Kerala's Geriatric Population Will Touch 20 Percent by 2026

Kerala has a population of 3.30 crore. The proportion of the elderly in Kerala’s population, already the highest in India, is set to go up from 12 percent to 20 percent by 2026, an expert said.

“By 2026, the geriatric population in Kerala will touch 20 percent due primarily to demographic transition,” said Gopukrishnan Pillai, a geriatric care expert, at the launch of a healthcare clinic attached to Ananthapuri Hospitals and Research Institute.

‘The “demographic transition” in Kerala is characterized by increased life expectancy which stands at 74.1 years as compared the national average of 65 years.’

The current share of the elderly in the state’s population is 12 percent, compared to the national average of eight percent, Pillai said. The “demographic transition” in Kerala is characterized by increased life expectancy which stands at 74.1 years as compared to the national average of 65 years, Pillai said.

“Besides today there are lesser number of children in every family; achievements in the quality of life and migration are other reasons for the increase in the geriatric population of Kerala,” he said.

The state’s ageing population is giving rise to the social and personal problems similar to what an ageing West has been facing, he added.

Source: IANS