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Pension | Health | Elder
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PENSION
US
President
Obama called for proactive
government action to
strengthen the economy in
his State of the Union
address. However, he devoted
little attention to Social
Security, Medicare and
Medicaid. President Obama
did bring forth the prospect
of changes in the three
programs only in the context
of a pact to raise taxes on
the wealthiest Americans.
Republicans oppose these tax
rate hikes. The official GOP
response to the President's
speech emphasized changing
Medicare and Social Security
through a possible means
testing, where those who
need help the most would get
assistance, while the
wealthiest would get reduced
or no benefits.
WORLD
Côte
d'Ivoire: Social Security:
Increase of the Retirement
Age: The Reasons For the
Measure (February 1,
2012)
(Article
in French)
The age of retirement in the
private sector in Côte
d'Ivoire was increased from 55
to 60 years with a draft
ordinance adopted this month
by the government. This reform
is intended to bail out the
social security system's
retirement branch, which has
been in deficit since 1999. It
now exceeds one hundred
billion CFA francs due to the
aging population and the
decreased ratio of retired to
active workers. The
contribution rate also
increased this year from 8
percent to 12 percent and is
set for 14 percent in 2013.
France:
Lowering Retirement Age to
60 "a Madness" According
to Sarkozy (January 30,
2012)
(Article
in French)
President of the Republic
Nicolas Sarkozy said in his
televised speech on January 29
that the project of socialist
candidate François
Hollande to lower the
retirement age to 60 years was
"a madness," "a lie" that
"would lead the country to
ruin." He praised his pension
reform and the law passed on
November 9, 2010, noting that
every single European country
had changed their law and that
it would raise 22 billion
euros by 2017. Hollande's
proposal would cost 20 billion
to the country, according to
Prime Minister Francois
Fillon.
China:
Tibetan Monks and Nuns
Welcome Government Medical
Insurance and Pension
Coverage (January 27,
2012)
(Article
in Chinese)
Monks and nuns in Tibet no
longer have to struggle with
old age, previously a great
worry. Those above 60 years
now will be able to get
pension payouts without paying
any premiums. Those above the
age of 18 years but below 60
have the option of
participating in the pension
and medical insurance schemes.
The government will match
premiums dollar-to-dollar.
Nicaragua:
Hundreds of Elderly
Protest for Pensions with
Dances and Music (January
18, 2012)
(Article
in Spanish)
Hundreds of elderly people in
Nicaragua protested outside
the parliament, asking that
pensions be paid for seniors
from age 60. The petition is
to create a new law that with
250 weeks of contribution
would grant a person the right
to a pension. One
representative said that they
understand the reasons for the
demands, but unfortunately the
government does not have
sufficient resources to meet
their needs. The unusual
character of the protest was
that protestors danced with
popular music, cumbia and
merengue songs.
HEALTH
US
Aging
America Creates Demand for
Health-Care Workers (February 2,
2012)
The Labor Department reported
that health care and social
assistance jobs will be the
fastest growing sectors. An
aging population will create
33.8 million new positions
between 2010 and 2020. There
will be a 70 percent growth in
personal care aides and
health-care support employment,
the fastest-growing occupations.
CBO
Budget Report Shows Impact of
Healthcare Costs and Aging
Population (February 1, 2012)
The Congressional Budget Office
projects the cost of government
healthcare programs will more than
double by 2022. However, CBO also
projects a slow growth in Medicare
spending per beneficiary, partly
because the Medicare population
will be younger, thus needing less
expensive care, even as it
expands.
WORLD
France:
Retirement
Homes:
Residents Unhappy With Their Meals
(February 2, 2012)
(Article in French)
A study
by the Confederation of
Consumption, Housing and
Living Environment shows that
the quality of meals offered
to residents of nursing homes
is poor. Eighty percent of
them complain about the lack
of diversity in menus that are
rarely changed, and regret not
having a way to warm up the
food. They have difficulty
eating certain foods such as
meat, often too hard and
cooked in sauce. Nutrition for
the elderly still needs to be
addressed as part of the
National Health and Nutrition
Plan.
Saudi
Arabia:
About
2%
of
the
Saudi Elderly Live with
“Alzheimer's Disease” (February
1, 2012)
(Article in Arabic)
Dr. Abdulaziz Almqoshi,
the general supervisor of the
Saudi foundation for Alzheimer’s
says that the proportion of
people with Alzheimer's in Saudi
Arabia is estimated at 2% of the
elder population. The
Association distributed about 2
million riyals (Saudi) to
charities to help the
Alzheimer's patients.
Saudi Arabia: Mamr "Vision"
Brings Out the Importance of
Programs for Older People with
Visual Disabilities (February 1,
2012)
(Article in Arabic)
The "Vision" association
conducted a study that
documented the importance of
implementing programs focusing
on visual disabilities.
World:
Vitamins and Fish Oil Prevent the
Elderly from Getting Alzheimer's
Disease (February 1, 2012)
(Article in Arabic)
The modern
medical research has revealed that
a rich diet of vitamins and fish
oil help older persons to keep
their brain clear. Vitamins
and fish oil enhance the
efficiency of blood vessels,
fighting against brain shrinkage
and decreasing the chances of
getting Alzheimer's.
France:
Sarkozy
Doesn't
Forget Alzheimer's Plan (February
1, 2012)
(Article in French)
A plan
for dealing with Alzheimer's
disease is very dear to
President Nicolas Sarkozy,
who made this project one of
the highlights of the last
presidential campaign. He
praised the results, saying
it has "become a model for
other countries" and
regularly advertises it as a
success. For the medical
profession, the results are
mixed: On the one hand, the
plan has helped make this
little-known disease more
visible and the care it
requires more accessible. In
addition, medical research
has evolved on this point
thanks to a budget of 140
million euros. However,
doctors lament late
screening and administrative
inertia. While the overall
record is positive, the next
president must place the
plan high on the
government's agenda.
Costa
Rica: Classes for Elderly
(January 31, 2012)
(Article in
Spanish)
On February 13, personnel in the
hospital will teach older adults
ways to prevent hazards and
accidents to which they are exposed.
The goal is to help older adults
have a better quality of life
physically, mentally and
spiritually. Golden school of
Geriatrics and Gerontology Hospital
will provide classes on every second
Monday of the month. The director of
the medical center will also insist
on check-ups to help prevent serious
diseases from developing.
France:
Tanakan Will Not be Reimbursed
(January 30, 2012)
(Article in
French)
The French government announced that
Social Security will no longer
reimburse Tanakan, a drug prescribed
mainly for the elderly to fight
against memory problems and
dizziness, as soon as May 1, 2012.
Available since 1975, the drug was
judged ineffective by the French
High Authority of Health for the
third time since it was released on
the market. This follows a decrease
of the reimbursement rate from 35 to
15 percent, which was decided in
2010.
World:
Long-Lived People Distinguished
by DNA (January 30, 2012)
A group of researchers have
identified a set of 281 genetic
variants that together identify
people who live to be 110 or more
from the rest of us with about 85
percent accuracy. Additionally,
there could be different ways to
live beyond 100. There is criticism
about the findings; there is a
possibility that the results may be
skewed by ancestry.
World:
Sex is Recommended for Seniors
(January 12, 2012)
(Article in
Russian)
According to a study by US
researchers, sex is a great way to
enhance the quality of life and
improve communication for people
over 60. The study showed that older
people who regularly make love have
a stronger, more harmonious
relationship than their peers who do
not engage in the physical intimacy.
World:
For an Active Aging (January 11,
2012)
(Article in
Russian)
Researchers from the University of
Bremen analyzed how different types
of physical activity affect the
mental abilities of the elderly. The
experiment involved 90 men and women
aged 65 to 75. Three methods of
exercise were compared: ski pole
walking, motor coordination and
balance exercises, relaxation and
stretching exercises. The results
showed that those who engaged in
walking or coordination exercises
were able to improve not only their
fitness level but also mental
performance.
Canada:
Marathon Records (January 11,
2012)
(Article in
Russian)
At a recent marathon in Toronto, a
British citizen of Indian origin,
Fauja Singh, ran 42 kilometers, 195
meters in 8 hours, 25 minutes and 16
seconds. Even though Fauja was one
of the last ones to cross the finish
line, he set a world record. Singh
is 100 years old and is a first
person in that age group ever to
compete and successfully complete
such a challenging marathon. His
accomplishment will surely serve as
an inspiring example for millions of
marathon enthusiasts around the
world.
ELDER
RIGHTS
Special
Report: Human Rights Watch on Old
Behind Bars (January 27, 2012)
Between 2007 and 2010, prisoners aged
65 or older increased by 63%; the
overall population only grew by 0.7%.
This phenomenon is largely driven by
longer sentences and life sentences
without parole. States spend more
money on older prisoners especially
since insurance companies do not
insure inmates. This report highlights
how prisons are ill-equipped to deal
with an aging prison population and
catalogs the ways in which elder
rights may be violated, for example
being housed in the same cell as
violent younger inmates. The report
concludes with recommendations such as
a review of sentencing laws.
Elderly
Inmates: Aging Prison Population
Strains Tight State Budgets
(January 27, 2012)
States are struggling to deal with an
aging prison population. Some have
already started early release
programs and specialized care and even
retrofitted cells. States are legally
obliged to provide decent medical care
to inmates; however, prison
personnel and facilities are
ill-equipped to deal with older
inmates. Why is this happening?
More persons are receiving longer
sentences and life sentences without
parole.
Millions
Now Manage Aging Parents' Care
From Afar (January 27, 2012)
The National Institute on Aging
estimates around 7 million US people
are long-distance caregivers. They
experience greater stress and incur
more costs. In 2007, the National
Alliance for Caregiving and Evercare
reported that long-distance caretakers
spent an average of $8,728 annually.
The numbers of caregivers are likely
to increase sharply as the population
ages and lifespans lengthen.
Study
Finds Aging Baby Boomer Generation
Without Living Wills (January 25,
2012)
It is estimated that approximately 64
percent of baby boomers (those born
between 1946 and 1964) do not have a
living will in place. A living will
specifies medical care instructions or
health care directives they wish to
receive in the event they are unable
to speak for themselves because of an
illness. It also contains details
about burial wishes, physicians and
location of care. A health care power
of attorney is also assigned and he or
she will have the responsibility of
making sure the details of the living
will are carried out. This simple
document could save years of court
battles or unsettling uncertainty.
WORLD
India:
In India, Young and Old Live Under
Same Roof (February 2, 2012)
(Article in
French)
India is a country still very much
influenced by the patriarchal system
and the notion of respect for
elders, particularly within the
family. Intergenerational
cohabitation is very common,
especially in the countryside.
Parents usually live on the first
floor, called the "masters' floor,"
and the eldest son lives with his
wife and children on the second
floor. Women still prepare for
childbirth at their parents' home,
benefiting from the future
grandmother's support and
experience. She is the one who deals
with care giving for grandchildren.
With a population of 80 million
seniors, expected to reach 179
million in 2026, the Indian
government passed measures to limit
poverty among seniors. A law was
passed in 2007 requiring children to
look after their parents.
Egypt:
Unidentified
Robbers Broke into a "Nursing
Home" in Helwan and Stole
100,000 Egyptian Pounds
(February 1, 2012)
(Article in Arabic)
On
Wednesday morning, unknown robbers
broke into a medical center attached
to a old age nursing home in the
Helwan area. They took all the
money from the nursing home treasury
and escaped.
European
Union: Increase of Employment Rate
of Older People in Southern Europe
(January 31, 2012)
(Article in
French)
The
population of the European Union is
the oldest in the world, and this
raises the issue of how to fund
pensions. Older people are now
working longer, and the employment
rate among the elderly has increased
dramatically over the last decade.
Indeed, it has jumped by 10.6
percent (from 50.3 percent to 60.9
percent) for people aged 55 to 59.
As for the 60-64 age group, the
results are mixed depending on
countries: only 14.2 percent of them
work in Malta, Greece is in a good
position with an employment rate of
30.5 percent and Portugal and Cyprus
peak, scoring respectively 40.2
percent and 41.9 percent.
China:
Elderly in Beijing Seek "Second
Springs" (January 31, 2012)
(Article
in Chinese)
By
2011, 13.7 percent of China's
population was above 60. In Beijing,
older people gather in parks to seek
new partners. However, the success
rate is low. With increasing income
inequality, women demand that men be
better off, with desirable housing,
than in the past. Society is unable to
provide for an aging China.
Nationwide, there are 38,000 elder
care organizations with 2.6 million
beds, representing a lack of more than
5 million beds.
Palestine: "The
Center of the Allegiance to Care
for Older People" visited "Let's
Develop Together Center" in Gaza
(January 30, 2012)
(Article
in Arabic)
The
visit were begun to develop
cooperation, coordination and
communication with local community
institutions to serve older persons
and provide a decent life for them.
Palestine: "So
that We Don't Forget
Organization" Assembled an
Entertainment Day for Older
People in Palestine (January 28,
2012)
(Article in
Arabic)
"So that we don't
forget organization " is an
organization that put together an
entertainment program for elders
living in Jenin. The project
offered psychological support to
these residents whose lives are
often threatened by attacks;
volunteers, groups of children and
women from the refugees camp took
part in the happy event.
(Article in
French)
Emmanuel Hirsch, Director of the
Ethical Space of the Public
Hospitals of Paris, expressed his
feelings on the very thorny issue of
euthanasia in this article, stating
that it will be one of the hotspots
of the presidential campaign. He
then called for a dialogue on the
issue, something unusual in our
developed societies in which death
is still a taboo; he recommends
being careful not to exploit the
debate on euthanasia for electoral
purposes. He recalled that in
France, 80 percent of deaths occur
in a hospital or a place dedicated
to the end-of-life. He
believes there is a "duty of
restraint, decency and dignity" to
the dying.
Japan:
Elderly to Get 24 Hour Nursing
‘Patrol' (January 26, 2012)
The
Japanese government will launch a
24-hour patrol service to help the
elderly become more self-sufficient
by easing in-home nursing care. At
the start of the new fiscal year on
April 1, public nursing care
insurance will cover the costs of
this program. With this new service,
elderly people will be able to
receive unlimited medical, nursing
and general care services at a
monthly cost of up to 30,000 yen.
France:
Why the Issue of Aging is not
Addressed in the Campaign (January
25, 2012)
(Article in
French)
Annie
de Vivie, founder of a news website,
Agevillage.com, specializing in the
elderly, explains in this editorial
why she believes the issue of aging,
assisted living and disability is
not being addressed in the
presidential campaign of 2012. She
suggested the possibility that the
rejection of this overarching theme
is rooted in the whole of French
society. According to her, the
generation of women and men who
thrived with sexual freedom, women's
work and economic development, now
aging, refuse to see themselves as
aging and weakened.
China:
Bus Drivers Refuse to Allow
Elderly to Board (January 19,
2012)
(Article in
Chinese)
In
Wuhan, four buses refused to let an
88-year-old woman board. She walked
3.6km back home from a hospital
visit. Nationwide, this is not an
isolated case. Local governments
subsidize bus companies so that the
elderly ride for free. However, bus
companies often cite reasons such as
safety to reject the elderly or to
force them to pay. The writer
condemns such behavior as immoral
and a defiance of government policy.
Global
Population
Aging: Peril or Promise? (2012)
At its meeting last week in Davos,
the World Economic Forum included
aging on its agenda for the first
time. This report put together by
the World Economic Forum provides a
comprehensive answer to different
challenges that societies will face
as the globe ages. You may disagree
with some of the conclusions.
GAA
Blog:
UNAIDS (February 3, 2012)
Intern Sanna Klemetti took a closer
look at UNAIDS. Curious to see what
she wrote? Please visit our
blog. |
