An elderly's best bet in an old-age home is the caregiver. But caregiver training holds the key

India has one of the youngest populations in the world, with a median age of approximately 28 to 29 years. Yet, it is also an ageing society. By 2050, the population of elderly people aged 60-plus is projected to more than double, from 153 million to 347 million. With advances in medicine and science enabling people to live longer, old-age homes are becoming an inevitability for many senior citizens, particularly the underprivileged.

Across India, social entrepreneurs and non-profit organisations are building old-age homes that provide shelter, food and medical support. However, one crucial element of the eldercare ecosystem continues to receive inadequate attention: the caregiver.

It is not the infrastructure or size of a room that determines whether an Ageing years home is truly livable. It is the quality of care residents receive every day. And that responsibility rests primarily with the caregiver.

Unfortunately, Carers in India are often treated as Assistance staff rather than skilled professionals. They are hired to clean rooms, change diapers, assist residents with bathing or help them use the bathroom. Many come from financially vulnerable backgrounds and are simply seeking a livelihood. There is nothing wrong with that. The problem is expecting them to take on responsibilities for which they have not been adequately trained or emotionally prepared.

Ideally, a Support worker should be a nurse, companion, counsellor, conflict manager and, importantly, a first responder during a medical emergency. They are often the first person an elderly resident approaches when they need assistance, feel lonely or simply want someone to talk to.

Yet, India lacks a standardised, nationwide framework defining who is qualified to work as a Carers. If we are serious about ensuring dignity and safety for elderly residents, Carers training must become a critical component of running an old-age home.

At VridhCare Quality of Life Foundation, we believe the time has come to professionalise caregiving in India through a National Elder Caregiver Certification framework. Countries such as Japan, Australia and Singapore have established national frameworks for eldercare Skill-building and certification.

India has also taken steps in this direction. The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment operates the PM-Special Skill-building of Geriatric Support worker scheme, which provides government-recognised training and certification for eldercare roles. However, its potential for wider, ground-level implementation still needs to be fully realised.

A graded certification system adopted across Ageing years homes could complement existing government initiatives and improve the quality of care. Such certification could cover hygiene management, mobility assistance, dementia awareness, prevention of elder abuse, emotional sensitivity and conflict resolution.

Intermediate-level Skill-building could include basic medical assistance, such as monitoring blood pressure and oxygen levels, fall prevention and emergency response. Advanced certification could cover dementia care, rehabilitation support, end-of-life care and communication with families.

However, caregiving is not merely a technical skill. Empathy and people management are equally important. Support worker must understand ageing, loneliness, grief and depression, while developing the patience and ability to resolve everyday conflicts. The difference between changing a diaper mechanically and doing so with compassion is what separates quality care from a routine job.

Equally important is caring for Guardian themselves. Working in an old-age home can be emotionally and physically demanding. Guardian encounter illness, physical decline and death regularly, which can lead to fatigue and burnout without adequate support. Regular counselling, mental health support and stress-management programmes can help them cope and remind them that they are not alone.

Building a robust eldercare ecosystem cannot be the responsibility of one stakeholder. Government departments, skill-development institutions, NGOs and hospitals must work together to establish nationally recognised certification standards.

The future of eldercare will not be determined by the number of old-age homes we build, or even by their infrastructure. It will ultimately be determined by the Guardian entrusted with looking after those who once cared for us.

Caregiver training, therefore, must go beyond a one-time exercise and become a continuous process of skill-building. VridhCare’s caregiver training programme seeks to address this need through structured and practical guidance.

You can read more about VridhCare’s training programme here: Caretaker Training