Cheering news for
the elderly
February 9, 2012
It is the most common physical pain suffered by ageing population
in India and world over. A study in USA has said that about 65 million
there suffer from degenerative spinal disorder and 85% complain
of it after crossing 55.Spine and neurosurgeons say 6-7 out of every
10 Indians post-50 years of age complain about this disorder, which
is commonly known as pain in the lower back or cervical spondylitis.
Read
Elderly is defined as anybody above the age of 60.
As life expectancy increases in India, the problem of elderly
will increase. Problems of elderly include loss of income due
to old age plus health problems that are associated with old age.
As per 2001 Census, India had around 81 million elderly out of
population of 1 billion people. The number of elderly is expected
to increase to 100 million in a population of 1.3 billion people
by 2011
Out of the 81 million elderly people in 2001 census, almost 51
million elderly people are below poverty line. The number of elderly
people below poverty line is expected to increase to around 60
million people by 2011.
By 2025, India will have around 177 million elderly people. By
2050, almost 20% of India’s population will be regarded as elderly
and that may amount to almost 300 million.
India’s elderly problem is compounded by the fact that there
is no social security or adequate health care for everybody. China
on the other hand has acceptable level of social security and
some kind of health care system.
Elderly people have several problems.
1. Absence of Income.
2. Lack of Healthcare.
3. Problems of Housing and Toilets.
4. Abuse by Family members
5. Loneliness
Challenges
1. Apathy towards the problems of elderly.
2. Lack of political or social discussion on issue of elderly.
3. Lack of social security regime.
4. Absence of adequate Primary Health care facilities.
5. Decline of joint family and absence of children and care takers
around.
Legal Position
There are several laws that protect interests
of elderly.
1. Government has enacted maintenance and welfare of parents and
senior citizen in 2007. As per this law, parents are entitled
to maintenance by children.
2. Apart from this Section 125 of Code of Criminal Procedure provides
protection for elderly.
3. Government has enacted National Policy on Older Persons in
1999.
Actions taken by the central government
Government seems to be cognizant of problems of elderly, though
adequate focus seems to be lacking.
1. Government is implementing Indira Gandhi Old Age Pension Scheme,
whereby 16.5 million old people below poverty line get pension
of atleast Rs. 200 and more, depending of contribution by respective
states.
2. Government has enacted Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and
Senior Citizens, in 2007 which puts onus of maintenance of parents
on children.
3. Government has adopted National Policy on Older Persons in
1999, that makes acknowledges the problem of elderly in India.
Advocacy to Government, Media and
Political Parties.
There is need for greater focus on issue of elderly by all concerned
through:
1. Government should create a compulsory pension scheme.
2. Government should create Social security regime
3. Government should make free health care universal especially
for elderly.
4. Government should look into problems of social security for
elderly.
5. Media should highlight the problems of elderly.
6. Government should provide affordable health insurance.
7. Political parties should remember that almost 10-20% of their
voters are elderly
Statistics
While adequate governmental statistics are not
readily available, a survey conducted by Help Age on elderly in
India in cities is revealing.
The survey was conducted in four metros – Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata
and Mumbai and four non metros – Lucknow, Vijaywada, Bhubhneshwar
and Ahmedabad.
The survey revealed the following
1. Only 30% of parents stay with their children.
2. Remittance from children emerges as the major sources of income
(62%) of the elderly followed by pension (32%) and business (16%).
3. About two third (68%) of the elderly moved from other city/town
while, one third are living in the city since birth.
4. Elderly have an average leisure time of 11 hrs in a day.
5. About 5% of the elderly live alone either with or without support
of their children.
6. One third (32%) of the elderly reported to be free from any
health problem.
7. Two fifth (42%) reported to be having one or more chronic diseases
such as Diabetes, Hypertension and Arthritis.
8. About three fifth (62%) of the elderly are not consulting doctors
on regular basis as they are taking medicine either by consulting
medical shop or continuing the medicine prescribed by doctor long
back.
9. About one tenth (13 Percent) of the elderly have health insurance
coverage. Thus vast majority (87%) of the elderly have no such
coverage.
10. One fourth (24%) of the elderly feel insecure with the feeling
of insecurity being highest among elderly of 80+ years (24%) and
lowest among elderly of 60-64 years (20%).
11. About one third (34%) of the elderly desired to get preference
in facilities such as health, transport etc. provided by the Government
12. The major issues elders want intervention include; social
protection (35%), free medical checkups (27%), love and respect
from younger ones (23%), free public transportation (11%) and
club/old age homes (8%).
13. About 5% of the elderly live alone either with or without
support of their children
14. Living alone due to lack of support from children is more
common among females than males (44% Vs 37%).
15. Most of the elderly (93%) find the concept of senior citizen
home, senior citizen club and senior citizen association either
excellent (24%) or good (64%).
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