital therapeutics; senior-friendly devices & interfaces (voice, large UI); interoperable personal health records & caregiver proxy access. | WHO ICOPE digital enablement; AgeTech market maps; AARP tech & caregiving reports |
C6 | Nutrition & Senior Consumer Goods in India | Home-delivered meals & meal kits; medically tailored meals (diabetic, cardiac, renal); fortified staples & nutraceuticals; dysphagia-friendly textures; adaptive kitchenware & easy-grip utensils; hydration aids; home safety & hygiene consumables designed for seniors. | EU silver-economy consumption; FAO/healthy ageing nutrition lenses |
C7 | Elder Home Support & Daily Living Services in India | ADL support (bathing, dressing, toileting, feeding); IADL support (meal prep, laundry, cleaning, shopping, admin); companionship & check-in services; handyman & home maintenance; emergency concierge; multi-service home-care marketplaces & scheduling platforms; quality auditing & accreditation services for home support. | OECD “help at home” taxonomy; Australia community support menus |
C8 | Social Participation & Active Ageing in India | Community day centres & clubs; arts, culture & recreation programmes; evidence-based exercise (falls-prevention, balance, strength); intergenerational programmes; volunteering & mentoring registries; organised senior travel & accessible tourism; digital literacy hubs for older adults. | UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (Participation/Learning); EU silver-economy social/leisure |
C9 | Employer-Supported Eldercare Benefits in India | Paid/unpaid caregiver leave; flexible work & scheduling; back-up/emergency care access; employer-paid/subsidised eldercare insurance; workplace care navigation & case management; caregiver Employee Assistance (EAP) add-ons; benefits platforms for selecting vetted care providers. | The Holding Co. employer care benefits; BCG employer care analyses; AARP work & caregiving |
C10 | Caregiving Workforce & Family Care in India | Professional roles & providers: personal care aides, home health aides, geriatric nurses, therapists (PT/OT/SLT), social workers, care managers; training & certification pathways; staffing & rostering platforms; family-caregiver training kits & helplines; peer support groups; short-break in-home respite; counselling for caregivers; competency standards & accreditation. | ILO 5R care framework; OECD LTC workforce; WHO care workforce guidance |
C11 | Mobility & Transport Solutions for Seniors in India | Low-floor/accessible public transport; step-free metro/rail access & priority seating; escorted/assisted travel services; demand-responsive community transport; paratransit; door-to-door medical transport; older-driver screening & refresher training; vehicle adaptations; pedestrian safety (longer crossing times, tactile paving, benches, lighting). | WHO Age-Friendly Cities (Transport); ITF/OECD ageing & mobility; AARP mobility guides |
C12 | Care Navigation & Integration in India | Single front-door digital portals; needs assessment & triage tools; care coordinators/case managers; multidisciplinary care plans; referral management across health, housing & social support; discharge planning & transitions of care; benefits navigation and service brokerage; provider directories & quality ratings. | Singapore AIC integration model; OECD integrated care pathways; WHO person-centred care |
C13 | Elder Justice & Safeguarding in India | Elder abuse helplines & case response; adult-safeguarding teams; legal aid for seniors; guardianship & supported-decision services; power-of-attorney & advance directive facilitation; financial-abuse prevention & secure-banking products; ombudsman/inspection for care homes; rights & redress mechanisms. | UN Principles for Older Persons; WHO elder abuse framework; global elder justice networks |
C14 | End-of-Life & Palliative Care in India | Home-based palliative care; hospital palliative consult teams; residential hospice; symptom management clinics; advance care planning (ACP) tools & registries; bereavement & grief services; caregiver support specific to end-of-life; culturally competent communication protocols. | WHO palliative care guidance; EAPC standards; OECD end-of-life care |
C15 | Age-Friendly Cities & Infrastructure in India | Universal design standards in public buildings; accessible sidewalks & crossings; curb cuts & tactile wayfinding; public toilets & rest areas; safe lighting & seating; age-friendly parks & community spaces; accessibility audits & certification; inclusive public information/kiosks. | WHO Global Network of Age-Friendly Cities; UN-Habitat ageing & public space; EC urban ageing guidance |
C16 | Lifelong Learning & Productive Ageing in India | Adult education & skills refresh; digital literacy programmes; senior entrepreneurship & incubation; return-to-work/encore career services; structured skill-sharing & mentoring platforms; community training hubs; recognition of prior learning for older workers. | OECD lifelong learning; UNESCO adult learning; AARP productive ageing |
From Taxonomy to Action - The Next Step
This taxonomy gives us a clearer map of India’s eldercare economy. But a taxonomy alone is not enough. India’s eldercare economy is aspirational rather than architectural. Some categories (like C1 Long Term Care and C4 Assistive Devices) have policy scaffolding and emerging markets. Others (like C10 Employer-Supported Eldercare and C11 Caregiving Workforce) remain largely absent.
The next step would be to examine the gaps and opportunities within this taxonomy:
What are the gaps that need to be plugged?
What are the opportunity pathways for different stakeholder groups that can shape a functional equitable eldercare system in India?
What can be done over the next 12 - 18 months - in other words where are the quick wins that could accelerate the eldercare ecosystem?
We answer these questions specifically for each identified stakeholder group, through a combination of features and tools, starting with The Silver Shift Policymakers Matrix - a tool that, guided by the Eldercare Taxonomy proposed here, translates India’s complex eldercare ecosystem into a short to medium term actionable roadmap.
A preview of what to expect in the Silver Shift PolicyMakers Matrix. A sample entry for Taxonomy Category ID 01 - Long Term Care shown here
Table 5: Sample entry from the Silver Shift Policymaker's Matrix
Taxonomy category | 01 Long Term Care (LTC) |
|---|---|
Current Gaps |
|
Gap Redressal Priority | 🔴 Red (urgent) |
Central Government |
|
State Governments |
|
Quick Wins (12–18 months) |
|
Tags |
Next up in The Silver Shift!
👉 Sept 23, 2025 | Feature 2 - Eldercare Policy Landscape - Where India stands, and where it must go &
👉 Sept 23, 2025 | Tool 1 - The Silver Shift Policymakers Matrix
👉 Feb 28, 2026 | Tool 2 - The ABCs of Eldercare Taxonomy
With the taxonomy laid out, current scope and challenges identified (through this 3 part opening article), we turn to India’s eldercare policy and governance frameworks, exploring how current policies are framed, where they fall short, how they compare globally, and what is urgently needed to embed aspirations into a working functional equitable system….
