Care Home Guidance
This document is the first in the series of suggestions on developing the National Standards in India for Elderly Care (Aged Care, Assisted Living, Long Term Care).
The primary objective of these suggestions is to develop National Level guidelines and standards which are implementable for the welfare of Older Persons in India along with the required infrastructure to implement the same.
The suggested National Standards for Elderly Care Homes can be referred by Central Government, State Governments, Civil Society and Private Sector to develop guidelines and standards.
Individuals, Companies, NGOs and philanthropists who are interested or involved with the Elderly Care sector may like to read this document and share their feedback.
Health and Social Care needs of older people are diverse and often complex. Senior citizens have multiple factors related to health and well-being which needs to be addressed across all economic strata. While there are many different National Minimum Standards which are followed by socially developed countries, however it is important that India develops its own set of practical and implementable standards.
Care delivery should be delivered by multidisciplinary teams, who are qualified in understanding the care needs of older people. There is an urgent need to review and evaluate the existing policies in consultation with concerned stakeholders with a focus on integrated planning and developing an optimal mix of services which meets the diverse needs of the Indian Elderly.
The suggested standards and guidelines are in no way to be construed as exhaustive or exclusive. It is envisaged that these guidelines should be used in conjunction with the existing Legislative Acts, National Policies, Schemes and Programs of Central and State governments.
The recommended standards have been designed to help all stakeholders to deliver high quality care for older people irrespective of the State or the ruling Government. The framework recommends service delivery through 15 chapters.
