“I used to think ageing was something helpless,” said Wang Jing, a volunteer at Seagull Comprehensive Elderly Service Centre.
“But after working with these aunties, I’ve witnessed a different kind of retirement living. It’s made me look forward to my retirement with more hope.”
EQUIPPING CARERS BETTER
In India, one startup is already nurturing a new generation of professional geriatric carers — a crucial workforce for the country’s population of more than 150 million seniors, who largely prefer to age at home.
Many of these aspiring carers are young migrants from villages and small towns, drawn to cities in search of opportunity. Once hired, they are expected to adjust quickly to unfamiliar households and deliver efficient care.
“This job requires a tremendous emotional equilibrium,” said Ramakrishna Velamuri, the dean of Mahindra University’s School of Management. “To expect that from such young workers is quite unrealistic.”
That realisation inspired Anant Kumar and Priya Anant to leave their healthcare jobs and establish Life Circle Health Services, a Hyderabad-based eldercare company that equips trainees with practical and emotional skills.