PEOPLE AND THEIR
PROBLEMS
New Delhi, 28 April 2006
Keep Busy In
Creative Activity
PROBLEMS OF AN
AGEING POPULATION
By Radhakrishna Rao
Ageing, which is an inescapable reality of the human
existence on the planet earth, plays a crucial role in the global demographic
transition. According to projections by the UN Population Division, there will
be two elderly persons for every child in the world by 2050. This implies that the aged 60 and above,
which currently constitute less than
20% of the population will account for 32% of the population by 2050.
Another disturbing revelation made by the UN agency is that
future fertility levels in the most developing countries is expected to fall
below 2.1 children per woman, the level needed to ensure the long-term
replacement of the population at some point in the 21st century.
As for the developed countries such as Japan
and Germany,
rapid graying of the population could result in an acute manpower shortage,
requiring the services of the “guest workers” to run the engines of economy in
these industrialized countries.
Clearly, the changing balance between the age groups would
make the aged more of a burden on society, as large proportion of the resources
meant for developmental activities would need to be diverted to take care of
the needs of the elderly population groups. Significantly, for countries like India and Thailand, it will take only 25
years for their aged population to get doubled.
As things stand, the rapid spread of modernization, growing
urbanization and crumbling of joint family system have conspired to increase
insecurity and loneliness among the
geriatric population. However, India has not
yet come out with an appropriate policy framework to provide social security
for the elders. Lack of family support,
poor financial status, physical and mental disorders and guilt of being
dependent on others are some of the problems nagging the elderly population in India, and
other countries around the world.
In fact, an in-depth study by the New Delhi-based All India Institute
of Medial Sciences (AIIMS) says that elderly women are affected more by
dementia, depression and
psychosomatic disorders than their male counterparts. According to this study,
the population structure of the elderly is dominated by poorly educated women,
economically dependent on children without any tangible authority or status in
the family.
Of course, an ageing society will give rise to special
problems from health, family and social angels.
For instance, there will be an increasing demand for geriatricians with
knowledge and expertise required to handle and treat the elderly
population. From the family side, the
elderly population looks forward to emotional support, love and affection. But unfortunately, the concept of a welfare
state where many of the needs of the ageing population are taken care of by the
state is being criticized by agencies, such as the World Bank, which are keen
that governments provide only minimum levels of social security to the elderly
population groups.
As sociologists point out, the biggest enemies of the
geriatric population include solitude, loneliness,
isolation, neglect and a sense of not being wanted. In order to combat loneliness, the elderly population should interact with
their friends, families and neighbours.
Regular exercise and intake of a balanced diet will go a long way
towards helping the elderly population maintain its physical fitness and mental poise.
Giving up alcohol, quitting smoking, avoiding stress and indulging in rest and relaxation are some of
the other vital steps to turn the old age into a veritable blessing. In
fact, in recent years, there has emerged a new professional
group of geriatric animators who are well equipped to deal with the special
problems of the senior citizens.
In addition to shelter, medicare and nutritional problems,
the elderly population in India
is also buffeted by a multi-dimensional socio-psychological pressure.
Sometime back, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, while referring to
the ageing population had observed: “Trees grow stronger over the years, river
wider and like with the age, human beings gain immeasurable depth and breadth
of experience and wisdom. That is why
older persons should not only be respected and revered but they should be
utilized as the rich resource to society that they are”.
Unfortunately, very little attention has been focused on the
pitiable plight of the elderly population in rural areas of the country. Field
studies pertaining to the problems of the aged in rural India reveal
that deteriorating health and economic insecurity are the most pressing problems facing the elderly population in the
villages.
As pointed out by a sociologist, inspite of their poor
physical and mental health, the aged males are forced to work to eke out a
living. Similarly, in the absence of
financial support from family and old-age pension schemes of the State
governments, the plight of ageing population in the rural backyards of the country
has assumed serious dimensions. In
the ultimate analysis, what matters for the elderly is that whether they would
be able to spend the last days of their life with support in terms of shelter
and nutrition either from family or society.
On another front, an increasing number of older persons are
falling prey to geriatric diseases such as rheumatism, arthritis, osteoporosis,
dementia, cardiac complications and mental depression. A paper on the mental health of the ageing
population by Dr. Vikram Patel and Martin Prince, points out that in the
developing world, including India,
the aged with psychological problems do not get the required medical
attention. In particular, the study
found that while dementia is considered a normal process
of ageing that a doctor cannot help much depression
is rarely diagnosed or treated.
As programme for the aged should deal with their physical,
psychological and emotional needs. For loneliness
and a sense of guilt on being dependent on the family continues to haunt them
with sustained vigour. As such
sociologists suggest that the aged should be made to involve themselves in
creative and developmental programmes. ---INFA
(Copyright,
India News and Feature Alliance)
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