Lack of digital literacy adds to aches and woes of elders

New Delhi: For many senior citizens in Delhi, the biggest barrier to healthcare is no longer distance — it is digital exclusion. A city-level survey has found 86% of elderly Delhiites lack digital literacy training, leaving them unable to access online doctor appointments, health records, welfare schemes or even basic digital communication.The findings come from Hamari Dilli Elder Friendly survey, which covered 600 elders across three colonies — Siddhartha Extension (Pocket B & C), Lajpat Nagar I and Sukhdev Vihar. Conducted by Wellness Health & You and KG Community Development Council, it paints a stark picture of ageing in urban India: rising burden of diseases, loneliness, limited specialist access and a widening digital divide.Nearly 45% of those surveyed reported hypertension and 11% diabetes. Many struggled with mobility, poor awareness of geriatric conditions, inadequate nutrition guidance and little screening for depression or loneliness. Specialist consultations were often out of reach.The data mirrors national trends seen in Longitudinal Ageing Study in India, which showed 27% of elders had unmet healthcare needs and 30% lived alone or only with a spouse. The Delhi survey adds urgency to it by highlighting how digital illiteracy is compounding this isolation and limiting access to services.In response, the initiative launched an ‘Elders for Elders' model that flips the traditional care narrative. Instead of viewing seniors as passive beneficiaries, the programme encourages them to become organisers, peer supporters and decision-makers in their own communities. Twelve senior citizen associations have joined the pilot. Six buddy groups are active, pairing independent elders with those who need support. Intergenerational volunteers are being identified to strengthen the network. A fortnightly OPD has begun in Siddhartha Extension with a physician, nutritionist, counsellor and physiotherapist. A Digital Elder Care Card is being rolled out to link seniors with doctors, pharmacies and service providers. A mobile app is under development to help them locate nearby healthcare services easily. Participating providers have agreed to offer rebates to card holders.Dr G S Grewal, director of the Senior Care+ programme at Pacific OneHealth, which is scaling the initiative, said longevity alone cannot define success. "Healthy ageing depends on mobility, mental wellbeing, preventive care and digital inclusion. Elders want engagement, not sympathy. This model blends community networks with clinical continuity, so that seniors live longer — and live better," he said.Dr Swadeep Srivastava, president and co-founder of Pacific OneHealth, said India's healthcare systems are still built around episodic treatment. "We need ecosystems that support sustained wellbeing of the elderly. This model is replicable and rooted in communities. It empowers seniors to take charge of their own health," he said.At the launch, Krishna Nagar MLA Dr Anil Goyal urged citizens above 70 to enrol for Ayushman card and highlighted Delhi govt's Rs 10-lakh health assurance scheme covering treatment across empanelled hospitals. Senior citizen representative J S Marwaha said, "Seniors must remain active and purposeful. This initiative gives them that space."