Building climate resilience for elderly: Addressing vulnerabilities and policy recommendations
A HelpAge India study highlights that senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to climate change, experiencing both sudden shocks and slow-onset stresses. Factors like financial capacity, living alone, gender, age, poor health, and insecure housing exacerbate their risk. The study emphasizes an "Intersectional Place Perspective" to understand how these factors interact, making uneducated, poor, widowed elderly women most vulnerable. Recommendations include layered responses at household and community levels, such as storing food/water, improving shelter, and community support networks. Policy suggestions include climate-resilient healthcare, expanded social protection, better disaster preparedness, and targeted support for high-risk groups, advocating a shift from 'hazard-centred' to 'people-centred' systems.
Key Points
- Senior citizens are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts, including both sudden shocks and slow-onset stresses.
- Vulnerability is exacerbated by factors like financial dependence, living alone, poor health, and insecure housing.
- The study advocates for a "people-centred" approach, shifting from 'hazard-centred' to 'people-centred' systems to address the specific needs of the elderly.
- Recommendations include layered resilience strategies at household and community levels, and policy changes for climate-resilient healthcare and social protection.
Exam Facts
- The study was conducted by HelpAge India.
- The older population in India is projected to rise to about 347 million by 2050 (from 149 million in 2022).
- Anupama Datta, Head, Policy Research & Advocacy, HelpAge India, led the research.
- Soumya Swaminathan, chairperson, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation, Chennai, also contributed.
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