Student-Built Research Archive on Elderly Care & Policy
Transforming Elderly Voices Into Policy Change
India's first student-built oral history archive documenting the lived experiences of elderly people,
family caregivers, and systemic failures in care provision. Five comprehensive interviews, 100+ hours
of audio, five policy briefs, and peer-reviewed research ready to influence policy.
Five comprehensive policy briefs grounded in interviews with real elderly people, analyzing systemic failures
and proposing evidence-based solutions. Each brief targets specific government ministries with actionable recommendations.
BRIEF 1
The Pension Crisis
Why Rs. 500/month is not enough and what needs to change
COMPLETE
Words: 5,000 Target: Ministry of Social Justice, NGOs Finding: 100% of elderly experience Rs. 4,000-4,500 monthly deficit Solutions: 3 policy options with timelines and Rs. costs
How women sacrifice employment to provide family care
COMPLETE
Words: 4,500 Target: Ministry of Women & Child Development Finding: 40% of women exit workforce by age 50 for caregiving Solutions: Caregiver allowance, pension credit, subsidies
How geographic dispersal is creating unprecedented elderly isolation
NEW
Words: 5,200 Target: Urban planners, social welfare ministry Finding: 64% of children live in different cities Solutions: Community centers, housing redesign, networks
Structural analysis of farmer indebtedness and the 2025-2027 intervention window
NEW
Words: 5,000 Target: Ministry of Agriculture, Farmers Welfare Finding: Over 394,000 farmer suicides since 1995 due to debt traps from modernization without credit reform Solutions: Digital Gram Banks, restructured crop insurance, interest subvention
A rigorous research note documenting the methodology, findings, and implications of the archive.
Voices of Care: An Oral History Archive of Elderly Populations and Family Caregiving in Urban India
Abstract: This research note describes Chronicles of Ageing India, an oral history archive
documenting lived experiences of elderly people in urban India. Drawing on 20+ hours of interviews with five
interviewees, supplemented by demographic data, the archive captures how family structures have transformed
across three generations and how these changes impact care arrangements, economic security, and well-being.
1. Three-Generation Geographic Dispersal: Each generation is significantly more scattered
geographically than the previous one, with grandchildren often born outside India.
2. Pension Inadequacy and Hidden Subsidies: Adult children provide Rs. 3,000-5,000/month
to elderly parents, making up the gap between pensions and actual needs.
3. Women's Disproportionate Care Burden: Women perform 7+ hours daily unpaid care work;
40% exit workforce by age 50, resulting in pension ineligibility in old age.
4. Depression and Isolation Correlation: Geographic distance correlates with depression;
isolation is primary driver of mental health deterioration.
5. Policy-Reality Gap: Cultural obligation (children care for parents) disconnected from
economic capacity; results in guilt, stress, inadequate care.
22 curated audio clips organized by theme: memory and nostalgia, health and vulnerability, policy advocacy,
and wisdom and reflection. Each clip is fully transcribed, tagged, and ready for use in education, advocacy,
and media.
Memory and Nostalgia (6 clips)
Coconut Oil Rituals
Duration: 38 seconds
Lakshmi describing childhood memories of oil and ritual
Joint Family Life
Duration: 40 seconds
15 people in one house, managing together
Temple Festivals
Duration: 35 seconds
How community festivals have changed over decades
School Days
Duration: 40 seconds
Not being allowed to attend school; watching brothers study
Radio Days
Duration: 32 seconds
All-India radio broadcasts and media history
Train Journey Migration
Duration: 45 seconds
Moving to city for first time, fear and excitement
Hospital bill Rs. 1,50,000; family's financial crisis
Living with Disability
Duration: 38 seconds
Arthritis, mobility loss, architectural barriers
Depression and Isolation
Duration: 40 seconds
Feeling alone, children far away, loss of purpose
Widowhood and Grief
Duration: 35 seconds
Husband's death, missing him, daily habits
Who Will Care for Me?
Duration: 42 seconds
Anxiety about future, no pension, dependence on children
Note: Audio files are placeholder paths. Replace with actual audio file URLs when implementing.
Interactive Visualizations: Data at a Glance
Six interactive charts that make elderly care policy accessible to policymakers, researchers, and the public.
Each visualization is embedded with the code to display real data from interviews.
Care Work Burden Across Lifespan: Stacked area chart showing how much unpaid care work elderly people performed
across their lives (care for children, parents, spouse, household labor). Reveals the peak burden years (ages 40-60)
and consequences for pension eligibility.
Financial Dependency Ratios: Sankey flow diagram showing which family member supports elderly person and what percentage
of household income is spent on their care. Reveals fragility: most elderly depend on ONE primary supporter.
Migration and Family Dispersal: Three-generation geographic movement showing dispersal patterns
from 1940s to 2024. Visualizes how economic migration has fragmented family structures across India.
Health Conditions and Multi-Morbidity: Network diagram showing which diseases co-occur in elderly people.
Reveals that hypertension and diabetes co-occur in 80% of cases, creating complex healthcare management needs.
Monthly Income and Expenditure Flows: Waterfall chart showing household income vs. expenses for elderly households.
Reveals monthly deficit gaps and how family members make up the difference.
Intergenerational Education and Opportunity: Sankey diagram showing educational attainment across three generations.
Reveals massive educational expansion but employment outcome challenges.
Download All Resources
Every file in the Chronicles of Ageing India archive is available for free download. Use these resources
for research, policy advocacy, teaching, journalism, and community work.
Complete Package
Download everything at once (now including 5 policy briefs):
Full transcriptions of all interviews with metadata and timestamps:
Lakshmi (83) - 18 hours, 5 sessions
Mrs. Krishnamurthy (75) - 15 hours, 4 sessions
Mangalaxmi (54) - 12 hours, 3 sessions
Balaganesh (49) - 10 hours, 3 sessions
[Fifth participant] - [Hours], [Sessions]
Full transcriptions will be available by January 31, 2026
Get Involved and Stay Updated
Chronicles of Ageing India is a growing archive. We welcome researchers, policymakers, educators,
journalists, and community members to use these resources, contribute new interviews, and amplify elderly voices.
For More Information
Policy Collaboration
Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment
Government of India
Policy briefs available for sharing with all ministries
Media and Coverage
For interviews, feature stories, and media coverage requests, contact us through our main website or social media channels.
How You Can Help
Nominate Interviews: Know an elderly person with important story? Fill this form
Share Resources: Use policy briefs in your advocacy work and share with others
Cite Research: Use the research note in your own publications and cite accordingly
Collaborate: Partner institutions can access raw data and conduct additional analysis
Spread the Word: Share archive on social media, in newsletters, with colleagues
Translate: Help translate policy briefs into regional languages