| Consider this: There are more than 20 million NRI as | | | | at an age where traditionally all the worries especially |
| per a release from Morgan Stanley. Of these more | | | | of their health were left to their sons has left them |
| than 50% have moved out of India in the last 20 years | | | | struggling to find solutions. Gone are the days when |
| when globalization became an important driving force | | | | the only responsibility they had as grandparents was |
| for the world economy and Indian talent started getting | | | | to narrate a new story everyday for their |
| recognized world over. First it was the engineers and | | | | grandchildren. |
| doctors, then MBAs and software professionals. Now | | | | Career or Parents? |
| even Indian teachers, lawyers, nurses, practically | | | | So what can be done? Do we compromise our |
| everybody has career options outside India. | | | | careers and become caretakers of our elders? Or do |
| In this globalized world, the societal structures have | | | | we turn a blind eye on their problems and be happy to |
| changed so rapidly that it has left a lot to be desired in | | | | send a financial allowance to take care of their |
| terms of creating services that meet the challenges | | | | problems. Actually the problems of the elders are |
| for the globalized Indian and the parents of NRI. | | | | more to do with loneliness and assurance than only |
| Good Old Days! | | | | being financial. |
| Just to give you an example of this change, three | | | | To my mind, the best solution is to develop services |
| decades back when I was a child, we had one family | | | | that cater to the needs of the elderly in our country. |
| in the whole of the neighborhood who had their son | | | | Services that are reliable, trustworthy and meeting the |
| working abroad. In fact that was how even today we | | | | needs of the elderly. |
| refer to them whenever such discussions happen. | | | | For example, medical care is one of the key areas of |
| Also, there was only a single Ambassador car in the | | | | concern for both the elderly as well as their NRI |
| whole neighborhood and it was a matter of pride for | | | | children living abroad. However, till date there are not |
| the whole neighborhood's children to push it on every | | | | many healthcare organizations that cater to the |
| Sunday for it to start and get a free ride on it for a | | | | medical needs of the elderly. It is not that the NRI |
| few minutes. Each neighbor was known by name and | | | | parent need a super specialized doctor every time, but |
| everyone had time for everybody, I guess as they did | | | | wouldn't it be great to have a healthcare managers |
| not have 125 channels and no remote to flip through all | | | | who takes care of the medical needs of the elderly by |
| of them at least once a day. Chitrahar on | | | | organizing doctor visits at home, basic investigations as |
| Wednesdays and Sunday movie were perhaps the | | | | well as provide emergency assistance if required. |
| only occasions when you could find everyone inside | | | | NRI Parents Healthcare |
| their homes unless someone was particularly | | | | Healthcare firms have recently started to recognize |
| interested in Krishi Darshan too! Those were the days... | | | | this growing problem. There are now firms that are |
| Current Situation | | | | exclusively dedicated to providing medical services at |
| Now, we hardly know our neighbours, have so many | | | | home for family members of NRI. An interesting model |
| cars that the most neighbourhoods resemble car | | | | that is being followed is by providing avenues for the |
| parking lots, multiple TV sets to cater to the everyday | | | | NRI children to directly opt for medical plans for their |
| increasing channels with their own "Breaking News" | | | | parents through e-payment models. This not only |
| story and what not. Although the younger generation | | | | provides the adult children an avenue to contribute their |
| has rapidly adapted to the new India that is striving to | | | | bit for providing medical support for their parents back |
| become a world power, this change has not been so | | | | in the country but also provides a sense of relief for |
| kind for the elderly in the country. Our parents and | | | | the parents who are happy that their children take |
| elders in our society had actually never imagined in | | | | care of them, a notion that they have grown up with. |
| their wildest dreams to see such a situation. Although | | | | Many more such services are required that not only |
| most are proud that their wards are doing so well in | | | | provide convenience to our elders but also let the |
| their careers, but their inadequate preparation both | | | | involvement with their sons and daughters grow so |
| mental as well as financial to cater to a situation | | | | that a NRI can come back once in a while to a healthy |
| where they would be required to fend for themselves | | | | and a happy family back home. |