The elderly health crisis is not something new that has been brought to attention, it has been a long-standing problem we have been facing as a nation, and as a global community for quite some time now.
The elderly make up a large population of the world. WHO published a study which shows that by 2050, the global elderly population will jump from 12% to a staggering 22%. The speed at which populations across the world are ageing is much faster than it has ever been and by 2050, the population of the elderly (people above the age of 60) is expected to reach 2 billion.
Currently, India is home to 104 million older adults, which makes up almost 8% of our 1.3 billion population. These numbers are projected to rise further as life expectancy increases and standards of living improve globally.
Ageing from a biological point of view leads to a decrease in a person’s physical and mental agility and capability. Many factors can affect biological ageing such as genetic makeup, life experiences, and overall health throughout life.
Other specific factors also include nutrition, income levels, ethnicity, and socioeconomic backgrounds and status.
While healthy ageing is something all of us think about and envision for ourselves, the reality is much bleaker than it seems. Ageist stereotypes have existed for a long time. People assume that all older adults are fragile, disabled, and dependent. There is also widespread apathy towards senior citizens and the needs of the elderly. This attitude has led to many problems for the elderly across the globe, but problems are especially grave in India.
This article talks about issues faced by senior citizens across the world but focuses on the numbers of senior citizens in India.
- Disability and old-age illnesses- A study by the Union Health Ministry showed that 33% of India’s senior citizen population suffers from arthritis, 20% of senior citizens have hearing problems to some extent, almost 50% have poor vision, and 40% are anaemic. These figures show the poor health conditions of senior citizens in India. Many older adults face problems due to physical disabilities and their lower economic backgrounds.
They lack access to proper care and often face hostility in their family environments. Many elderly have reported that they do not receive proper care, nutrition, or even medical treatments even when their families can afford it. They are subject to different kinds of abuse, neglect, and resentment from their families who consider them a “burden”.
- Mental Illnesses- Mental Health issues for all ages have become a silent epidemic that is affecting people on a very deep level. Geriatric mental health in India is a grave problem. Psychiatric problems such as depression and dementia affect a vast senior citizen population. Almost 20% of senior citizens suffer from some form of mental illness or the other. On average, 25% of senior citizens in India suffer from depression. Senior citizen suicide rates are also shockingly high due to mental illnesses.
Almost 80% of the elderly across the country have faced some form of abuse from people, whether it is their families or old-age homes where they have been left until the end of time. Mental health problems in the elderly require acute, full-time management in some cases and families of the elderly often abandon them during this stage. Another reason for this silent geriatric mental health crisis is the sheer lack of medical professionals and infrastructure.
- Abuse and neglect- One of the most common things faced by the elderly, abuse is so common in India, that more than 71% of India’s senior citizen population has reported harassment, humiliation, and hostility to some extent.
The numbers for abuse are embarrassingly high when it comes to elder abuse in India. From mental torture to isolation to physical assault, the elderly are subjected to gruesome behaviours and the scenario is grim, to say the least. A report by HelpAge India said that 60% of the elderly have faced verbal abuse, 48% have faced physical abuse and violence, 37% of senior citizens have faced emotional abuse, 35% have faced economic abuse and 20% feel neglected by both, their families and the society.
Mistreatment in the form of humiliation, withholding of necessities such as food and medication, shouting and verbal abuse, and even violence is extremely common in India. This issue is not something new that can be pinpointed solely on the declining social and moral value system, but it is a prevalent social problem for decades now. While studies have reported that neglect of the elderly exists more in urban areas than rural, the numbers vary across the country.
Many children and relatives of the elderly only keep them in the house because the property is in the senior citizen’s name and they need an inheritance. Property-related crimes in India are some of the highest property-related crimes in the world.
The National Crime Records Bureau reported almost 19,000 crimes against senior citizens in 2014. This is when there is no record of crimes that were not reported. At the national level, it is reported that almost 50% of senior citizens have experienced abuse personally.
While there is an Act to protect senior citizens, the lack of awareness about it has led to many senior citizens not knowing their rights.
- Abandonment- If it weren’t for the property, many abusers in point 4. Would have abandoned their parents. Once their children or relatives get their hands on the property, the senior citizens are left for good. It is reported that 39% of senior citizens in India have been abandoned and/or live completely alone.
There have been cases reported where children have taken their (very senior) parents to crowded markets and left them for good. These people have waited on roadsides and have ultimately resorted to begging or waiting for a slow, painful death.
These numbers only show the dark side of Indian Society. In a society where we want to teach children “values” about things like religion and teach young girls to cover up, we are killing our elderly every single day.
A revolution is on the brink, though. The current generation between the ages of 15-30 has become much more globally exposed and aware. There is much more awareness of mental health issues. This combined with the fact that this generation truly believes in equitable respect, feminism, and building something for themselves instead of depending on handouts from their parents, gives a ray of hope for a future that is more accommodating for the elderly.
Now, it is important to educate these young minds and help them realise the value of the elderly in society. This generation can truly save the world, including its elderly, its trans people, its women, its children, and its environment and animals. It just needs to be equipped with the right resources.