NATIONAL PROGRAMME FOR HEALTH CARE OF THE ELDERLY (NPHCE)
OVERVIEW
The National Programme for Health Care of the Elderly (NPHCE), implemented by the National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu, aims to provide comprehensive, accessible and affordable healthcare services for senior citizens. The programme focuses on preventive, promotive, curative, rehabilitative and long-term care to promote healthy and dignified ageing across the State.
OBJECTIVES:
To provide an easy access to promotional, preventive, curative and rehabilitative services to the elderly through community based primary health care approach
To identify health problems in the elderly and provide appropriate health interventions in the community with a strong referral backup support.
To build capacity of the medical and paramedical professionals as well as the care-takers within the family for providing health care to the elderly.
To establish Community Based Long Term Care (LTC) system in the state with thrust on Primary Health Care Approach —reflecting a strong commitment to promoting healthy and dignified ageing.
To provide referral services to the elderly patients through district hospitals, regional medical institutions
Convergence with National Rural Health Mission, AYUSH and other line departments like Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
SERVICE DELIVERY
1. INSTITUTIONAL ELDERLY CARE SERVICES
The National Centre of Ageing (NCA), Guindy, was inaugurated on 25.02.2024 as a strategic initiative of Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu. It functions as a Centre of Excellence and of National importance for comprehensive geriatric care. The centre has been established with 200-bedded within the campus of King Institute of Preventive Medicine, providing multidisciplinary tertiary care services, specialized clinics , rehabilitation services, dementia care and long-term geriatric care and also promotes research and human resource development.
Elderly care services are functioning in 28 Government Medical College Hospitals and 3 District Headquarters Hospitals across the state with further expansion in six districts. These institutions offer outpatient and inpatient care, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, laboratory investigations and specialist consultations.
2. HOME - BASED COMMUNITY ELDERLY CARE:
To strengthen healthcare delivery closer to the community, 463 Block Units (385 Rural and 78 Urban) provide bi-weekly geriatric clinics on every Thursday and Saturday offering physiotherapy and rehabilitation services, Mental Health Services through District Mental Health Programme, laboratory investigations and other essential geriatric services.
Home-based elderly care is integrated with the Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam (MTM) initiative to provide doorstep healthcare services by Physiotherapist along with Community Palliative care staff Nurses for frail and bedridden elderly persons. Services include home-based physiotherapy, functional rehabilitation, supportive care, home visits and regular follow-up and Referral to higher centres.
CAPACITY BUILDING
The programme places strong emphasis on capacity building through regular Training of Medical and Paramedical personnel in Geriatric Care
Regular in-service training programmes
Postgraduate training in Geriatric Medicine
Continuous skill enhancement for Physiotherapists and frontline healthcare workers
A 4-day Comprehensive Training on NCD Packages, including Geriatric Care – State Level Training of Trainers (ToT) for District Programme Officers (DPO-NCDs), District Training Team Medical Officers (DTTMOs), RTI Faculty, MTM Nodal Officers from Government Medical Colleges, and NHM Coordinators (DMS) was conducted at the Health and Family Welfare Training Centre (HFWTC), Egmore, from 10.03.2026 to 30.04.2026. A total of 191 participants were trained through these State Level ToT sessions to strengthen the implementation of NCD and Geriatric Care services across the State.
PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE (APR 2025- MAR 2026)
During April 2025–March 2026, 9.87 lakh elderly persons attended Geriatric OPD, 40,810 received inpatient care, 2.84 lakh availed rehabilitation services and 17 lakh laboratory investigations were conducted.