QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE DIMENSIONS OF ELDERLY LIFE IN INDIA: A COMPARATIVE STUDY WITH JAPAN

India is undergoing a profound demographic transition marked by a rapid increase in its elderly population. Population ageing has emerged as a defining global phenomenon with wide-ranging implications for healthcare systems, social security architectures, labour markets, and traditional family-based caregiving arrangements. In India, elder care has historically been embedded within joint family systems and reinforced by cultural norms of filial piety. However, rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, migration, and the shift from joint to nuclear families have significantly weakened these traditional mechanisms. Consequently, older persons increasingly experience physical vulnerability, psychological distress, economic dependency, and social isolation. This research undertakes an in-depth comparative analysis of the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of elderly life in India with reference to Japan, a country internationally recognized for its structured, institutionalized, and welfare-oriented elder care regime. Adopting a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates subjective assessments of quality of life with objective indicators of well-being, including physical health, psychological stability, economic security, social participation, and environmental conditions. Quantitative assessment relies on the WHOQOL-BREF instrument, while qualitative insights are derived from doctrinal legal research, policy analysis, and sociocultural interpretation. The findings reveal a marked erosion of family-based elder care in India, adversely affecting quality-of-life outcomes, while Japan's welfare-oriented model ensures dignity, autonomy, and continuity of care through robust legal and institutional mechanisms. The paper argues for a hybrid elder care framework that harmonizes India's culturally embedded familial values with Japan's organized welfare infrastructure, thereby promoting inclusive, sustainable, and dignified ageing. Keywords: Elderly; Ageing Population, Elde...