Dr. Satyawan Saurabh
India is at a unique stage in its demographic transition. India is characterized by a rise in its young population, which could be an opportunity to accelerate growth. However, a parallel phenomenon that needs equal attention in the context of India’s economic development is the rapidly aging population. Aging is a continuous, irreversible, universal process that lasts from conception to the death of an individual. However, the age at which a person’s productive contribution reduces and he or she becomes economically dependent can possibly be considered as the beginning of the elderly phase of life. According to the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, a senior citizen means any person being a citizen of India who has attained the age of sixty years or more. A demographically young country like India is aging slowly. By 2050, 1 in every 5 persons in India will be above 60 years of age. 1/8th of the world’s elderly population lives in India.
The percentage of senior citizens in India’s population has been increasing rapidly in recent years, and this trend is likely to continue, according to the First Secretary of India’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Low income or poverty has been found to be associated with elder abuse. Fewer economic resources are considered a contextual or situational stressor contributing to elder abuse. Due to the ever-falling interest rates on bank deposits, most middle-class elders actually depend on elder pensions to sustain themselves.
In India, 74% of elderly men and 41% of elderly women receive some personal income, while 43% of the elderly population earns nothing. 22% of elderly Indians who receive personal income receive less than Rs 12,000 per year. As elderly people stop working and their health care needs increase, governments may be overwhelmed by unprecedented costs. While some countries may have reason to be optimistic about population aging, the Pew survey shows that residents of countries such as Japan, Italy, and Russia are the least confident about achieving an adequate standard of living in old age. A national survey conducted by the NGO HelpAge India showed that 47% of elderly people are financially dependent on their families for income and 34% are dependent on pensions and cash transfers, while 40% of those surveyed expressed a desire to work “as much as possible.” One in five older people in India suffers from mental health problems. About 75 percent of them suffer from some chronic disease, and 40 percent have some other disability. These are the findings of the Longitudinal Aging Study of India in 2021.
Older people suffer from both degenerative and communicable diseases due to the aging of the body’s immune system. Infections are the leading causes of morbidity, while vision impairment, difficulty in walking, chewing, hearing, osteoporosis, arthritis, and incontinence are other common health problems.
The number of sick and frail elderly people in need of affordable nursing homes or assisted living centers is likely to increase. Lack of geriatric care facilities in hospitals in rural areas. According to a recent survey, 30% to 50% of elderly people had symptoms that made them depressed. Most of the elderly living alone are women, especially widows. Depression is closely linked to poverty, poor health, and loneliness. With adults being busy in formal jobs and children being busy in school activities, no one stays at home to take care of the elderly. The relationships among neighbors are not as strong as in rural areas. Economic constraints do not allow them to pursue creativity. Due to neglect from family members, many people prefer day care centers and old age homes instead of living with children.
Elder abuse is a growing international problem that has many manifestations in different countries and cultures. It is a fundamental violation of human rights and causes a number of health and emotional problems. Abuse can be classified as physical, sexual, psychological, or financial. According to the report, abuse is relatively more prevalent among older women and those living in rural areas. Nearly half of the elderly feel unhappy and neglected; 36 percent feel they are a burden to the family. Emotional damage caused by verbal or emotional abuse includes torture, suffering, fear, pervasive emotional discomfort, and loss of personal pride or sovereignty.
At the socio-cultural level, the presentation of the elderly as weak and dependent, lack of funds for care, elderly people in need of assistance who live alone, and the breakdown of relationships between generations of the family are potential factors for elder abuse. Due to economic problems, the elderly from lower castes have to work for a living even in old age. Though this is difficult, it keeps them active and maintains a sense of self-esteem and respect from the family. While for the elderly from higher castes, good jobs are less available, and they hesitate to take up menial jobs. This makes them unemployed, hence creating a sense of being ‘useless’ and frustration. Living with multiple household members other than the spouse is associated with an increased risk of abuse, especially financial abuse. Most senior citizens may find the available accommodation unsuitable and unsuitable for their needs.
They face gender-based discrimination throughout their lives. The gender-based nature of aging is such that universally, women live longer than men. At the age of 80 years or more, widowhood dominates the status of women, with 71 percent of women and only 29 percent of men having lost their spouse. Social customs prevent women from remarrying, resulting in an increased likelihood of women living alone. The life of a widow is filled with rigid moral codes, with integral rights being sacrificed and freedoms being circumvented. Social prejudice often results in improper allocation of resources, neglect, abuse, exploitation, gender-based violence, lack of access to basic services, and withholding ownership of assets. Older women are more likely to be excluded from social security schemes due to low literacy and awareness levels.