Centre to bring in regulatory mechanism for private old age homes

The Centre is in process of chalking out a mechanism to regulate the private old age homes in the country.

The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is working on a proposal to prescribe quality standards for those offering home care services to the senior citizens.

It is also considering carrying out a nation-wide evaluation of the performance of these service providers and rate them on the basis of the parameters to be set to determine their quality and standards.

The registration of the private home care services providers with the Ministry would also be made mandatory.

The move comes following a recommendation of a Group of Secretaries, set up by the government to examine problems in the education and social development and suggest measures to bring reforms.

The Ministry's plan to bring in a regulatory mechanism for old age home service providers may require it to bring “suitable amendments” to the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens (MWPSC) Act, 2007.

“It is proposed to prescribe standards in respect of various services to be provided by the home care service providers to the senior citizens and to rate them according to the facilities being provided. We are working on it,”official sources told DH.

The old age homes in India is largely unregulated. Though, they are set up under the existing laws of the land, the absence of a well-defined regulatory framework have left enough scope for various malpractices.

“A regulatory mechanism would not only streamline the situation but also ensure that the quality and standards of old age homes in the country” the official added.