INDIA: By 2050, 32 per cent of population will be aged over 60 - Can we handle that?

. KOLKATA, West Bengal / The Statesman / Editorial / August 17, 2009 The twilight years By Anupriyo Mallick THERE will be two elderly persons for every child in the world by 2050, going by the projections of the UN Population Division. This implies that the 60-plus category, which now constitutes less than 20 per cent of the population, will account for 32 per cent of the population by 2050. Another disturbing revelation made by the UN agency is that fertility levels in the most developing countries are 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 service of the “guest workers” to run the economy. Research in India reveals that 90 per cent of the old people belong to the unorganised sector, with no social security at the age of 60. Thirty per cent of the elderly live below the poverty line and another 33 per cent just marginally above it. Eighty per cent live in the rural areas. An estimated 73 per cent are illiterate, and can only be engaged in physical labour. And 55 per cent of women over 60 are widows, many of them with no support whatsoever. There are nearly 200,000 centenarians in India. Biological science OLD AGE is an irreversible biological phenomenon, one that eventually terminates with the end of life. This is essentially biological science. In our daily lives, however, where attitudes, behaviour, values, and aesthetics are dominant, there is more than can be defined by old age. It is a phase when experience and wisdom have a profound impression. Societal changes make us afraid of this stage of life which everyone will have to face some day. In many societies, the old are among the poorest and the most vulnerable section of the society. Researchers reveal that old age has become more of an inevitable threat to an individual today One reason for this irony could be that governments across the world are drawing up plans for an ageing population. There is an increasing trend of old people being abandoned. Their children prefer to live separately after marriage or leave the city or country to pursue their careers. In India, life expectancy has gone up from 20 years in the beginning of the 20th century to 62 years today. Better medical care and low fertility have made the elderly the fastest growing segment of the population. In France, it took 120 years for the grey population to double from 7 per cent to 14 per cent. But in India, the grey population has doubled in 25 years! While the numbers have increased, the quality of life has declined. Industrialisation, migration, urbanisation and westernisation have affected the value systems. The erstwhile joint family, the natural support system, has crumbled. The fast changing pace of life has compounded social problems. Clearly, the changing balance between the age groups would make the aged more of a burden on society, as a large proportion of the resources meant for developmental activities would need to be diverted to take care of the needs of the elderly. The rapid spread of modernisation, growing urbanisation and crumbling of the joint family system have conspired to deepen insecurity and loneliness among the old. However, India has not formulated an appropriate policy framework to provide social security for the elders. Lack of family support, poor financial status, physical and mental disorders and the guilt of being dependent on others are some of the problems that the elderly have to grapple with. According to the All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), 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. Ageing society AN AGEING society will increase the demand for experienced geriatricians to handle and treat the elderly. Within the family, the elderly look 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 criticised by agencies, such as the World Bank, which would rather that governments provide only the minimum levels of social security to the elderly. Among the common problems of the old are 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 old maintain physical fitness and mental balance. Besides shelter, medicare and nutritional problems, India’s elderly population also has to contend with socio-psychological pressure. As the former UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, once remarked: “Trees grow stronger over the years, rivers widen 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 utilised as the rich resource to society that they are.” [rc] Source: The Statesman