ABSTRACT
India is a country experiencing substantial migration from rural to urban areas. This is having a profound impact on the lives of many older people, whether they choose to move to the cities or remain in the countryside. 'Older people in rural areas thus report a poorer quality of life than those in the cities and towns. They are severely disadvantaged by economic hardships, unresolved chronic health problems, functional impairment and illiteracy'. Environmental pollution, a hazard for urban dwellers of all generations, is especially problematic for the ageing. Loneliness and isolation are further difficulties to be faced by older people. The younger generation of the family goes to work every day leaving older people at home. The urbanization and industrialization of India have had a radical impact on all generations, and older people have not been exempt from the impact of these changes.
