Cultural and Moral Values Surrounding Care and (In)Dependence in Late Life: Reflections From India in an Era of Global Modernity

Abstract

In India, many are participating in a shift from the intergenerational family as the central site of aging and elder care, to an increasing reliance on individual selves, the state, and private institutions. Over recent years, the nation has witnessed a proliferation of old age homes and a new industry of aging-focused institutions offering social, emotional, and practical support for older persons living alone. This article examines Indians’ perspectives on elder care and the significant changes underway in their nation and world. Qualitative ethnographic fieldwork was conducted primarily in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) among older persons, their families, and community members, with a focus on old age homes. Beliefs and practices surrounding competing models of elder care—such as in the family or in old age homes—speak not only to elder care per se, but also to broader cultural-moral visions of the relationship among persons, families, and states, and the nature and aims of the human life course.