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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka / Daily Mirror / July 21, 2009
A couple of weeks ago media reports once again highlighted the problems of the increase in the aging population of Sri Lanka and the dismal future many of the aged face. This media interest generated by a World bank report also led to a Presidential directive to the ministry of Social services to inquire into the problems facing the aged and take suitable action.
Social scientists defer as to what could be deemed the age of aging However it is commonly accepted that this aging of the population refers to the an increase in the proportion of the aged in the population. Once again there is a no hard and fast rule considering the age that can be considered as the identification of the aged .The often accepted definition considered 65 as the cut off age when a person could be considered as aged since in most countries governmental social benefits apply to the group above this age limit.
In fact retirement regulations in most countries in Europe came into operation when in 1873 Germany regarded 65 as the age whereby social benefits could be provided . However in our country usually the mandatory age of retirement was considered to be anything between the ages of 55 and 60 with an extension period of five years often granted both in the public as well as private sector. In the agricultural field ofcourse especially in the rural communities and in the informal sector many of those defined as aged continue to work way beyond the mandatory age.
Essentially the problems facing the aged especially those who do not have any statutory social benefits or whose benefits do not take into consideration the increases in the cost of living are reflected in the fact that a number of persons whose livelihood opportunities are not in the rural agricultural areas, but also in the suburbs ,even after the defined statutory age limit continue working or seek various avenues for work.
It was this situation that led to the World Bank report which stated that urgent plans are necessary to provide old age income support and health care.
The report identified the four main issues that needed attention; family support of elderly; formal income support ; health status and a effective health care system and greater opportunities in the labour market. Further clarifying these issues the World Bank report stated that their findings have showed the following situations “ Regarding family and the elderly, the family is the main support of the elderly, but there are signs of emerging strains in the traditional support system.
Formal old age income support systems have limited coverage, inadequate benefits and are financially unsustainable. Health Care systems are not ready to address the needs of an aging population. The increased share of elderly in population will increase economic pressure on budgetary expenditure and overall growth.”
In the present context Sri Lanka has to deal with various problems considering the care needed for the aged. With rural migration both to urban areas and abroad by especially women seeking employment the family support that was available for elderly family members is gradually declining. Rural society has very little or no community systems established to provide alternate care and in recent times media has on occasion highlighted incidents when elderly parents have been abandoned by their families and are destitute.
This aspect is further aggravated by the limited accommodation available in urban areas where housing is often limited to small apartments in high rise buildings that have no space or facilities to take in elderly parents or relatives.
The escalating cost of living too acts as a barrier in situations where children are living in the suburban areas but do not have sufficient economic means to take in their parents to live with them.
Another aspect that is affecting care giving is that during the conflict years and due to the continuing stagnant economic growth many professionals in the middle and upper middle class opted to migrate to more economically favourable countries leaving their parents behind. In many instances these families had the financial wherewithal to provide for their aged parents but lacked the care giving support of immediate family members especially since most of these families were limited to one or two children. Hence a new demand opened up for professional care givers and homes for the elderly where such services were available. Institutional care is often reluctantly accepted by the elderly who are forced to accept the situation due to the fact that their children are either involved in demanding work considerations , lack proper means of accommodation or have migrated abroad.
The World Bank report states it would be necessary to provide especially for those elderly from marginalised families “adequate safety nets and social care services are targeted to aged and widowed women who are the most vulnerable population group among the elderly”.
Whether this is possible for a cash strapped government which has perhaps greater priorities in another matter. In fact in this context it maybe more feasible if grass root administrative units first do a census of the aged in their own areas and at District level these statistics are studied and depending on the vulnerability of the aged in each area Provincial councils and local level administrative institutions work out a system whereby at community level with the assistance of volunteers and grass root level non governmental organisations a viable system of care provision is provided.
In fact the Social services ministry that have at grass root level their coordinators could initiate the setting up small groups from the community to take charge of specific divisions in the area . Perhaps most of these activities can be combined with the government’s Village Awakening programmes which while providing infra structural facilities could also be participant in the much needed care giving support for the aged in rural communities. Another aspect that could perhaps be put into operation is to use the community halls to provide day care to the aged and under the aegis of religious leaders in the area a nutritional meal could be provided . School leavers could assist in such a project and provide them to an understanding and awareness of the need to provide care services for the aged.[
rc]
Copyright © Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.
A couple of weeks ago media reports once again highlighted the problems of the increase in the aging population of Sri Lanka and the dismal future many of the aged face. This media interest generated by a World bank report also led to a Presidential directive to the ministry of Social services to inquire into the problems facing the aged and take suitable action.
Social scientists defer as to what could be deemed the age of aging However it is commonly accepted that this aging of the population refers to the an increase in the proportion of the aged in the population. Once again there is a no hard and fast rule considering the age that can be considered as the identification of the aged .The often accepted definition considered 65 as the cut off age when a person could be considered as aged since in most countries governmental social benefits apply to the group above this age limit.
In fact retirement regulations in most countries in Europe came into operation when in 1873 Germany regarded 65 as the age whereby social benefits could be provided . However in our country usually the mandatory age of retirement was considered to be anything between the ages of 55 and 60 with an extension period of five years often granted both in the public as well as private sector. In the agricultural field ofcourse especially in the rural communities and in the informal sector many of those defined as aged continue to work way beyond the mandatory age.
Essentially the problems facing the aged especially those who do not have any statutory social benefits or whose benefits do not take into consideration the increases in the cost of living are reflected in the fact that a number of persons whose livelihood opportunities are not in the rural agricultural areas, but also in the suburbs ,even after the defined statutory age limit continue working or seek various avenues for work.
It was this situation that led to the World Bank report which stated that urgent plans are necessary to provide old age income support and health care.
The report identified the four main issues that needed attention; family support of elderly; formal income support ; health status and a effective health care system and greater opportunities in the labour market. Further clarifying these issues the World Bank report stated that their findings have showed the following situations “ Regarding family and the elderly, the family is the main support of the elderly, but there are signs of emerging strains in the traditional support system.
Formal old age income support systems have limited coverage, inadequate benefits and are financially unsustainable. Health Care systems are not ready to address the needs of an aging population. The increased share of elderly in population will increase economic pressure on budgetary expenditure and overall growth.”
In the present context Sri Lanka has to deal with various problems considering the care needed for the aged. With rural migration both to urban areas and abroad by especially women seeking employment the family support that was available for elderly family members is gradually declining. Rural society has very little or no community systems established to provide alternate care and in recent times media has on occasion highlighted incidents when elderly parents have been abandoned by their families and are destitute.
This aspect is further aggravated by the limited accommodation available in urban areas where housing is often limited to small apartments in high rise buildings that have no space or facilities to take in elderly parents or relatives.
The escalating cost of living too acts as a barrier in situations where children are living in the suburban areas but do not have sufficient economic means to take in their parents to live with them.
Another aspect that is affecting care giving is that during the conflict years and due to the continuing stagnant economic growth many professionals in the middle and upper middle class opted to migrate to more economically favourable countries leaving their parents behind. In many instances these families had the financial wherewithal to provide for their aged parents but lacked the care giving support of immediate family members especially since most of these families were limited to one or two children. Hence a new demand opened up for professional care givers and homes for the elderly where such services were available. Institutional care is often reluctantly accepted by the elderly who are forced to accept the situation due to the fact that their children are either involved in demanding work considerations , lack proper means of accommodation or have migrated abroad.
The World Bank report states it would be necessary to provide especially for those elderly from marginalised families “adequate safety nets and social care services are targeted to aged and widowed women who are the most vulnerable population group among the elderly”.
Whether this is possible for a cash strapped government which has perhaps greater priorities in another matter. In fact in this context it maybe more feasible if grass root administrative units first do a census of the aged in their own areas and at District level these statistics are studied and depending on the vulnerability of the aged in each area Provincial councils and local level administrative institutions work out a system whereby at community level with the assistance of volunteers and grass root level non governmental organisations a viable system of care provision is provided.
In fact the Social services ministry that have at grass root level their coordinators could initiate the setting up small groups from the community to take charge of specific divisions in the area . Perhaps most of these activities can be combined with the government’s Village Awakening programmes which while providing infra structural facilities could also be participant in the much needed care giving support for the aged in rural communities. Another aspect that could perhaps be put into operation is to use the community halls to provide day care to the aged and under the aegis of religious leaders in the area a nutritional meal could be provided . School leavers could assist in such a project and provide them to an understanding and awareness of the need to provide care services for the aged.[rc]
Copyright © Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.
