New Delhi, Aug. 1 -- Experts at the National Conference on Ageing in India on Friday called for urgent measures to professionalise the caregiver workforce and strengthen mental health services for the elderly, stressing that India faces a severe gap in both formal and family-based care.

The session, part of the National Conference on Ageing in India organised by Sankala Foundation, was supported by NITI Aayog, the Ministry of Social Justice, and the National Human Rights Commission.

Speaking at a session on "Health and Mental Wellbeing of the Elderly," chaired by former UPSC Chairperson and former Health Secretary Preeti Sudan, panellists highlighted that caregiving remains a largely informal, underpaid sector despite the rising needs o...