Death and dying in India: ageing and end-of-life care of the elderly

In the wake of present demographic and epidemiological changes in India, most aged are experiencing a highly protracted dying, entangled in tubes and machines in acute care hospitals.

Such 'medicalized death' entails huge psychological, social and financial costs for both patients and their caregivers.

There are also many who are dying in abject neglect in the absence of adequate social-legal provisions for end-of-life care.

Unfortunately, government response to end-of-life care has been almost negligible despite it being identified as a global public health priority by the World Health Organisation.

This book concerns dying of the elderly in India.