Geriatric Care in Its Infancy in Punjab: A Narrative Review

Geriatric care, which encompasses medical, psychological, social, and rehabilitative support, is essential to ensure the dignity, independence, and well-being of older adults. This narrative review was undertaken to collate and synthesize the existing literature on the burden of geriatric health issues and the gaps in geriatric care services in Punjab, India. In regions like Punjab, systematic and comprehensive geriatric services are sparse and insufficiently integrated into primary healthcare frameworks. Geriatric care in Punjab is at an early, fragmented stage, with significant burdens and structural gaps. Deficits were identified at multiple levels, encompassing the structure, processes, and outcomes of geriatric healthcare delivery. Therefore, an integrated senior care policy should be adopted at the state level to coordinate health, social, and financial supports with long-term care goals.