Ageing in Indian Perspective

Ageing is an irreversible process. In the words of Seneca, “old age is an incurable disease”. More recently Sir James Sterling Ross commented, “you do not heal old age, you protect it, you promote it and you extend it”. Expectation of life at birth has increased in recent years. India has about 120 million elderly population with various problems ranging from socio-economic to psychological and physical and the number of elderly in India is projected to reach 158.7 million in 2025. The biggest aspiration of the elderly in India is to live independently with dignity. It is the duty of every citizen of India to help our elderly achieve this.