Growing Livelihood Opportunities for Women
The Home Healthcare Industry
The Indian home healthcare (HHC) industry is growing and has the potential to employ 66,000 attendants by 2026. Today, roughly 70 percent of home healthcare attendants are women, as they are often perceived as better caregivers.
Home healthcare can create well-paying, socially acceptable jobs for women. Photo credit: iStock.com/triloks
Industry Overview
Home healthcare refers to the provision of healthcare services at home (e.g., post-hospitalization care and healthcare management for the elderly). The industry is expected to grow at roughly 19 percent[1] annually, driven by an increasing elderly population, lower home care costs compared to hospitalization, rising nuclearization of families, and growing prosperity.
The HHC industry has high-potential for GLOW as it:
- Has the potential to employ 66,000 attendants by 2026[2]
- Can create well-paying, socially acceptable jobs for women
- Leverages women’s capabilities as perceived better caregivers
Barriers Faced by Employers
The HHC industry is currently dominated by unorganized, small-scale players. These players provide services at a comparatively low-cost and poor-quality care locally. Most formal HHC providers are struggling to scale and create more jobs for women due to barriers such as:
- Limited differentiation from unorganized players
- Limited supply of skilled HHC attendants due to low awareness among women about HHC as an aspirational employment opportunity and safety concerns from women’s families
- High attrition among attendants
- Lack of insurance coverage for HHC
- Difficulty in acquiring large number of customers through doctor referral
Resources for the Home Healthcare Industry
- GLOW interviewed 53 attendants who are working or have worked with HHC companies, 24 candidates who are applying for the attendant role, and 4 skilling organizations that train and place candidates in the attendant role. Read more insights on attendant motivations, preferences and challenges >
- GLOW’s support to home healthcare companies has involved developing a pricing strategy and assisting with efforts around customer acquisition, attendant recruitment and retention. Read more on best practices for HHC companies >
GLOW's Home Healthcare Partners
