Local organizations supporting aging-in-place: What can we learn from Kerala, India? Rebecca Miles, Professor Emerita FSU College of Social Sciences

10/2016 - 4/2017, based in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, supported by Fulbright research award Kerala, southern India

Community-based organization Purpose of my talk Explain how a promising program led by local organizations in Kerala helps make it easier for people to age well in community and for families to support and care for their elders; Explore what we can learn from their experience that is applicable here. Local Self Government Community-based organization

1 in 8 persons in Kerala are 60+ years of age vs. 1 in 12 Why Kerala? Kerala is aging more rapidly than the rest of India 1 in 8 persons in Kerala are 60+ years of age vs. 1 in 12 in India as a whole LIFE EXPECTANCY AT BIRTH Kerala INDIA 74.9 years 68.6 years

Extended family living is the norm Culture still expects elders to live with a married son or daughter. Indian society however is in transition.

Who Will care for the Elders? In Kerala, fewer children are available to support and care for older people than in the past, due to smaller families and need for adults to move to other parts of India and abroad in search of work.

Promising initiative: Elderly Inclusion Program Overall aim: Increase respect for elders and opportunities for older people to remain active in civic, economic, social and spiritual life

Core feature Community network of Elderly Neighborhood Groups (NHGs): (i) place-based; (ii) 10 to 20 members over 60 years in each NHG, (iii) open to all, women, men, those living below and above the poverty line *** Can you think of organizations that resemble NHGs in some way, in Tallahassee/Leon County, or in some other place you are familiar with?

How it works (1) Members gain access to a range of valuable services and benefits that make it easier to age in community well, through their participation in an NHG; Medical camps & physical therapy; Educational activities related to physical and mental health; Low-interest loans for the most destitute. *** Can you think of potential services and benefits that NHGs could make available to members in the Tallahassee context (or elsewhere)?

How it works (2) Groups meet regularly in members’ homes, encourage prompt attendance, record those who are present, make decisions as a group, write minutes of decisions taken at each meeting. Examples of decisions: Should contributions to the NHG savings account be required of every member, regardless of their financial limitations? Will a monthly membership fee be assessed? Who will be given a loan from sources under the control of the NHG?

How it works (3) Members co-create new opportunities for themselves and others as they learn to work together, to identify shared interests, and to make valuable connections with groups and people outside the NHG. Group livelihood activities

Social interaction and support Sharing experiences and information; Joining in recreational and cultural activities; Social support when a member dies; Mutual assistance as possible; Interaction with local childrens’ group. Advocacy and rights protection: Members stand up for one another, collectively petition local government or lodge complaints, organize with other groups

What aspects of the society, economy, and culture help the Elderly Inclusion Program work well in Kerala?

1. Existence of a time-tested partnership The partners: A three-tier Local Self-Government (LSG) system that was meaningfully empowered through a massive transfer of resources as well as administrative powers in the late 1990s; Kudumbashree, a statewide community women’s network of NHGs with a 3-tiered structure that runs parallel to the levels of LSG.

2. Government assistance in Kerala greater than in the rest of India India is rapidly aging before it has the resources to offer social insurance to large numbers of older people. Kerala however has numerous state-initiated social programs.

What aspects of the Elderly Inclusion Program do you find particularly intriguing or compelling? Can you envision ways to adapt it to be useful here?

YOUR THOUGHTS, QUESTIONS, AND COMMENTS ARE WELCOME! *** Rebecca Miles, Professor Emerita FSU College of Social Sciences email: rmiles1208@gmail.com

How I conducted the study Carried out face-to-face, in-depth interviews with 6 managers and 7 NHG members in two rural areas; these were recorded and translated; Analyzed the interview narratives using qualitative methods.