How can social issues affect the life and health of seniors?

Social issues can have a significant impact on life and both physical and mental health of seniors. Some of the major contributors to social and psychological problems for seniors are as follows:

• Loneliness from losing a spouse and friends
• Inability to independently manage regular activities of living
• Difficulty coping and accepting physical changes of aging
• Frustration with ongoing medical problems and increasing number of medications
• Social isolation as adult children are engaged in their own lives
• Feeling inadequate from inability to continue to work
• Boredom from retirement and lack of routine activities
• Financial stresses from the loss of regular income
• These factors can have a negative impact on overall health of an older individual. Addressing these psycho social problems is an integral component of seniors' complex medical care.

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Senior citizens mark 16th August as Protest Day

Senior citizens ask for better health insurance schemes from the government, immediate implementation of the National Policy on Older Persons along with the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act

Thousands of senior citizens sporting black bands around their arms and shouting slogans like "we want our respect" or "shame (on the government)" staged a protest at Azad Maidan, Mumbai and various other parts of the state and the country yesterday. They wanted better health insurance schemes from the government, immediate implementation of the National Policy on Older Persons (NPOP) and the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act (MWPSCA).

"We are a huge part of the government and we have been neglected by the very same government. No promises have been kept," said RS Desai, member of the All-India Bank Retirees Federation.

"After 64 years of tolerating the government that has closed its eyes to the problems faced by senior citizens and particularly after 11 years of waiting for the NPOP to be implemented, we are gathered here to convey our strong protest," said Dr Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder-president, Dignity Foundation.

This protest was part of an all India 'Senior Citizens National Protest Day', observed in various cities, towns and villages. The core of the protest was to demand health insurance for all senior citizens - with or without any pre-existing disease, immediate implementation of the NPOP, MWPSCA and the Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS), which would give senior citizens Rs500 as monthly pension. The protest wanted these facilities to be grated to all Below Poverty Line (BPL) senior citizens, and residents of old age homes. Protestors also called for the setting up of an exclusive ministry and a national commission for senior citizens.

"In our country, there are 60 million people who live below or barely above the BPL (mark). They are those who earn Rs56 a day or Rs1,700 per month. And out of these 60 million people, only 10 million receive Rs400 per month under the IGNOAPS plus 10kg of grains per month under the Annapurna Scheme. (But) all of these platitudes remain only on paper and have yet to be implemented," said Dr Sreenivasan.

Panellists at the protest meet said that the NPOP has been neglected by the state and the Central governments and the bureaucratic system has been tardy, leading to its non-implementation. About 28 states and seven Union Territories have yet to adopt the NPOP even after 11 years of its promulgation by the Union government.

"The core problem is that for years they have been passing the buck, from the Central government to the finance minister to the state government. We need some action, we need our respect," said KS Samant, general secretary of the General Insurance Pensioners Association (GIPA).

In the case of MWPSCA, even after its enactment three years ago, the scheme has not yet been implemented. According to Amruta Lovekar, senior project manager of Shree Ramanugrah Trust, there is still a need for policies which give senior citizens care and protection and better mental health treatment. Families that look after their parents must get tax exemption, she demanded.

Mr Desai added that even former bank and insurance company employees have been neglected by the government and were fighting to get privileges.

Subhash Desai, a Shiv Sena MLA, assured senior citizens that he would bring up the matter before Parliament. According to Sailesh Mishra, founder-president of Silver Innings, the protest had gathered huge amount of support among elected representatives. After the event, Mr Mishra told Moneylife that ministers in Madhya Pradesh have given some assurance to the committee that they would look into the various issues involving senior citizens.

A memorandum with various demands from senior citizens was submitted to the government of Maharashtra. State minister of social justice, Sachin Ahir, received the memorandum on behalf of the Maharashtra government.

Late yesterday Mr Mishra sent Moneylife an SMS saying "Victory. Met Sachin Ahir, state minister for social justice. He in principle agreed to most demands. Asked to meet again in a week." Mr Ahir was visited by Mr Mishra, Mr Samant, Dr SP Kinjawadekar (president of the All India Senior Citizens' Confederation) and Vijay Aundhe, (general secretary of the Federation of Senior Citizens Organisations, Maharashtra).

The protest was supported by 27 national, state and local level organisations, NGOs, associations of banks/insurance companies and retired employees.

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Senior Safety At Home

Safety becomes a primary concern for senior citizens, due to their reducing physical strength and diminishing mental alertness. Incidences such as slipping on bathroom tiles, falling off a chair, consuming hazardous substances, medication overdose or omission, and skipping medical appointments are common amongst the elderly. Accidents can result in complex multiple fractures, due to the weak and brittle bones, and even permanent disabilities. It is therefore imperative to create a safe protected environment for the elderly, by taking special measures such as home renovation, personal aids and medical alarms.

The following precautions should be taken in order to ensure senior citizen safety:

Bathroom Safety:  Bathrooms are the most common places for accidents to occur, and the most dangerous as well, due to presence of hard tiles, water and electricity. The following steps are required to convert them into safe zones for the elderly.

      • Since senior citizens find it difficult to maintain balance, eliminate all slippery surfaces 
        within the bathroom. Opt for carpeted bathrooms or use non-slippery tiles, rugs and mats.

      • Provide sturdy grip bars near showers, bathtub and washbasin for added support. Install 
        tension poles on the bathroom walls to help lift oneself up.

      • Install adjustable toilet seats with variable height, for ease of usage and seating, especially 
        for physically disabled citizens.

      • Install shampoo, liquid soap and conditioner dispensers on the walls, hand held 
         showers and push-pull type bathroom faucets for ease of use.

      • Stow away bathroom cleaners, inflammable and hazardous liquids in separate storage 
        compartments. Use enlarged, legible labeling and tight secure caps.

Kitchen Safety : Kitchens contain appliances such as stoves, burners and oven and other objects such as sharp knives, breakable glass and crockery. Therefore, special care should be taken to avoid accidents.

      • Keep flammable objects such as paper towels, cloth and wooden utensils away from 
        burners.Due to weak vision and frail memory, elderly people might leave the stove on, 
        unable to detect the flames. This can pose serious risk of skin burns and household fire.

      • Always keep a fire extinguisher handy, wear fitted clothing and tight aprons.

      • De-clutter your kitchen, by stashing away unnecessary items in the 

        storage room.

      • Use knives with good grip handles and sharp edges to avoid slips and 

        unnecessary cuts.

      • Keep the kitchen clean, and roll the cords of kitchen appliances into secure

        bundles, so that they do not come in the way of the elderly citizens.

      • Rearrange items in the kitchen, so that they are easier to reach and use, such as

        keeping the heavy utensils in lower easy-to-reach shelves.

Other Rooms: Since the elderly people spend more time at home, it is important to make the entire house safe for their use.

      • It should be easy to walk around the house with minimum obstructions.

        Therefore, keep books, magazines, electrical cords, furniture, tables and other

        appliances at the corners or edges of the room, with no items lying on the floor.

      • Use non-slippery tiles or carpeting for all rooms.

      • Use furniture with effective back support and height adjusted to the needs of the

        elderly residents.

      • Use effective lighting, with sufficient brightness and ease of use, such as

         spotlights to help the elderly see more clearly.

In addition to the above precautions, install emergency alarms, smoke detectors, properly earthed electrical outlets, emergency exits and cordless telephones in all rooms. Taking appropriate safety precautions can help avoid unnecessary accidents and offer you immense peace of mind

Common Health Problems in Old Age

It is no secret that as you get older your health starts to go, so whether you are planning for your own old age or looking out for your parents or grandparents, it is smart to plan for health issues. Having made it this far, every senior deserves to have the best possible healthcare and support. It can mean the difference between a healthy and happy final few years and a stressful and unhappy situation. The following are some of the most common health problems that people are likely to experience in old age.

Arthritis

It is amazing how often you use your joints in an average day, so it is no surprise that by the time a person gets to old age, arthritis becomes an issue. Almost everyone will experience some kind of pain or discomfort in the joints of their hands, feet, ankles, shoulders or some other joints in their body. Those who used their hands for work are often the most seriously affected. Various remedies are available, ranging from massage to creams to acupuncture. Some treatments can be expensive, so having good health insurance can prove to be essential.

Fading Vision

Eyes weren’t meant to last forever, and no matter how many carrots you have eaten in your life, chances are that your vision will start to fail as you age. As your vision grows worse, you will need to keep replacing your prescription, which is definitely not cheap, making your optometry bills among the biggest expenses that you will need to cover.

Mobility

Getting older invariably means slowing down, and losing your ability to run around, so don’t be surprised when you are no longer able to outrun your kids or take part in those half-marathons. Often older people need to use a cane or even a wheelchair, although others are able to get by just by slowing right down. Wheelchairs can be extremely expensive, so if you need to get one but are struggling to afford it, talk to your life-insurance provider. Some policies will allow you to withdraw money from your policy value, so that you can pay for health-related bills like these.

Mental Health Issues

Not everyone stays as sharp as a tack throughout their entire life, and it is really common for elderly people to develop dementia or Alzheimer’s. Having issues with mental health in old age is hard for both the person and their family, and it can mean spending significant amounts of money on both medication and round-the-clock healthcare.

Getting older can be scary even if you are in good health. Having the ability to deal with any health issue that may come up will help ease the mind of any person entering the twilight of their life. Insurance can play a hugely supportive role as you enter your senior years, so make sure that you are ready to deal with the effects of aging.


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