A growing number of older people in India are making financial and other vital life decisions independently and are being dubbed as solo agers.
Although a growing number of older people in India prefer to live alone for their social and financial independence, over 41 per cent of the respondents said in a survey that “solo ageing” has negatively impacted their mental and emotional health. According to a study by Agewell Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation, 46.9 per cent of the solo respondents said they were happy with their lives, while 41.5 per cent said they were unhappy.
The survey, titled “Study on Solo Aging with Special Focus on the Status of Older People Living Alone”, reported by PTI, covered 10,000 older persons, of which 41.9 per cent had been living alone for over five years. Of these people, 46.5 per cent were elderly women.
According to the study, over 31 per cent of the respondents have opted for solo living for financial and social independence, and 26.7 per cent live alone because the young family members have moved out. Around 21.5 per cent said they opted for solo ageing for privacy.
The study notes that while some people feel satisfied, solo living has its challenges. It can have a negative impact on mental health. According to the report, around 41 per cent of the respondents said it had a negative impact on their mental health and some 32 per cent felt an improvement.
Another factor impacting the elderly is loneliness. Of the total respondents, 35.6 per cent said loneliness is a major issue in solo ageing living. Around 10 per cent said they always feel lonely and nearly 21 per cent said they often feel lonely.
Regarding the effect of solo living on society, the study said, around 51 per cent said solo ageing has negatively impacted society and 28.5 per cent thought it had the opposite impact.
The study recommends enhanced healthcare services for elderly citizens, and more should be done for their emotional and financial well-being and protection.
Further, enhanced community engagement should be increased with the help of volunteer networks, using technology.
Himanshu Rath, founder chairman of the Agewell Foundation, said in the report, “There is an urgent need to sensitise younger family members towards the needs of elderly members and encourage inter-generational interactions so that both generations can prepare for a better tomorrow.”