Kerala plans to introduce six-month certificate courses in senior citizen caregiving from the next academic year, with a one-year internship, as the state prepares for a projected demographic shift and seeks to strengthen elderly care through local bodies.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan announced the proposal while addressing a session on the Keralam Silver Economy project held alongside the Reimagining Keralam initiative. He said existing caregivers would also be trained and that the palliative care system operated by local bodies would be upgraded.
According to PTI, Satheesan said medical colleges, nursing colleges and private hospitals with sufficient facilities could offer the course. The syllabus would adapt caregiving material from the United Kingdom, Germany and Australia to Kerala’s socio-economic context.
“From the next academic year onwards, we can start these caregiving courses. All the medical colleges, nursing colleges and private hospitals with sufficient facilities can start this certificate course of six months’ duration followed by one-year internship. It will lead to employment generation,” Satheesan said.
The proposed programme is part of a broader plan to build a structured elderly-care system in the state. Satheesan said the government’s vision was that “nobody should be alone” and that the palliative care system managed by local bodies would be upgraded. Caregivers working in panchayats would receive training as part of the initiative.
The government has also begun creating a database of people requiring care in local bodies, Satheesan said. He proposed a tripartite arrangement involving the government, the Local Self Government Department and other organisations to strengthen caregiving activities. The state is also preparing to establish what he described as a model for elderly care based on World Health Organisation standards.
The announcement comes as Kerala’s government begins planning for a demographic transition that Satheesan said would become more pronounced over the next decade. He pointed to a shrinking youth population caused by demographic factors and brain drain, saying the change would need to be considered in future planning.
The proposal extends beyond care services. Satheesan suggested that senior citizens could support startups as techno-mentors and management mentors, allowing their professional experience to be used within the state’s wider economy.
State Minister for Women and Child Development, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Bindhu Krishna, said the rising number of senior citizens was often viewed mainly as a social challenge, despite the economic opportunities associated with the silver economy. She said senior citizens should be seen not only as a welfare category or consumer group, but also as people whose knowledge, skills, experience, time and financial resources could generate employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
Krishna said the Labour Department could help create a senior talent registry covering retired teachers, technicians, accountants, craftsmen, managers, professionals and other experts. She also proposed a dedicated employment platform connecting senior citizens and care workers with opportunities in elderly care, home support, consultancy, mentoring and part-time work.
The three-day Reimagining Keralam event, which began on Wednesday, has brought together ministers, senior bureaucrats, domain experts, government departments, regulatory authorities, knowledge institutions, industry representatives, funding agencies and other stakeholders. A Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation release said the event aims to give project proposals concrete implementation pathways.
