- In India, where the majority of population is around 30, most of the health policies are centered on the basic developmental needs of children, adolescents and young adults.
- The trials and tribulations of the graying population of India, around 8.3% is oft neglected as is evident by:
- The absence of sufficient number of Geriatric health care service professionals.
- Insensitive general health care system.
- No coverage to Geriatrics in the medical syllabi and deficiency of post-graduate geriatric courses.
- Problems faced by the aging:
- Frailty and fatigue creates physical limitations and social withdrawal compounded by common locomotor, visual, hearing and psychomotor deficits.
- Failed expectations of greater attention from children, as children are engrossed in a competitive busy schedule that leaves little time for family.
- Many find staying with children more difficult than staying at old age homes.
- Unlike in India, in other countries, population ageing is preceded by advanced stages of development.
- Steps to be taken:
- Develop a comprehensive, replicable, sustainable and need-based elder care model.
- This should include shelter homes, home care, hospital admission for acute health problems, continuing the recovery/rehabilitation phase in hospitals, followed by home care with specialised nursing if required.
- Steps taken by the govt:
- National Policy on Older Persons, the National Old Age Pension Programme and the Annapurna Programme; to tackle the problems of financial insecurity.
- Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has designed a National Programme for the Health Care of Elderly in line with the recommendations made in the National Policy on Older Persons and Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act 2007.
- This aims to create dedicated healthcare facilities at all levels of health delivery system with provision for long-term and short-term training of health professionals to address problems of the elderly.
- Requirements of an ideal citizen-home:
- Comfortable living accommodations with basic civic amenities.
- Open spaces with tree-lined paths and gardens.
- Common recreation and dining rooms with a provision for balanced diet.
- Inmate-community participation activities in addition to a room to meet and spend time with relatives and friends.
- Medical dispensary with doctors, full-time nurses and a shop-cum restaurant.
- Read at: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-openpage/the-greying-of-india/article6093684.ece
Exams Perspective:
- India’s Aging Population
- Demographic Dividend
- Problems faced by the aging
- Government Measures Towards Aged