Paper short abstract:

The proposed paper examines the shifting contours of 'aging' and 'care' (in the absence of physical care) amongst transnational Indian older persons residing alone. It does so by analyzing social media platforms of care providing agencies in India.

Paper long abstract:

The proposed paper examines the shifting contours of aging and care provision amongst urban Indian older persons residing alone. India is currently witnessing a massive shift in demographic and developmental processes. In a country where elderly care was largely embedded in the patriarchal joint family, these developments are complicating family based care arrangements for elderly. Situated within this context, this paper illuminates the media representation of aging and care in absence of physical care for older persons whose adult children have migrated transnationally. It analyzes the social media platforms of several market-driven mechanisms of elderly care ranging from Antara, Age Venture India, Avaza, Emoha, Epoch, Elcare etc. which have sprung up in the Indian market promising to offer ‘family like care’ or ‘home based care’. Through the lens of media posts and advertisement posters of these care providing agencies, this paper discusses the changing narratives and conceptions of elderly care in Indian transnational families. This further illustrates the shifting understanding of aging as a ‘lethargic experience’, ‘debilitating process’ to ‘an active and engaged phase’. This paper also examines the terms like ‘Smart ageing’, ‘Active-ageing’ and ‘Positive ageing’ which are increasingly pointing towards these shifts.