Social Security Measures for Elderly Population in Delhi, India: Awareness, Utilization and Barriers

Disability Assessment in Geriatric Psychiatry and Social Welfare Measures in Geropsychiatry in India

BACKGROUND

Rising population of elder people and associated rise in health problems, frailty and disabilities have significant socioeconomic and health care implications. Mental health related disability contributes significantly in the global disability statistics and is an important health and quality of life indicator. Assessment of disabilities in elderly is essential part of routine evaluation, further it also helps the clinicians in identifying current functional status and choosing and monitoring therapeutic interventions and need for social welfare schemes.

METHODS

In order to understand the process of disability assessment in geriatric psychiatry and to gather information about social welfare schemes a literature review in Google Scholar and PubMed electronic database, and website of various ministries under Government of India was done, using developed key search terms for articles published up to February 2021. The identified eligible articles were reviewed for ideas and concepts, which were then integrated and categorized under broader themes. Finally, the broad categories were discussed briefly based on the above framework.

RESULTS

Review findings are summarized under the following headings: concept of ageing and disability, assessment of disability, process of certification, and social welfare schemes.

CONCLUSIONS

The process of disability assessment comprises of comprehensive clinical evaluation, use of standardized rating instruments and disability certification wherever warranted or asked for. It is now being acknowledged worldwide by provisions of various social welfare benefits, that living with disability and increased care needs should be an integral part of definition of successful ageing.

Awareness and utilization of social welfare schemes by elderly persons residing in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi

Background:

Demographic transition increased the proportion of elderly in India. Elderly persons experience increased economic dependency for their day-to-day existence. The Government of India provides monetary benefit through social welfare schemes. Health outcomes of the elderly improve when they are economically independent. We aimed to assess the awareness and utilization of social welfare schemes among elderly persons in an urban resettlement colony of Delhi.

Materials and Methods:

This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted from February to May 2018. Two specially recruited interviewers administered the self-developed semi-structured interview schedule. It consisted of sociodemographic data, awareness, and utilization of various schemes.

Results:

A total of 931 [416 (37.4%) males and 515 (55.3%) females] participants completed the interview. Of the total, 809 (86.9%) participants were aware of at least one social welfare scheme. Participants utilizing any of the social welfare schemes were 393 (42.2%). Females utilized the social welfare schemes almost twice as compared to males (AOR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.1–2.6). Participants aged 75 years and above had four times higher utilization of social welfare schemes compared to 60–64 years age group (AOR = 3.9, 95% CI: 2.4–6.4).

Conclusion:

Although the awareness of social welfare schemes among elderly persons was good, their utilization has scope for significant improvement. Focus is needed on elderly males and among the younger elderly persons.