The majority of Catholic nuns in India struggle to provide healthcare to their elderly and infirm members because of logistical and financial challenges, says a new survey report.
Some 44% of 190 religious congregations do not have any care facility for elderly and infirm members, found the survey by the Centre for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA), a Washington DC-based research organization affiliated to the Jesuits-run Georgetown University.
CARA conducts social, scientific studies about the Catholic Church, and offers a range of research services to dioceses, parishes, religious communities and institutes. The research study said 29% have one facility and 27% have two or more facilities owned by their congregation. Of those owning care facilities, a majority of 85% said their facility “is partially equipped,” according to the sur-vey report released this month. Only the rest are fully equipped.
The study, commissioned by the Conference of Religious Women in India (CRWI), was carried out between April and June this year. The survey is based on the responses from superiors general of the congregations. The majority of the respondents spend at least one-fourth of their income on the elderly and infirm.
Half of the responding congregations said 26–50% of their annual budget is spent on the care of the elderly and sick nuns. About a quarter reported spending 25% or less of their annual budget.
Some 68% of congregations allocate funds from their annual budget for the care of their elderly and infirm members.
About 40% of the religious congregations spent between 10,000 and 24,999 rupees (US$121-304) every month for taking care of their elderly and sick. About one-third require 50,000 rupees (US$608) a month, the survey report said. Most congregations said they face challenges in taking care of the elderly and the sick. Major ones were “healthcare challenges, financial challenges, and congregational challenges.”