Good intent, lackadaisical implementation

MUMBAI ,INDIA / ONE INDIA ONE PEOPLE  / SOCIAL SECURITY / JUNE 1st 2013


Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme in India (IGNOAPS), a scheme aimed at providing financial security to the destitute aged living below poverty line fails to achieve its goal because of lackadaisical implemenation, writes Dr. Nidhi Mishra. 

Old age brings with it lot of challenges, a major one is that of financial insecurity. Financial security of elderly in general and particularly of those belonging to BPL category has been a matter of concern, and due to increase in longevity, old age health care expenses, increasing cost of living, the problem has only compounded. Due to lower or negligible family income and rise in the cost of living, the poor often find it difficult to depend on their family for financial support, and thus the role of government becomes important in providing financial security to the destitute aged in our country.
 

Overview of Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS)

Realising the pressing need to provide financial security to the destitute elderly, the IGNOAPSGovernment of India (GOI) launched the National Old Age Pension Scheme (NOAPS) under the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) of the Ministry of Rural Development, on 15 August 1995. Like other schemes of NSAP, this scheme is in line with Article 41 of the Constitution of India which directs the State to provide “public assistance to its citizens in case of unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement and in other cases of undeserved want within the limits of its economic capacity and development.”

On 19 November 2007, NOAPS was renamed as Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) and to widen its scope it has been extended to the elderly who fall Below Poverty Line (BPL). Initially under this scheme, all destitute elderly aged 65 years or above were provided a pension amount of `75 per month. Subsequently, with effect from 1 April 2006, the pension amount was increased to `200 per month per person in order to make this scheme more effective and the state governments were requested by central government to contribute a matching amount for each beneficiary of this scheme. It has been noted that not all states are contributing an equal amount of `200 per person per month to the pension.

To further improve the effectiveness of this scheme, with effect from 1 April 2011, the eligibility age for this scheme has been reduced from 65 to 60 years and the amount of pension has been raised from `200 to `500 per month for those who are 80 years or above.

The other two schemes under NSAP– Annapurna Scheme and Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme (IGNWPS) are linked to IGNOAPS in a way that under Annapurna Scheme ten kilograms of food grains are provided free of cost to those BPL elderly who though eligible, have not been covered under the IGNOAPS. And under IGNWPS, once the BPL widows reach the age of 60 years they are transferred to IGNOAPS.

The Annual Report (2012-13) of the Ministry of Rural Development, GOI, highlights coverage of 223.18 lakh BPL elderly all over India, where the highest number of beneficiaries were reported in Bihar (37.87 lakh), followed by Uttar Pradesh (37.67 lakh) and Odisha (17.77 lakh). The total expenditure reported under NSAP for the year 2012-2013 is `4855.77 crore, although a total of `8447.30 crore was allocated for it. IGNOAPS is a part of NSAP and is allotted a major portion of the funds, however, the exact breakup of scheme wise budget allocation under NSAP is not available in the annual report or on the website of Ministry of Rural Development. 

Benefits

The IGNOAPS is praiseworthy, as this is the first ever national level scheme which provides economic security to the poor elderly and widows who would have either been dependent on their family’s limited income or would have been forced to lead a neglected life. This aspect has also been highlighted in one of the participatory study conducted in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh by the NGO HelpAge India in 2008, where responses of participants indicated that IGNOAPS plays a very important role in poverty reduction. 

Limitations

Over the years, government bodies and social scientists have highlighted some limitations of this scheme mainly in terms of its improper implementation. A research paper jointly published by four professors from Harvard School of Public Health in 2010 highlighted weak targeting of beneficiaries which is generally based on combination of a survey based definition of poverty and community identification of the poor as a major problem related to implementation of this scheme.

In a survey conducted by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) India in 2012, covering a total of 9,852 elderly in the seven states of India which have higher proportion of elderly viz. Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, the problem of wrong targeting was observed. While investigating the utilisation of IGNOAPS, it was found that some non-BPL elderly were also availing the scheme. It was also observed that there was low awareness of this scheme among the beneficiaries, thus raising the need for effective steps to be taken by the government to promote the scheme.
Another targeting issue identified in assessments of this scheme is the difficulty of determining the age of a person, particularly in rural areas. Along with this some researchers (Anand and Kumar, 2006) have also highlighted that while from a macro perspective IGNOAPS seems to be working well, and meeting its many objectives, a micro analysis shows that there are gaps in areas like distribution and the identification of beneficiaries.

In an assessment report of Ministry of Rural Development (2006) it was found that the IGNOAPS is lacking on two grounds which cut across states: (i) it involves complex administrative procedures and, therefore, proves especially difficult for the illiterates, and (ii) the size of programme beneficiaries is capped artificially by using an arbitrary ceiling formula. 

Conclusion and recommendation

It is clear that IGNOAPS is a useful scheme for elderly below poverty line, however, it is facing problems of improper implementation such as wrong targeting, limited coverage and irregular payment of pension which needs to be strongly dealt by the government through improvement of coordination between its various bodies. Also through an effective monitoring and evaluation mechanism the problem of wrong targeting and irregular payments can be controlled by the government. Along with this proper need assessment should be done by the government for effective coverage of the scheme. Additionally, the government should publicise the scheme especially in rural areas and slums for creating awareness amongst potential beneficiaries. Civil society can also play an important role by conducting training programmes for the targeted beneficiaries.

Dr. Nidhi Mishra ,The writer is working at Tata Institute of Social Sciences for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ageing project in India.

©One India One People Foundation 2013.

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EUROPE: Older Europeans less happy than those who are younger - Gallup

NICOSIA, Cyprus / Balkans.com / Business News / June 17, 2011

For Europeans as a whole, growing older generally means growing less happy. Fifty-seven percent of Europeans aged 75 and older said they experienced happiness "yesterday" versus 66% of younger residents who said the same. However, older Europeans fare better in certain regions, with happiness declining little in northern Europe.

These data, aggregated from Gallup surveys conducted in 38 European countries between 2005 and 2010, reveal that people tend to be happier into old age in some countries and not others. In a number of countries -- mostly in northern and western Europe -- there is a slight decline or no decline at all in how likely people are to report happiness after age 75.


Wealth and longevity may have a lot to do with happiness. Older people tend to be more likely to remain as happy as the rest of the population in countries with higher GDPs (about $30,000 per capita or higher) -- such as the United Kingdom and Belgium -- and in countries with higher life expectancies (78 years or more) -- such as Germany and Austria. Younger people's reported happiness, on the other hand, varies less by GDP and life expectancy.

Lower GDP, Lower Happiness

Happiness among the young and old is much lower in poorer European countries than in wealthier ones. In countries with lower GDPs (lower than $20,000 per capita PPP), a smaller percentage of the general population experienced happiness the day prior to the survey (less than 65%). The worst off are the former Eastern bloc countries, particularly Romania and Bulgaria, which have GDPs of about $12,000 to $13,000. Less than 50% of the population in these countries report experiencing happiness the day before the survey.

This effect is even more marked in the oldest age group. In lower GDP countries, less than 40% of older people, on average, report experiencing happiness. In the poorest of these countries, happiness in the oldest age group is about half what it is in the general population, dropping lower than 30%.

In many countries with higher GDP, the gap between the happiness of older and younger people is small, generally less than 10 percentage points. In western Europe, 81% of the general population and 75% of the oldest age group report having experienced happiness the previous day.

In fact, adults aged 75 and older in the wealthiest countries are more likely to experience happiness daily than the general population in poorer countries. People aged 75 and older in the richest countries -- such as the United Kingdom and Germany -- are up to three times more likely to experience happiness in their everyday lives than older people in the poorest countries.

Life Expectancy Is Also an Important Factor

As life expectancy increases, people in the 15 to 74 and the 75 and older age group are more likely to experience happiness. Older people in countries with life expectancies of 78 years or higher are more than twice as likely to experience happiness than older people in countries where life expectancies are lower than 73 years.

In countries where life expectancy is higher, older and younger people generally report similar levels of happiness. In countries with lower life expectancies, however, older people are much less likely than those aged 15 to 74 to report happiness. Life expectancy is related to GDP; most countries with higher GDPs also have higher life expectancies.

Implications

Health is an important aspect of overall wellbeing, and may be more important for the elderly as health declines in old age. Many of the countries in the lower GDP group also have lower satisfaction with personal health and lower satisfaction with the availability of quality healthcare, ranging from 35% of the general population in Bulgaria to 92% in Austria.

The link between higher GDP and higher likelihood of happiness -- particularly for older people -- is in line with a prior analysis of Gallup data that found GDP relates to life satisfaction as well as to health satisfaction in old age. In wealthier nations, life satisfaction is higher and people are more satisfied with their health in old age.

Source: Gallup

JAPAN: Nearly 2 million people on welfare

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TOKYO / The Japan Times / Life in Japan / May 13, 2011

Kyodo

There were 1,989,769 people on welfare as of February, but the number probably would have topped 2 million if data from Fukushima Prefecture had been included, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said Thursday.

Fukushima's data were unavailable because the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disrupted many local government functions.

The national total for February is more likely to be close to the record monthly average of about 2.04 million set in fiscal 1952, when the country was still recovering from the war.

In Fukushima Prefecture, about 16,000 people were living on welfare as of January.

The figure may continue to rise for some time because many people who lost their homes and jobs in the twin disaster are likely to have started claiming welfare benefits in March, officials said.

(C) The Japan Times

CHINA: 200,000 more over-60s a year

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SHANGHAI / The Shanghai Daily / Human Resources / April 19, 2011

By Lu Feiran

Shanghai has more than 3 million people aged 60 or older (Photo: impactlab.net)

WITHIN the next five years, it is estimated there will be 4.3 million Shanghai residents over the age of 60, or 30 percent of the registered population.


About 200,000 people will reach the age of 60 every year from this year to 2015, double the figure over the past five years, according to the annual report of the Shanghai Research Center on Aging.

This is the result of the baby boom after 1949, the year when the People's Republic was established, the report said.

Officials said that, up to the end of last year, the city had about 3.3 million residents over 60, or around 23 percent of the registered population, an increase of almost 5 percent on 2009.

In contrast, the percentage of senior citizens on the Chinese mainland is about 12 percent.

A key problem, said the report, is that one-child parents will be forming the majority of seniors, and officials are concerned they will meet problems in their final years because of that.

They were born in the first baby boom after 1949, and were the first parents to be subject to the one-child policy, the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau said.

Statistics indicate that from 2013, some 80 percent of senior citizens in the city will have only one child.

"At present, seniors around the age of 80 have several children to look after them," said Gao Julan, deputy director of the bureau. "But in the future, seniors will have only one child and his or her spouse. And if the child moves abroad or to other places in the country, seniors will be by themselves."

Gao said that at present the problem was not that great, but in 10 to 20 years, when the seniors were that much older, people would begin to see how serious it is.

Officials say they expect to develop community resources for such citizens. For example, they are studying the establishment of an emergency community network so that seniors can find someone to help when they are in trouble.

"The network can be attached to the community service center or to the police, thus people would know when they need help," said Gao.

Another problem was that an increasing number of non-local seniors were coming to the city. There are no solid statistics on this. Yu Xuming, deputy director of the Shanghai census office, said the results of the country's sixth national census was expected early next month, and information about non-local people was included.

"Many college students from other provinces stay in Shanghai after graduation, and the parents of a large number of them will also move to the city after they are retired," Yu said. "So we should also consider their welfare and care in Shanghai."

The number of beds in seniors homes will be 3 percent of the elderly population by 2015, officials said.

Copyright © 2001-2011 Shanghai Daily Publishing House

USA: Americans living longer than ever, but gap widens between blacks, whites

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NEW YORK / BusinessWeek / Lifestyle / March 16, 2011

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

The death rate in the United States reached an all-time low in 2009, the 10th straight year of decline, dropping 2.3 percent from 2008, federal health officials report.

"There is basically good news," said lead author Kenneth Kochanek, a statistician at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics.

"Ten of the major causes of death decreased significantly," he said. "You have life expectancy going up, you have infant mortality going down," he added.

Kochanek cautioned that this is preliminary data, and the CDC has not looked at the reasons for these trends. The final data, which should be available this summer, may shed some light on the findings, he noted.

Behavioral changes, particularly the decline in smoking, are partly responsible for the improvements, one expert says.

The report shows a drop from 758.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2008 to 741 per 100,000 people in 2009. In all, 2,436,682 deaths were reported in 2009.

Overall U.S. life expectancy rose slightly from 78 years to 78.2 years between 2008 and 2009. Men's life expectancy increased to 75.7 years and women's to 80.6 years, the researchers found.

However, life expectancy for blacks remained unchanged -- 70.9 years for men and 77.4 years for women. The disparity between whites and blacks is now 4.3 years, representing a 0.2 percent increase from 2008 to 2009, the report found.

"We are not really sure why life expectancy did not go up for blacks," Kochanek said. "That's one of those things we have to look at with the final data."

Deaths fell in 10 of the 15 leading causes of death. Heart disease dropped 3.7 percent, cancer fell 1.1 percent, and stroke declined 4.2 percent. Deaths from Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases and accidents all declined 4.1 percent. Deaths from flu and pneumonia fell 4.7 percent, and deaths from septicemia, a bacterial infection, decreased 1.8 percent.

Deaths from homicides fell 6.8 percent, but suicides increased from 35,933 in 2008 to 36,547 in 2009. Other than suicide, which overtook septicemia as the 10th leading cause of death, the ranking of the leading causes of death was unchanged from 2008 to 2009, the researchers noted.

Infant mortality hit a record low in 2009, falling from 6.59 deaths per 1,000 births in 2008 to 6.42, representing a 2.6 percent decrease, according to the report. The leading causes of infant deaths are birth defects, preterm birth, low birth weight and sudden infant death syndrome, the researchers explained.

These data represent 96 percent of death certificates reported to the National Vital Statistics System from all states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories.

Kochanek noted that the United States is still behind other countries in life expectancy, infant mortality and death rates.

"But we are getting better," he said.

Commenting on the report, Dr. Laurence Gardner, a professor of medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, said these trends most likely reflect the widespread decrease in smoking.

"And maybe the medical profession gets some credit here," he said. "I don't think we should beat our chests too strongly, but the evidence is beginning to hint at better management of chronic illness, which would explain why people are living longer with a confirmed diagnosis."

As for the disparity in life expectancy between blacks and whites, Gardner offered three possible explanations.

"There may be more violence, a real issue about disparity in access to health care and possible issues with the data," he said.

Compared with other countries, Gardner doesn't think the United States has made all that much progress.

"I don't think this puts the U.S. health care system at the top of the world any more than it was," Gardner said.

For more about life expectancy, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

SOURCES: Kenneth Kochanek, statistician, Mortality Statistics Branch, Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Laurence Gardner, M.D., professor of medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; March 16, 2011, CDC report, Deaths: Preliminary Data for 2009

Copyright © 2011 HealthDay.

AUSTRIA: Aging population increases Austria's care costs

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VIENNA, Austria / Austrian Broadcasting Station / Xinhua / September 4, 2010

Austria's expenditure on social services was rising quickly as its population aged, the Austrian Broadcasting Station reported September 3, says news from Xinhua.

Currently, home care services totaled 14.5 million hours each year, with an annual cost of 1.3 billion euros (1.67 billion U.S. dollars), according to the report.

By 2020, the time and expense required for such services would increase to 23 million hours and 2 billion euros (2.57 billion dollars) per year, the broadcaster said.

The number of nursing stations for the aged would also increase during that period, by 15,000 to 77,000. Austrians can access nursing care provided by social insurance when they are not able to take care of themselves.

Statistics showed the vast majority of those needing home care were elderly citizens, and the aging population was increasing the country's social care burden, the report said.

The broadcaster said the number of people older than 75 in Austria was forecast to exceed one million by 2030, accounting for one eighth of the total population.

Editor: Bi Mingxin

Copyright © 2000-2010 Xinhua News Agency.

CANADA: An Aging And Divided Workforce

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TORONTO (Dow Jones)--Just as Canadian society keeps on aging, so does its workforce. A recent study by Statistics Canada has found that the employment rate among seniors has risen sharply, and is likely to continue rising., says a report in the WALL STREET JOURNAL  on August 16.

Much of that has to do with increasing longevity, better health, and more flexible retirement rules.

But the study also shows that workers above the traditional retirement age of 65 fall into two distinct camps: relatively affluent individuals who choose to continue working in their fields but on their own terms, and the relatively poor whose retirement savings don't stretch far enough...

JAPAN: At least 10 of the missing centenarians are foreigners!

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TOKYO, August 7, 2010 - A report from Kyodo News in The Japan Times today says that at least 10 of the 56 "missing" centenarians in Japan are foreign nationals. This indicated flaws in the country's resident registry system, according to a tally based on inquiries to local governments.

Even if these foreign nationals are confirmed to be no longer living at their given addresses, municipal governments are not authorized to delete their registrations because the Justice Ministry is in charge of their whereabouts, municipal officials told The Japan Times.

Some municipalities are asking the ministry to change its foreign resident registration data on people who no longer live in their jurisdictions, but their registered addresses often remain intact as the ministry tends to withhold judgment due to lack of information, they said.

The 10 foreign centenarians are registered in eight municipalities — two each in Tokyo's Arakawa Ward and the city of Chiba, and one each in Tokyo's Minato and Sumida wards, its suburban of Kiyose, Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture, Himeji in Hyogo Prefecture and Fukuoka.

A woman who was registered in Minato Ward has been missing since enrolling about 30 years ago as a transient visitor, and if still alive, would be 105, a ward official said

CANADA: Nearly one-quarter of Canadians will be seniors by 2036

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TORONTO, Ontario / The Globe and Mail / National / May 27, 2010

Some demographers say much of the concern over the health burden of aging population is inflated, reports Ann Hui

Two Terraces of Baycrest residents share a tender moment at the Terraces

The Globe and Mail

Canadians may be aging, but there’s no need for panic, researchers say.

Nearly a quarter of Canadians will be seniors by 2036, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday. While this is almost double the 13.9 per cent of the population that seniors currently represent, there is no reason to assume they will become a burden on the country’s systems, some experts say.

In February, Parliamentary Budget Officer Kevin Page released a report warning that elderly benefits and health-care costs associated with aging will require Ottawa to hike taxes or cut spending by at least $20-billion over the coming decade.

But some demographers say that much of the concern is inflated.

“There’s no need to panic,” said Susan McDaniel, Prentice research chair in global population at the University of Lethbridge. “Some of the mistake is that people, including policy people, see people who are 85 needing health care now, therefore thinking that people 20 years from now will need the same thing. But people who are 85 now were born in a time when smoking was chic, they sometimes went through the Depression – they’re an entirely different person.”

The Canadian Institute for Health Information released a report last year detailing the cost of different age groups to the health-care system. The average spending for a person between age one and 64 was less than $3,809 a year, compared with $17,469 for a person over 80. But these numbers reflect the elderly today, said Ms. McDaniel, and are not indicative of the lifestyles of baby boomers and those who will be entering retirement in 2036.

Siloni Waraich, a corporate communications manager, is 36, but will be approaching retirement by 2036.

“I think every generation goes through the ‘We’ll definitely not be like our parents,’ ” she said. “But I honestly believe that, because we’re going to be a lot more active and healthier at a later age.”

Not only are the future elderly not going to be a drain on the system, they also will be contributing, productive members of the economy, said Monica Boyd, professor of sociology at the University of Toronto.

Many elderly people are choosing not to retire right away, she said, and many are able to work until they’re much older as jobs move from labour-based to technology-based.

Even many of today’s elderly citizens are living lifestyles completely unlike those of previous generations. Connie Daxon, 86, lives in her own condo in Toronto, volunteers regularly, and walks daily to nearby Bloor West Village. “I go out all the time,” she said. “I walk, I jump on buses – the same sort of thing I’ve always done.”

John Cravit, vice-president of Zoomer Media, a media company aimed at the over 50 population, calls those like Ms. Daxon “the new old,” saying they’re a group insistent on self-reliance.

Those who are 65 now, he said, have a 50-per-cent chance of living to the age of 90. Because of this, Mr. Cravit said, “You’re not going to be sitting passively on the sideline, waiting for crumbs from an active society.” [rc]

© Copyright 2010 CTVglobemedia Publishing Inc.

CUBA: Over 1500 Centenarians Live in Cuba

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HAVANA, Cuba / Cuban Daily News / News / May 25, 2010

More than 1500 Cubans have surpassed 100 years, a research coordinated by the National Aged Adult and Social Assistance Direction of the Public Health Ministry stated.

More than 1500 Cubans have surpassed 100 years, a research coordinated by the National Aged Adult and Social Assistance Direction of the Public Health Ministry stated.

The island's 2004-2008 updating of the Centenarians Study shows that 53 people more than two years ago currently surpass that figure, Granma newspaper reported. This states that there is a centenarian per each 7,296 Cubans, and also one per each 1,269 aged adults.

According to information from the National Statistics Office, more than 1 950 000 people surpassing 60 years lived in the island in December.

The international seminar «Satisfactory Longevity: Integral Vision», which includes a centenarians meeting, will be held from Wednesday to Friday at the Nacional Hotel of Cuba, in the presence of delegates from 10 countries. [rc]

Source: cubasi.com

AUSTRALIA: Who should pay for aged care services?

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CANBERRA, Australia / Australian Government Productivity Commission / Caregivers / May 25, 2010

"Caring for Older Australians,"  a paper just published, gives details of the workforce to care for Australia's elderly..

Aged care services are delivered by formal paid workers, informal carers and volunteers. Services are also supported by, and are dependent on, doctors, nurses and allied health professionals such as physiotherapists, podiatrists and pharmacists. The formal paid workforce is part of the broader health and community sector workforce.


In 2007, around 175,000 people were employed in residential care, and of these around 133,000 were direct care employees (Martin and King 2008). The direct care workforce is a mix of:

• registered nurses (16.8 per cent of the workforce)

• enrolled nurses (12.2 per cent)

• personal carers, including assistants in nursing (63.6 per cent)

• allied health workers (7.4 per cent).

The balance of the residential care workforce is non-direct care staff (such as cooks, cleaners and administrators).

In community care, around 87,500 people were employed in 2007, of whom about 85 per cent were direct care workers (Martin and King 2008). By occupation, the community care workforce is a mix of registered nurses (10.2 per cent), enrolled nurses (2.4 per cent), community care workers (82.6 per cent) and allied health workers (4.8 per cent).
 
The Sydney-based Australian Ageing Agenda reported today:
 
The nation’s peak providers have united with one voice to commend the Productivity Commission’s Caring for Older Australians Issues Paper and its potential for real reform.
 
“The Productivity Commission has covered all the bases necessary for a thorough assessment and understanding of aged care,” the Campaign for the Care of Older Australians (CCOA) has commented.

One of the most controversial topics addressed in the paper is funding. Inviting debate, it questions: “Who should pay for aged care services? [rc]

Source: Australian Ageing Agenda

Illustrative photo by courtesy, TopNews, UK

CANADA: Medical professionals aging fast, shows study

. TORONTO, Ontario / The Toronto Sun / News / April 10, 2010 By QMI Agency Health-care workers, on average, are older and move around more than other workers, according to a new report from the Canadian Institute for Health Information. The report examines census data from 1991 to 2006 and Scott’s Medical Database records from 1986 to 2004 and maps the migration patterns and general statistics of Canada's health-care workers. CIHI estimates 10% of Canadian workers are employed in the health field. “Analysis of the migration of our health human resources is important because, among other things, mobility influences or is a reflection of some of the critical issues of health human resources planning in Canada,” said researcher Roger Pitblado. Health professionals move around less than in the past, but they still move more often than workers in other fields. In 2006, between 12% and 19% of health-care workers moved to a different community within the same province, and between 2% and 7% moved to a different province or territory. Bigger cities tend to draw health workers. The study says most of the migration involved health-care workers moving to urban centres from rural communities, or from one urban centre to another. The most popular provincial destination is Alberta, followed by B.C. and Ontario. “Those who did move to another province did so in higher numbers than the general Canadian population,” said Pitblado. “In fact, most provinces and territories have experienced net losses of health-care workers.” But wherever they go, Canadian health-care workers are getting old. The average age of a health-care worker in Canada is 48. By comparison, the average age of other workers is 41. Between 2001 and 2006, the average age of health-care workers jumped 2.3%, whereas the average age of other workers only rose 1.5%. [rc]

UK: Lower mortality rate resulting in older population in Northern Ireland

. ULSTER, Northern Ireland / Belfast Newsletter / Population / March 26, 2010 ULSTER's population is getting older, according to new figures. Last year saw the lowest death rate in the history of Northern Ireland, with a total of 14,400 deaths registered – marking a three per cent decrease from 2008. The findings were contained in provisional 2009 mortality figures released yesterday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA). Figures show that the fall in mortality rate witnessed over the past number of decades - last year there were 2,400 fewer deaths than in 1979 - has served to drive the ageing of the population. Over the last 30 years, the reduction in the number of deaths has occurred alongside the population increasing in size and an older age structure. Over half of all deaths last year were caused by three main diseases: cancer (3,900 deaths), ischaemic heart disease (2,300 deaths) and stroke (1,200 deaths). However, our ageing population has also resulted in changes in causes of death. Over the last 10 years, there has been a 40 per cent increase in deaths due to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. In 2009, there were 710 deaths due to Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. An NISRA spokesperson said: "Last year we witnessed the lowest death rate ever recorded in Northern Ireland. Mortality rates today are nearly half of those seen 30 years ago. "Cancer continues to be the most common cause of death. However, as the population ages we are observing more deaths of the very elderly with increasing numbers caused by Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia." [rc] © 2010 Johnston Press Digital Publishing Related news report Northern Ireland Highlights Three Percent Decrease In Mortality Rates

BULGARIA: More centenarians in villages than in cities

. SOFIA, Bulgaria / FOCUS / Society / January 23, 2010 Centenarians in villages are more than in cities: national statistics By Vesela Baramova, Focus News Agency Out of all 347 centenarians in Bulgaria as of 2008, 166 live in cities and 181 – in villages. Out of all 226 women centenarians 105 live in cities and 121 – in villages. 61 out of 121 men who are older than 100 years of age live in cities and 60 – in villages. Yordan Kalchev, head of Demographic Statistics Department in the National Statistical Institute, said this in an interview with FOCUS News Agency. He says the district of Sofia, which is the most populous one, has the highest number of centenarians – 44. It is followed by the districts of Plovdiv (24 centenarians), Blagoevgrad (23), Pleven and Varna (21 each), and then Haskovo, Pazardzhik and Vratsa (between 10 and 19 centenarians). Kalchev says many factors influence life expectancy. “On the one hand, cities offer better and accessible healthcare, but probably the conditions, diet, daily way of living in villages play a role too,” he said. The least populous districts in Bulgaria have the smallest number of centenarians – Yambol, Lovech, Targovishte. [rc] © 2009 FOCUS Information Agency

INDIA: In 2025, India to Pass China in Population, U.S. Estimates

. The view of the Friday night market from Scott Poniewaz's apartment balcony. West Patel Nagar, New Delhi, India on September 27, 2009.Photo credit: Scott Poniewaz . NEW YORK, NY / The New York Times / Asia-Pacific / December 16, 2009 By Sam Roberts India will become the world’s most populous country in 2025, surpassing China, where the population will peak one year later because of declining fertility, according to United States Census Bureau projections released Tuesday. The bureau suggests that the projected peak in China, 1.4 billion people, will be lower than previously estimated and that it will occur sooner. With the fertility rate declining to fewer than 1.6 births per woman in this decade from 2.2 in 1990, China’s overall population growth rate has slowed to 0.5 percent annually. In contrast, India’s 1.4 percent growth rate is being driven by a fertility rate of 2.7 births per woman. The bureau’s International Data Base projects that China’s labor force will peak at 831 million — 24 million more workers than today — in 2016. That is because the number of newcomers to the labor force in their early 20s is expected to start declining in 2011 after reaching 124 million. In India, the number of new entrants to the labor force is expected to reach 116 million in 2024 before decreasing. China and India alone account for 37 percent of the world’s population of about 6.8 billion. Every minute, the bureau’s estimates, 250 people are born worldwide and 107 die, for an increase of more than 75 million annually. By the time the 21st century is a quarter over, the bureau estimates, the population of the United States will be more than 350 million. The United States fertility rate, about 2.1 births per woman, is higher than in most developed countries, in part as a result of higher birthrates among immigrants. After China and India, the most populous countries are, in order, the United States, Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria, Russia and Japan. The worldwide population estimates include more than 11 million people over the age of 90 and more than 326,000 centenarians. More boys are being born than girls, but women begin to outnumber men among people in their late 40s. [rc] Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

CHINA: 85% of Chinese families can't afford houses

. BEIJING, China / People's Daily / Life & Culture / Society / December 8, 2009 According to Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), 85 percent of Chinese families can not afford housing expenditure, and house prices are much higher than their incomes. The situation was pointed out in the Blue Paper on Analysis and Prediction of Chinese Economics in 2010 issued by CASS. The Blue Paper says that house prices are 3 to 6 times greater than people's incomes; therefore it will be very difficult to buy a house for citizens. Furthermore, the average ratio of house prices to incomes in China, 2009 will be 8.3, well beyond the scope of reasonable affordability. In fact, it will be 22.08 for migrant workers and 29.44 for farmers in 2009. Because of this, 85 percent of Chinese families do not have the ability to buy their own future houses. File photo of Chinese family. AP To restrain house price increases, the government has to protect low income people both in cities and rural area with a social security system, not just leaving them vulnerable to market forces. For middle-income people, assuring their right of abode, meaning each can rent a house, is the most important; at the same time, it should be a market operation under a social security system, and houses for renting should be divided into high, middle and low level for renters to choose. [rc] Copyright by People's Daily

BRAZIL: Life expectancy in Brazil over 72, survey indicates

. BRASILIA, Brazil / People's Daily of China / December 2, 2009 The life expectancy of the Brazilian population increased from 69.66 years in 1998 to 72.86 years in 2008, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and Tuesday's Brazilian Official Gazette. Men's life expectancy was 69.11 years and women's was 76. 71 years last year. The data indicate a significant progress compared with 45.50 years in 1940. According to the IBGE, Brazil will need some time to catch up with Japan, Hong Kong (China), Switzerland, Iceland, Australia, France and Italy, where the average life expectancy is already over 81. Research has shown that Brazil would achieve that level by 2040. Elderly Brazilian football fan Courtesy: PhotographersDirect The data came from the IBGE's Complete Mortality Tables for Brazil's population, which have been published annually since 1999. They are used by the Ministry of Social Security as one of the parameters for the retirement fund factor under the General System of Social Security. [rc] Source: Xinhua Copyright by People's Daily

CANADA: Are we really better off?

. DON MILLS, Ontario / Financial Post / November 8, 2009 By William Hanley, Financial Post The official data says Canadians are getting richer, but William Hanley thinks our wallets are actually getting lighter. AFP/Getty Images The numbers don't lie -- especially those issued by Statistics Canada, which has an outstanding record of adhering religiously to strict methodology. So when I read a recent front-page commentary in the National Post by William Watson, I was surprised at the StatsCan numbers he quoted to defend capitalism's record in Canada. Not that capitalism really needs defending, despite Wall Street's central role in triggering the financial crisis that sank the markets. To borrow Winston Churchill's words about democracy, capitalism is the worst system, except for all the rest. Mr. Watson's point -- underscored by StatsCan's numbers in a report racily titled Income in Canada -- was that Canadians' real incomes rose strongly for the 10 years from 1998 to 2007 among all groups and individuals. The median income of families with two or more persons rose to $71,900 in 2007, from $59,300 in 1998 in inflation-adjusted 2007 dollars. Elderly families' income rose to $54,200, from $43,800. Elderly single men saw incomes rise to $31,000 from $27,000. Even elderly single women, often the poorest and most vulnerable financially, had a rise in real income, to $25,800 from $22,100. Yes, the StatsCan numbers do paint a bright picture of Canada's particular form of capitalism at work. So, why am I not convinced that the underlying reality is no longer aligned with the numbers? First, much has happened since StatsCan meticulously crunched the 2007 real-income numbers. When the Income in Canada report for 2008 is published in June 2010, the numbers are not likely to look as good, because recessionary forces had already begun chipping away at incomes. And when the annual report for 2009 is issued in June 2011, the picture will look far bleaker, reflecting this year's high unemployment rate and a host of other realities associated with the recession, including falling portfolio values and tumbling fixed-income rates of return. And in relief, the decade from 1998 to 2007 was a very good one for the personal finances of most people, despite the brief 9/11 recession and the tech wreck of 2000. Second, anecdotal evidence I've collected tends to belie the numbers. Few of the many people I know have been getting pay raises and few retirees I know have made any real income gains in the past few years. If they've kept pace with inflation, they've been fortunate. Third, despite the tame inflation rates of recent years, many people will attest that things are more expensive. For instance, food prices and restaurant prices have been rising much faster than the rate of inflation in the past year. Anyway, the basket of goods that StatsCan uses to track the consumer price index is not necessarily an accurate measure of many people's spending habits. I know for certain that local restaurants and pubs I frequent have raised prices steadily, so customers are having to spend more of their higher real incomes. In all, the impression I and others get is that many people these days are "feeling" poorer or at least less well-off. That could be a result of the financial tensions of the past year or so. But I expect the mood to remain somewhat more downbeat for a while at least. One event that is likely to reinforce some of today's uncertainties is the coming rise in interest rates, which have been kept artificially low to help stimulate the economy. Sometime next year, the Bank of Canada will begin raising rates, pushing up accommodation costs for legions of mortgage holders, who will start to feel a little poorer, with less discretionary income to spend. Meantime, Canadian government deficits -- totalling about $100-billion this year alone -- will hang over the country and its citizenry. Those deficits will continue to be racked up for the next few years at least and they will have to be at least partly addressed by higher taxes if the country is to get a handle on its fiscal outlook. The hard fact is the country is in nowhere near as good shape overall as it was just two years ago, when the latest real income numbers indicated Canadians were making solid gains. That, despite capitalism's record of working well for our prosperity, is a reality Canadians must continue to deal with in the coming years. [rc] William Hanley E-Mail: whanley@nationalpost.com © 2009 National Post Inc.

CHINA: Chinese over 60s number nearly 160 million

. BEIJING, China / People's Daily / Society / November 7, 2009 According to a recent conference on China's aging population, elderly over 60 years old already number almost 160 million, making up 12% of China's total population. China is rapidly becoming an aging society. It is estimated that by the year 2014, the elderly population will reach 200 million. To compensate for a lack of efficient social care programs, China should fully develop the heath care system and be prepared for an upcoming peak in elderly requiring treatment. In the past ten years, the Chinese government has given much attention to facilities and services that provide for an aging population. At present, the number of Elderly Care Centers is over 40 thousand, holding more than two million senior citizens. In the next five years, China plans to establish roughly 200,000 elderly activity and service centers in one third of towns nationwide. Meanwhile, it will keep an eye on the aging problem in the countryside and completion of new healthcare system in the rural areas. [rc] Source: People's Daily Online Photograph courtesy: The Epoch Times

INDIA: By 2010, India will have 50.8 million diabetics

. NEW DELHI, India / The Times of India / Health / October 21, 2009 By Kounteya Sinha, Times News Network Only 7 out of every 100 adult Indians are diabetic. This may appear to be a blessing, given that we do almost everything possible -- from sedentary lifestyle, faulty diet to high stress -- to attract such an affliction. The global projections by International Diabetes Federation (IDF) also show that India has a much lesser prevalence of the disease than most other countries including US. But that is just about the only satisfying bit of statistics unveiled in IDF's latest Diabetes Atlas. IDF, which tracks the global spread of this scourge, says that by next year, the country will be home to 50.8 million diabetics, making it the world's unchallenged diabetes capital. And the number is expected to go up to a whopping 87 million -- 8.4% of the country's adult population -- by 2030. China stands second in this infamous table with 43.2 million diabetes cases at present, which is expected to increase to 62.6 million by 2030.

The 20th World Diabetes Congress is being held in Montreal, Canada, October 18-22, 2009

The disease will prove costly for India, both in terms of lives lost and money wasted. In India, it will kill around 10.07 lakh people in the age group of 20-79 years every year -- the majority being women (50.81 lakh) from 2010. Diabetes will cost the world economy dear -- $376 billion in 2010, or 11.6% of total world healthcare expenditure. Though India will spend only 1% of the total diabetes spending worldwide, the amount itself is staggering -- $2.8 billion. US, on the other hand, will account for $198 billion or 52.7% of the total diabetes spending worldwide. By 2030, diabetes is expected to cost the world economy $490 billion. According to the latest figures released on Tuesday night at Montreal, Pakistan, which now stands 7th in the "top 10 worst affected countries with diabetes" list with 7.1 million diabetics, will jump three places by 2030 to become the 4th worst affected with 13.8 million diabetics. Another of India's neighbours, Bangladesh, which at present does not figure in this list, will make an entry in another two decades, to claim the 7th worst affected country slot with 10.4 million diabetics. Globally, the number of diabetes patients has risen sharply. While in 1985, 30 million people had diabetes, the number rose to 150 million in 2000. In 2010, 285 million people (6.6% of the global population in the age group 20-79) were found to be diabetic. However, by 2030, an estimated 435 million people are expected to suffer from this disease -- 7.8% of the adult population. Dr Anoop Misra, director of the department of diabetes at Fortis Healthcare, told TOI from Montreal, "It is certain that India is on the ascending curve of the diabetes epidemic. The effort to prevent it in India must, therefore, start early with proper nutrition in pregnancy, prevention of low birth weight and proper physical activity from 10 years of age." IDF president Prof Jean Claude Mbanya said, "The data from the atlas shows that the epidemic is out of control. No country is immune and no country is fully equipped to repel this common enemy." Region-wise, Western Pacific records the highest number of diabetics at present (77 million), followed by South-East Asia (59 million). Age-wise, the IDF report says, the worst affected are the 40-59-year-olds. By 2010, 132 million people in this age group are expected to suffer from diabetes. However, by 2030, this number will increase to 188 million. The report points out another interesting trend -- women are the worst affected by this disease. In 2010, one million more women than men have diabetes (143 million women as against 142 million men). The difference is expected to increase to six million by 2030 (222 million women against 216 million men). The urban population, as expected, has a higher incidence of the disease. By 2010, the number of people with diabetes in urban areas will be 113 million compared to 78 million in rural areas. By 2030, it is expected that this discrepancy will increase to 228 million people with diabetes in urban areas and 99 million in rural communities. Globally, by 2010, four million deaths in the 20-79 age group will be due to diabetes -- 6.8% of global all-cause mortality in this age group. Majority of these deaths will be in India, China, US and Russia. [rc] Copyright © 2009 Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd.