With a view to driving home the significance of improving quality of life among senior citizens in India, Janseva Foundation, a local NGO, has taken up a research project based on a sample of 1500 senior citizens residing in a cluster of 40 villages in the vicinity of Ambi near Panshet dam. The project is headed by former World Health Organisation (WHO) advisor and former director of medical education and research (DMER) in Maharashtra Dr Gururaj Mutalik, and aims at surveying the problems faced by old people in rural Maharashtra and suggesting solutions for a way forward.

The research will be held in its first phase over a period of 18 months, and will be inaugurated by University of Pune Vice Chancellor Narendra Jadhav on Thursday. As part of the project, a detailed health and disability profile will be acquired of each elderly person. This would include screening by medical professionals and community health workers, as well as laboratory investigations.

The aim will be to study a variety of aspects including the family and socio-economic structure, education, government and other services available and their utilisation. The impact of demographic patterns including migration will be emphasised in the study. "Migration to cities due to rapid urbanisation is a major contributor to the problems of the elderly, as youth leave their ageing parents behind when they leave for the city," said Mutalik.

Surveys and personal interviews will be carried out using questionnaires designed on the lines of the Study of Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) by the WHO, with data inputs from volunteers and experts from the Janseva Foundation, which has been conducting preliminary surveys and various projects for the elderly in urban and rural areas.

"India is said to have a demographic edge over other countries like Japan and China because of its young population. But this demographic potential cannot be sustained for very long. Meanwhile, the ageing population will not remain static, and is expected to rise to nearly 177 million by the year 2025. In this scenario, it is necessary to ensure that this population is productive," explained Mutalik.

While the emphasis in the first phase will be on scientific data collection and analysis in a small part of Maharashtra, the project will move on to other parts of Maharashtra in its second phase, based on the model project in Ambi. "There will be dynamic intervention based on research, wherein Janseva Foundation will set up a hub to promote programmes for the elderly including health camps, vocational training, recreational activities and so on. The survey will study the impact of these programmes in order to devise further course of action," said Mutalik.