Solitary autumn years: Keralam to face new challenges with rise in elderly population

Sadia (name changed), a domestic worker in Thiruvananthapuram, took leave and travelled to neighbouring Tamil Nadu a couple of days every week to look after her ageing mother.

She was also trying to get her brother to sell off their parents’ house or at least rent it out so that she did not have to worry about supporting her mother who had serious ailments. Half of Sadia’s salary would go towards the cost of medicines and other expenses of her mother who lived with Sadia’s unemployed sister. Their brother, who lives with his wife’s family, was not in a position to look after their mother either.