Considering the growing rate of aging population as a grave issue to be addressed in Kerala a pilot intervention on Elderly Inclusion was launched in the year 2015-16 under NRLP (National Rural Livelihood Project). The project was launched as a pilot intervention in two blocks Namely Mulamthuruthy Block of Ernakulam and Chavara Block of Kollam covering 5 villages.

Project has been given a new dimension this year by adding 6 more villages namely Panmana & Thevalakkara of Kollam District and Amballoor, Chottanikkara Udayamperoor, and Maneedu of Ernakulam districts.

So far the 562 ENHGs were formed covering 10096 families. The project so far could not only focus on physical and psychological wellbeing of elders but also opened wide opportunities for financial self-sufficiency also.

In the present scenario where Keralais all set to witness a demographic transition with a rise in the proportion of aged in the total population along with declining growth rate of the population, mobilizing the elderly into a platform to tackle the multiple dimensions and manifestations of poverty, holistically, through concerted community action has paramount importance. The care of elderly has turned out to be a major developmental issue in Kerala. As a pilot intervention to address this issue the elderly inclusion program would mainly focus on

  • Mobilization of elderly in to Neighbourhood Groups
  • Mapping of vulnerabilities through a participatory process at the community level with will help identification of active, assisted and destitute elders
  • To ensure an income for active and assisted elders though livelihood programmes
  • To provide social and psychological support for elderly
  • To create a system for protecting the rights of elders at panchayath level