State brings healthcare to seniors’ doorsteps

The state government is taking special measures to make healthcare services more accessible to senior citizens, health minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said on Wednesday, stating that 1.10 crore health check-ups were conducted for people aged above 60 during 2025-26.

In a statement on the eve of International Day of Older Persons observed on October 1, Thursday, the minister said the government was taking healthcare services to elderly people instead of waiting for them to visit hospitals.

Besides medical check-ups, services such as physiotherapy and rehabilitation were being provided from the village level to district hospitals. He said special geriatric services were being conducted every Thursday at primary health centres for people aged above 60. Those requiring advanced treatment were being referred to higher-level hospitals. Special geriatric wards had been established at district hospitals, while area hospitals in places without district hospitals were also providing such services.

According to the government, 1,10,01,508 health check-ups were conducted among elderly people across the state during 2025-26, including 6,12,601 physiotherapy services. During 2026-27, 52,79,669 OP, IP, physiotherapy and other services have so far been provided to senior citizens.

As part of community-based healthcare, special medical teams visited 74 government-recognised old-age homes and conducted comprehensive health assessments.

The teams included specialists in general medicine, psychiatry, gynaecology and other areas.

The assessment identified depression-related problems in 18.8 per cent of the elderly, frequent falls in 9.8 per cent, and memory-related problems in 7.5 per cent.

About 2.1 per cent had both memory problems and depression, while 6.4 per cent had more than one age-related health problem. Others reported difficulties with activities such as cooking, shopping, travelling, going outside and performing routine tasks independently.

Those identified with health or psychosocial problems were provided counselling, treatment and other support services. Mental health professionals also participated in the visits.

The minister said rehabilitation workers were being encouraged to visit at least five elderly people living near community health centres every week to provide physiotherapy and other services.

He said October would be observed as a special month for elderly healthcare, with awareness programmes on healthy ageing, early disease detection, hypertension, mental health, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and geriatric care.

A comprehensive geriatric assessment tool-based questionnaire would also be used at district and area hospitals to collect health information from at least 1,000 elderly people and provide treatment based on their needs.

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MV Syam Sundar

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