ABSTRACT
The proportion of the elderly population of Kerala is relatively high today partly because of the high migration rate from the state. The elderly population of today is determined the past trend in births, deaths and migration. At present, in Kerala, all these three factors tend to favour an increase in the proportion of the elderly. The impact of migration on the proportion of the elderly depends on its age structure. Kerala emigrants and outmigrants are mostly young adults and there are very few emigrants at older ages. Ageing is associated with deprivations of many kinds and widowhood among the aged leads to additional deprivations. Children are a major source of support for ageing parents and source of financial assistance. The proportion of the widowed elderly who receive their income from a pension is higher than the corresponding proportion of the married elderly. This is partly due to the existing widow pension to informal workers in Kerala.
