Aging & Social Change: Ninth Interdisciplinary Conference

Abstract

In a traditional country like India, children have always been the main source on which parents have depended on being cared for in their later years. However, this millennium, we have seen drastic changes taking place in the economy, society, and social norms, changing the conventional and traditional family setups. Migration of young persons to cities for work and families becoming nucleated is leading to a decline in filial care of the elderly. The condition of the elderly is further aggravated in light of the extension of the later years of one’s life. With the rise of individualism, even the new entrants into the elderly population want to assert their independence and live life on their own terms. Thus, to ensure a decent living it is important to plan for the old age by mobilizing and redistributing resources such as money, social support, and putting effort into self-care. In this study we see how coming generations of elderly plan on spending their later years, especially in terms of the changing socio-economic setting. Through the survey of persons aged 55-65 yrs old persons in Chennai, we look into the different approaches the new entrants employ in the planning for their ageing. The types of plans and strategies employed are examined by considering the six main domains of planning – living arrangements, finance, health, social interaction, legal, and leisure activities.