Climate crisis deepens vulnerability of India's elderly, new report finds

By Rajiv Shah    

A new study released by HelpAge India reveals that more than three-fourths of older persons in rural India have experienced climate-related hazards in the past three years, with those living alone, widows, and persons with disabilities facing the most severe risks to their health, livelihoods, and dignity.

The report, titled "Climate Resilient Ageing: Ensuring Care, Dignity & Agency," surveyed 2,224 older persons across 10 states and 20 districts, combining quantitative data with in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. It provides the most comprehensive evidence to date on how slow-onset climate stressors are reshaping the lives of India's rapidly growing elderly population.

According to the report, 78 percent of respondents experienced at least one climate-related hazard during the previous three years, with heatwaves (45 percent), flooding (27 percent), and drought (20 percent) being the most common. Among those exposed, 37 percent reported moderate or severe impacts.

"Older persons are disproportionately affected by climate change because ageing is often associated with declining mobility, chronic illnesses, sensory impairments, reduced adaptive capacity and greater dependence on care systems," the report notes. "Environmental stressors such as prolonged heat exposure, water scarcity, drought and coastal salinity can intensify existing health conditions."

Yet the study finds that age alone does not determine vulnerability. Using an "Intersectional Place Perspective" framework, the researchers demonstrate that risk is shaped by the convergence of multiple factors—gender, widowhood, disability, poverty, living arrangements, and geographic location.

The Care Crisis: Family Under Strain

Nearly half (46 percent) of respondents report at least one long-term impairment limiting daily activities, with mobility difficulties (32 percent) and vision impairment (24 percent) most common. While 94 percent of older persons receive care from family members—primarily sons, spouses, and daughters-in-law—the study reveals significant gaps.

Among older persons living alone—13 percent of the sample—38 percent depend on neighbours or community members for care, 20 percent rely on family members living elsewhere, and 16 percent receive no care at all.

"My children are staying in Mumbai, my wife and I are alone... we take care of ourselves," a 70–79-year-old man from Bihar told researchers.

Widows face particular hardship. "No matter how many children you have... it won't be the same. When my husband was alive... it was fine. Now, with our children, we feel like we are standing under a barren tree," one widow from Kerala said.

The report finds that 92 percent of older persons have a personal monthly income below ₹10,000, and 77 percent experienced at least one financial hardship in the past year. Most alarmingly, 52 percent reported being unable to afford medicines.

Despite high pension awareness (71 percent), coverage remains uneven. A widow from Madhya Pradesh told researchers: "The main issue is that we are not getting any money. Our widow's pension also stopped coming. We used to get 600 rupees, but even that stopped."

Health Systems Falling Short

While 88 percent of respondents report some access to healthcare, only 35 percent say they can always access care when needed. Barriers include difficulty travelling to facilities (49 percent), high treatment costs (41 percent), and long distances (38 percent).

"Even if we want to go to the hospital, we don't feel like going in the sun; the heart doesn't feel like it. We feel dizzy," a 70–79-year-old man from Andhra Pradesh reported.

Despite these challenges, the report identifies multiple sources of resilience. Family support remains the strongest pillar, followed by community networks, savings, and government assistance. The study's Composite Resilience Index—which measures resilience across physical, economic, social, health, institutional, and environmental dimensions—shows a score of 57.1 out of 100, with 75 percent of respondents falling into the moderate-to-high resilience category.

However, significant disparities persist. Older persons living alone, those with poor health or cognitive difficulties, and financially dependent individuals consistently show lower resilience scores.

Policy Recommendations

The report calls for a fundamental shift from hazard-centred responses toward people-centred, age-inclusive resilience systems. Key recommendations include:

- Strengthening climate-resilient healthcare and care systems for older persons

- Expanding social protection and increasing pension adequacy

- Developing age-inclusive early warning and disaster preparedness systems

- Promoting climate-resilient housing with improved ventilation and cooling

- Establishing targeted support for high-risk groups, including widows, persons living alone, and those with disabilities

"Climate resilience for older persons is fundamentally an issue of ageing, health, care, social protection and environmental justice rather than disaster exposure alone," the report concludes.

With India's elderly population projected to rise from approximately 149 million in 2022 to 347 million by 2050, the report warns that inaction will have severe consequences. "Many older persons are more frequently affected by slow-onset and low-intensity hazards that gradually erode health, livelihoods, mobility, housing conditions and social support systems."

The findings carry particular urgency as India experiences increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves, erratic monsoons, and extreme weather events linked to climate change.