Abstract
A population is called ageing when the proportion of aged 60 or 65 years is increasing in total population. This is a dynamics of decline in fertility and mortality which may be modified by migration of young population in a specific geographical region. To understand the condition of the aged, the study relied on different official secondary data sources. National Capital Territory of Delhi is the capital of India and while coping with globalization, the city has experienced large amount of growth in creation of economic opportunities which has attracted a large number of young male migrants. It has provided the region a relatively young age structure with lesser proportion of aged population than the country’s average. Elderly sex ratio also, which otherwise favours females is favouring males in this region. Commensurating with previous studies it is observed that even in the capital city, women headship is low when they are in the union and they get headship of the household with increase in age and mostly when they are not in the union. Living arrangement is distressing where nearly 2 % of the households are exclusively all-aged households irrespective of the number of persons in the household. Little less than half (46 %) of the male elderly in 60–69 age group are working as main worker, which is extremely high. This has reduced the number of economically dependents in Delhi. However, it is important to mention that proportion of pensioner is also quite higher in Delhi than country as a whole. High work participation may be linked with the lesser morbidity of the Delhi’s elderly where both the incidence and rate of hospitalization are substantially low. However, surveys have observed that crime against the elderly is much higher in Delhi than it is in many other urban centres in India. Delhi Government has shown its concern in this and taken initiative to address the same. However, a comprehensive database focusing on elderly is required for Delhi as it is experiencing fast change.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The Census of India 2001 has defined ‘Head of the household’ as one who was recognized to be so by the household. In such a person vests the chief responsibility of managing affairs of the household as also the decision making on behalf of the household. Thus, the title implies for its holder a status in the society and supremacy in the household.
References
Alam, M., Yadav, P. (2013). Building Knowledge Base on Population Ageing in India: Status of Elderly in Punjab, 2011 (India: UNFPA), December 2013.
Arokiasamy, P. et.al. (2010). Longitudinal Ageing Study in India: An investigation of the health, social and economic well-being of India’s growing elderly population. IIPS, Harvard School of Public Health, RAND Corporation
Ashok, B. T., & Ali, Rashid. (2003). Aging research in India. Experimental Gerontology, 38(6), 597–603.
Audinaryana, N., Sheela, J., & Kavitha, N. (1999). Living arrangements of the elderly women in a rural setting of South India: Patterns, differentials and determinants. International review of modern sociology, 29(2), 37–48.
Bloom, D.E. & Canning, D. (2008). Global Demographic Change: Dimensions and Economic Significance. In A. Prskawetz, D.E. Bloom & W. Lutz (Eds.), Population Ageing, Human Capital Accumulation, and Productivity Growth, Population Development Review, Supplement (Vol. 34)
Cain, Mead. (1986). The consequences of reproductive failure: dependence, mobility, and mortality among the elderly of rural South Asia. Population Studies, 40(3), 375–388.
Das, D.N. & Vemuri , M.D (2009). Gender Differences among Older persons: A Study Based on the 2001 Population Census of India. In Gender Issues in Develoment-Concerns for the 21st Century, eds. Bhaswati Das and Vimal Khawas. Jaipur: Rawat Publication
Das, D.N., Sweta, B. (2014). Magnatism in India’s Metros-A Study on migrants choice of destination. Social Change, 44 (4), 519–540.
Dowd, J.J. (1975). Aging as exchange: A preface to Theory. Journal of Gerontology, 584–594.
Elder Abuse & Crime in India. (2011). Help Age India. New Delhi.
Feldman, J.J. (1983). Work Ability of the Aged under Conditions of Improving Mortality. The Milbank Memorial Fund Quarterly. Health and Society, Special Issue: Aging: Demographic, Health, and Social Prospects(pp. 430–444).
Gee, E. M. (2000). Living arrangements and quality of life among Chinese Canadian elders. Social Indicators Research, 51(3), 309–329.
Golini, Antonio. (2003). Current demographic setting and the future of aging. The experience of some European countries. Genus, 59(1), 15–49.
Gulati, L., & Irudaya, R.S. (1999). The added years: Elderly in India and Kerala. Economic and political weekly, 34(44), 46–51.
Ham-Chande, R., Palloni, A., & Wong, R. (2009). Aging in developing countries: building bridges for integrated research agendas. IUSSP, Policy and Research Papers.
Helpage India. A Report on Elder Abuse and Crime in India. (2011). India (https://www.helpageindia.org/images/pdf/ElderAbuseCrimeIndia11.pdf)
Kim, I.K., & Kim, C. S. (2003). Patterns of family support and the quality of life of the elderly. Social Indicators Research, 62(1–3), 437–454.
Kramarow, E.A. (1995). The elderly who live alone in the United States: Historical perspectives on household change. Demography, 32(3), 335–352.
Kuntz, M.I., Garry, R.L. (1987). Status of the Elderly: An Extension of the Theory. Journal of Marriage and Family, 49(2), 413–420.
Kurek, S. (2014). Population ageing research from a geographical perspective-methodological approach. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series 8 (2007):2949.PedagogicalUniversityoCracow, http://www.bulletinofgeography.umk.pl/8_2007/S_Kurek.pdf (4 December 2014).
Lee, R.D. (2000) Intergenerational Transfers and the economic Life Cycle: A Cross Cultural perspective. In A. Mason and G. Tapinos (Eds.) Sharing the wealth: Demographic Change and Economic Transfers between Generations. Oxford University Press.
Martin, L.G. (1990). The status of South Asia’s growing elderly population. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 5(2), 93–117.
Mirkin, B., & Weinberger, M.B. (2001). The demography of aging population Population Bulletin of the United Nations, Living Arrangements of Older Persons. Special Issues No. 42/43, (2001): pp 37–53.
Mukherjee, D.(2008). Globalization without social protection: Challenges to aging societies across developing nations. The Global Studies Journal, 1(1), 225–241.
Nair, L. V. (2014). Ageing in India-A conceptual clarification in the background of globalization. European Scientific Journal, 10(2), 379–392.
ORGI. (2001).http://censusindia.gov.in/Data_Products/Data_Highlights/Data_Highlights_link/data_ highlights_D1D2D3.pdf (downloaded on 5 December 2014).
ORGI. (2006). Population projections for India and states 2001–2026—Report of the technical group on population projections constituted by the national commission on population. Government of India.
ORGI. (2011). http://www.censusindia.gov.in/2011census/hlo/HLO_Tables.html. Accessed on 5 December 2014.
ORGI. (2011). http://www.censusindia.gov.in/DigitalLibrary/TablesSeries2001.aspx. Accessed on 5 December 2014.
Parker, J.H. (1978). The Urbanism-Alienation Hypothesis: A Critique. International Review of Modern Sociology, 8(2), 239–244.
Preston, S. H. (1975). The changing relation between mortality and level of economic development. Population studies, 29(2), 231–248.
Rajan, S. Irudaya, U.S.M., & Sarma, P.S. (2001). Health concerns among India’s elderly. The International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 53(3), 181–194.
Rajan, S. Irudaya, & Sanjay, K. (2003). Living arrangements among Indian elderly: New evidence from national family health survey. Economic and Political Weekly, 38(1), 75–80.
Sivamurthy, M., Wadakannavar, A.R. (2001). Care and support for the elderly population in India: Results of a survey rural North Karnataka. 2001. Available: http://www.iussp.org/Brazil2001/s50/S55_P04_Sivamurthy.pdf.
Srivastava, V. (2010). Women Aging. New Delhi: Rawat Publications.
Supan-Axel Börsch & H. Jurges (2008). Changes in Health Status and Work Disability. In A. Börsch-Supan et al. (Eds.) Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (2004–2007)—Starting the Longitudinal Dimension (pp. 230–238). Mannheim: MEA.
Times of India. (2014). Delhi Development Authority plans to build 4,500 flats for the elderly, Times of India, November 5, 2014.
United Nations. (2002). Political Declaration and Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, Second World Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, Spain.
World Health Organisation. (2002). Active ageing: A Policy Framework. Geneva: UN.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer India
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Das, B. (2017). Condition of the Aged in National Capital Territory of Delhi. In: Acharya, S., Sen, S., Punia, M., Reddy, S. (eds) Marginalization in Globalizing Delhi: Issues of Land, Livelihoods and Health. Springer, New Delhi. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3583-5_21
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-81-322-3583-5_21
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, New Delhi
Print ISBN: 978-81-322-3581-1
Online ISBN: 978-81-322-3583-5
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)