Is India's health care system prepared for memory care?

Hindustan Times

a day ago

India's demographic landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, bringing into sharp focus an urgent, yet largely overlooked, health care challenge: the lack of scientifically structured memory care for persons with neuro-degenerative disorders. Rising life expectancy and a growing elderly population has led to an unprecedented rise in known cases of dementia and Parkinson's. This surge presents a formidable challenge for India's healthcare system, which is still evolving rapidly to meet the complex, long-term needs of those living with progressive neurological conditions affecting memory, cognition and movement. Low awareness, stigma, and the subsequent absence of proactive and timely intervention can only intensify the burden on patients, caregivers, families, and even the nation's economy.
Today, India faces the staggering reality that over 8.8 million individuals live with dementia, with the number expected to double by the year 2050. Unlike other chronic illnesses, neuro-degenerative disorders, such as dementia and Parkinson's, necessitate specialised, long-term care that extends beyond traditional lines of treatment. Such care involves holistic, patient and family centred neuro-palliative support that integrates support for activities of daily living, physiotherapy, speech therapy, psycho-social support, well-coordinated multidisciplinary medical care, and advance care planning. However, as India's senior care sector is still in a nascent stage, the country lacks adequate memory care facilities, trained professionals, and structured intervention programmes. Only about 18,000 senior living units currently exist in the country, which translates to roughly a 1% penetration rate . And that too is largely concentrated in tier 1 cities. And memory care units, offering specialized care for dementia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, are part of a growing gamut of specialised care offerings within this ecosystem. The shortage of memory care facilities means that families, often untrained in caregiving, become the primary support system, oftentimes even for medical care, leading to emotional and financial strain, in addition to sub-optimal patient care.
In this context, it could be helpful to look at how several countries with aging populations have acknowledged memory care as an essential component of health care planning. Japan, for instance, has fostered dementia-friendly communities by training local citizens to support individuals with cognitive decline. The Netherlands has pioneered dementia villages, enabling residents to maintain independence while receiving specialised care. These models underscore how structured, government-driven programmes could significantly ease the impact of neuro-degenerative disorders.
Memory care is not simply a subcategory of geriatric care. As a society, we will need to understand that it is a dedicated discipline that requires tailored solutions and focused attention. Unlike general aging-related health issues, memory disorders manifest in unpredictable ways, involving significant behavioural, emotional, psychological, and sometimes even physical changes. Patients may suffer from disorientation, aggression, or paranoia, behaviours that demand a far more nuanced, hands-on approach than general eldercare.
Memory care, therefore, is a specialised form of long-term care designed specifically to meet the needs of individuals with Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and other neuro-degenerative conditions. Memory care adopts a holistic approach that combines medical support with cognitive therapy, behavioural therapy, structured routines, memory games, emotional engagement, and environmental modifications. Its primary goal is to not just try and delay symptom progression but to enhance quality of life with safety, and dignity.
The care journey for individuals with memory-related illnesses is long and progressively complex, evolving from basic support with daily activities to advanced neuro and palliative care calling for specially trained staff. Grouping memory care with standard geriatric services can lead to an under-appreciation of the complexity and risks involved leaving both patients and caregivers unsupported. Recognising memory care as a unique health care need would have to be the first step toward crafting appropriate interventions and support structures for our seniors.
The burden of having to navigate the incredibly challenging responsibility of looking after a loved one with a declining motor function, cognition, as well as other bodily functions, including ability to swallow and eat, more often than not, leads to caregiver fatigue, which remains a largely unaddressed issue in India. The prolonged nature of the disease, the financial burden, combined with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and apathy, makes it even worse for the caregivers. This can also inadvertently trigger mental health struggles for the caregivers themselves, also affecting their quality of life.
Despite these challenges, public awareness on the need to engage trained professionals for care giving remains low. Dementia is still widely misunderstood, often dismissed as a normal part of aging rather than a serious medical condition. The stigma associated with cognitive decline further delays diagnosis and intervention, exacerbating the problem. Without structured policies, workforce training, and financial mechanisms to support families, India is heading toward a health care crisis that will only intensify.
Addressing India's memory care gap necessitates a multi-pronged, phased and scalable approach that integrates both systemic and community-driven solutions. Memory care must achieve formal recognition within India's health care and senior care policies. Such policy integration is not only essential for securing funding for government-backed facilities and insurance coverage, but also crucial for establishing standardised care protocols, promoting dedicated research, and creating financial tools to support families. Notably, the Indian government has initiated several programs such as the National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE) and Tele-MANAS, aiming to improve geriatric and mental health care access, including for memory-related conditions. Which is a vital first step. In conjunction with policy recognition, investment in training and workforce development is crucial.
Furthermore, fostering public-private partnerships can drive the development of innovative solutions. Collaboration between the government, the private sector, and non-profit organisations can help reduce the barriers to memory care homes. In addition to these systemic changes, this is an opportunity for India Inc. to step forward and play a meaningful, pivotal role, be it through funding, infrastructure creation, offering holistic assisted senior care services or supporting innovations in tech-enabled home care.
Already, we are seeing companies introduce technological solutions driving advancements in the memory care space. Wearables like smartwatches detect incidence of fall, alerts caregivers and could have comprehensive health monitoring capabilities and live location tracking etc. Some start-ups have introduced Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered dementia care platforms that offer personalised cognitive support and remote monitoring for older adults. These tech and digital advancements are making memory care for elders more proactive, personalised and accessible, thereby changing the trajectory of geriatric care in India.
This article is authored by Ishaan Khanna, CEO, Antara Assisted Care Services.