Life Circle at the Asia-Pacific Care Forum
Advancing Inclusive and Sustainable Care Models in Asia
The Asia-Pacific Care Forum, co-organized by UN Women and the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN), brought together global leaders, policymakers, and social entrepreneurs to discuss the future of care work and women’s economic empowerment. Representing India’s care innovation landscape, Ms. Priya Anant, Co-founder and Chief Customer Officer of Life Circle Health Services, joined the dialogue on employer-supported care models and the urgent need for scalable, dignified eldercare solutions in the region.
Setting the Context: A Looming Care Crisis
With India’s elderly population projected to reach 193 million by 2031 (GoI data), the caregiving gap is widening rapidly. Research by the Boston Consulting Group (2023) indicates that 88% of Indian employees identify as caregivers—significantly higher than the regional average of 60%.
Among them, 71% juggle dual responsibilities of caring for both children and elderly family members, amplifying the caregiving burden on working women.
“Globally, we talk about the double burden of care. In India, I call it a 16x burden,” shared Priya Anant during the session. “In most families, women shoulder care responsibilities for two sets of parents, often with little institutional or workplace support.”
Employer-Supported Care: The Next Frontier of Workplace Inclusion
Priya emphasized that employer-supported eldercare isn’t just a social good it’s a strategic investment in employee retention and productivity.
Drawing on insights from Life Circle’s experience in providing over 100,000 days of geriatric care annually, she outlined emerging models for corporate partnerships that include:
- Custom caregiving packages for employees with ageing parents
- Preventive care and health awareness programs
- Caregiving and nursing stations for workplace assistance
- Knowledge and support sessions for employees managing care duties
“These are not perks; they are pillars of a humane and resilient workforce,” she said. “When employees are supported in their care roles, they bring empathy, efficiency, persistence, and emotional intelligence to work.”
Scaling with Dignity: Building a Sustainable Care Workforce
Priya also highlighted a critical challenge in Asia’s care the caregiver supply gap.
Despite India’s youthful population, few young people choose caregiving as a profession due to stigma and low wages.
“Many fear being treated like domestic workers,” she noted. “We have a shared responsibility—to employers, providers, and society—to elevate caregiving as a profession of dignity.”
Life Circle is addressing this gap by establishing 10 caregiver training institutes across India, focusing on skill development, ethical employment, and fair pay. The organization is also piloting shared care and cost-subsidization models to enhance affordability without compromising quality.
Reimagining the Care
The discussion underscored the need for cross-sectoral collaboration — between businesses, government, and social enterprises — to build a care that supports both care recipients and caregivers.
“Inclusive care policies and investments aren’t expenses,” Priya concluded.
“They are catalysts for economic growth, gender equality, and human dignity.”
About the Asia-Pacific Care Forum
The Forum convened policymakers, investors, and social entrepreneurs from across Asia to share actionable strategies for advancing gender-responsive care systems. Life Circle was recognized for its innovative approach to digitally enabled home healthcare, combining compassion with technology to improve eldercare outcomes and empower women in the workforce.
Read the Forum Highlights:
Highlights and Recommendations for Practitioners – Asia-Pacific Care Forum (UN Women & AVPN, 2025)
Published: October 2025
Category: Leadership & Advocacy
Tags: UN Women, AVPN, Life Circle Health Services, Care, Women’s Economic Empowerment, Home Healthcare Innovation
This article was contributed by Priya Anant, Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer at Life Circle Health Services. Priya leads quality and training programs that empower caregivers and ensure dignified home healthcare for seniors across India.
