Amaravati, September 30, 2026 (Journalist File): The Andhra Pradesh government is expanding doorstep healthcare, screening, physiotherapy and rehabilitation services for senior citizens, with special programmes planned throughout October to mark the International Day of Older Persons, Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav said on Wednesday.
The minister said the government was focusing on reaching elderly people before their health conditions required hospitalisation. Special services for people aged 60 and above are being provided from primary health centres to district hospitals, with dedicated geriatric services conducted at primary health centres every Thursday. Patients requiring advanced treatment are being referred to higher-level hospitals, while dedicated geriatric wards have been established at district hospitals and, where district hospitals are unavailable, at area hospitals.
The government has also been providing physiotherapy and rehabilitation services to elderly people facing mobility-related difficulties. Yadav said the approach was intended to make healthcare more accessible to senior citizens and provide timely intervention for physical and mental health concerns.
As part of a community-level assessment, specialised medical teams visited 74 government-recognised old-age homes in the state and conducted comprehensive health assessments of residents. The assessment identified a range of physical, psychological and functional difficulties among elderly residents. According to the findings, 18.8 percent reported symptoms of depression, while 9.8 percent had problems related to frequent falls. Memory-related difficulties were identified in 7.5 percent, while 2.1 percent had both memory-related problems and depression. Another 6.4 percent were found to have more than one age-related health condition.
The assessment also found that some elderly residents faced difficulties with everyday activities, including cooking, purchasing groceries, travelling or going outside their homes and independently managing routine tasks. Those identified with health or psychosocial concerns were provided counselling, treatment and other support services. Psychiatrists and mental health professionals also participated in special visits to old-age homes and provided guidance and assistance where required.
The state recorded 11,001,508 health examinations among people aged 60 and above during 2025-26, including 612,601 physiotherapy services. During 2026-27, the government has so far provided 5,279,669 outpatient, inpatient, physiotherapy and other healthcare services to elderly people, according to figures released by the health department.
Yadav said October would be observed as a month dedicated to elderly healthcare, with programmes organised across all districts. The activities will focus on healthy ageing, early detection of diseases, hypertension, mental health, physiotherapy, rehabilitation and specialised geriatric care.
The government also plans to collect detailed health information from at least 1,000 elderly people at each district and area hospital using a questionnaire-based Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment tool. The information will be used to identify individual healthcare needs and facilitate appropriate treatment and follow-up services.
“The government is committed to ensuring that elderly people receive timely and accessible healthcare close to where they live,” Yadav said in a statement issued ahead of the International Day of Older Persons on October 1.
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