| Elderly
Elderly is defined as anybody above the age of 60.
As life expectancy increases in India, the problem of elderly will
increase. Problems of elderly include loss of income due to old
age plus health problems that are associated with old age.
As per 2001 Census, India had around 81 million elderly out of
population of 1 billion people. The number of elderly is expected
to increase to 100 million in a population of 1.3 billion people
by 2011
Out of the 81 million elderly people in 2001 census, almost 51
million elderly people are below poverty line. The number of elderly
people below poverty line is expected to increase to around 60 million
people by 2011.
By 2025, India will have around 177 million elderly people. By
2050, almost 20% of India’s population will be regarded as elderly
and that may amount to almost 300 million.
India’s elderly problem is compounded by the fact that there is
no social security or adequate health care for everybody. China
on the other hand has acceptable level of social security and some
kind of health care system.
Elderly people have several problems.
1. Absence of Income.
2. Lack of Healthcare.
3. Problems of Housing and Toilets.
4. Abuse by Family members
5. Loneliness
Challenges
There are several challenges in solving the problems of elderly
such as:
1. Apathy towards the problems of elderly.
2. Lack of political or social discussion on issue of elderly.
3. Lack of social security regime.
4. Absence of adequate Primary Health care facilities.
5. Decline of joint family and absence of children and care takers
around.
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