New Delhi, March 30 -- Delhi-based Deepak Kakkar didn't think of caregiving as a financial line item until it became one. When his septuagenarian father's health declined due to liver cirrhosis in 2024, the immediate concern was medical treatment. But within weeks, he could see his monthly household budget change completely. A full-time attendant became necessary after his father's mobility was impacted, which has added roughly Rs.30,000-36,000 to his monthly budget. "After accounting for food and other costs, the total outgo is about Rs.45,000 just towards the caregiver. Alongside, we are paying around Rs.60,000-70,000 every month on medicines, tests and consultations," said the 40-year-old chartered accountant.

The shift caught Kakkar ...