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Elder Rights

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Reports

Canada: Violence Against the Elderly (October 21, 2005) 
(Report in French) 
The Canadian department of justice published a report to describe violence against the elderly. The text aims to inform the population about a taboo issue and develops very precisely the different aspects of this violence. The report is divided into 8 main themes that reveals the gaps in current Canadian laws. It explains, among others, the widespread violence against the elderly, the circumstances that encourage this violence and its impact on the society. The report contains different strategies to improve the situation. 

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Population Division, Population Challenges and Development Goals Report 2005
This report focuses on global population trends and the implications these trends have for achieving internationally agreed development goals. Population aging represents one of the foci of this report. The number of persons aged 60 years or over currently stands at 10 per cent of the world’s population. By 2050 it is expected to rise to 22 per cent. The rate of population aging is higher in less developed countries where most persons live in poverty and have few, if any, social benefits. There are currently nine working age persons for each person aged over 65. By 2050 this number will drop to just four. Since paid employment is generally sporadic and informal, there are few pensions. The report’s authors refer to development goals such as the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing, the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development, and the United Nations Millennium Declaration. The report emphasizes the importance of gender in aging, as life expectancy is higher for women, and consequently the majority of older persons are women.

Canada: Encouraging Full Elder Participation in Quebec’s Development (October 4, 2005)
(Report in French)
Acting on the request from Quebec’s ministry for family, elderly and women’s rights, the Elderly Council published a report entitled,  “Encouraging Full Elder Participation in Quebec’s development,” in order to build a Quebec “for all ages.” The Elderly Council sought ways to use the energy and talents of some 2.5 million older persons in improving  Quebec’s development. This report presents 17 suggestions to engage them,  or conversely, to overcome elders’  feeling of being abandoned. It highlights the necessity of organizing an information and promotion campaign about the image of older people. The report could have been even more interesting by generating ideas and methods to achieve intergenerational projects such as engaging very old persons with midlife professionals.  The project reveals that governments are trying new approaches in this provocative regional assessment. 

The United Nations Development Programme Human Development Report (September, 2005)
In the chapter on Inequality and Human Development (see Chapter 2) the report takes a critical stance on the state of healthcare in the United States, exploring inequality and health in the nation. The references to the US highlight the links between healthcare and the inequalities caused by income, health insurance coverage, race, ethnicity, geography and –most importantly— access to care. The section of the report devoted to the US centers mainly on non-elderly Americans, as the focus is on the uninsured population. Importantly, the report notes the racial and ethnic health disparities existing in the US. Omitted from the report were the proposed cuts to Medicaid that will affect the welfare and health of the poor and elderly. The report refers to the differences in life expectancy between the poor and the wealthy in the US. Men in the top 5% of the income distribution enjoy a life span 25% longer than those in the bottom 5%. 
The chapter on the State of Human Development (see Chapter 1) includes an in-depth exploration of changes and current trends in global life expectancy. There are still wide gaps in life expectancy between the rich and poor, linked to past setbacks, including HIV/AIDS.
In the chapter on Aid for the 21st Century (see Chapter3) a description of the poorest households in Zambia reveals that they are headed mostly by women (many of whom are elderly) and comprised of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS. Also in this section, researchers noted the aging population as a factor in the smaller scale of fiscal deficits in the European Union relative to the US or Japan.
While the chapter on violent conflict (see Chapter 5) details the effects of conflicts on civilian populations in general, only women, children and the poor are recognized as being particularly vulnerable. Unfortunately, there is no mention of the impact of such conflict on elderly populations. 

France: A New Role for Seniors (July 2005)
(Extract of a Report in French) 
This is an extract of the French Economic and Social Council’s report responding to the EU’s green book about intergenerational solidarity. This report provides recommendations giving new importance to the elderly. For example, it proposes a progressive retirement for people over age 60. “Stopping work abruptly is a waste of experience and knowledge, ” says the report. You can also read another extract of this report called, “Solidarity with the very old.”

France: Solidarity with Very Old People (July 2005)
(Extract of a Report in French)
This extract comes from the French Economic and Social Council’s report that responded to the European Union’s green book on intergenerational solidarity. This French report made many recommendations about caring for very old persons. It says that families, institutions and social services must share the responsibility for the care of the very aged. Interestingly, it insists that the older person must be at the center, i.e., to be respected for his or her individuality and life style. 

Brazil: 'Sixty Plus: The Elderly Brazilians and Their New Social Roles’ (June 2005)
Brazil now contends with a rapidly aging population. The impact of this change will be seen in the future. A new book compiled by Ana Amelia Camarano about aging in Brazil explores the dynamics of the aging population “in the context of marked social transformations and fiscal adjustments.”
The book, published in English, was released during the 18th Congress of the International Association of Gerontology in Rio De Janeiro in June this year. Featuring over 30 contributors, the book includes subjects such as aging and disability, families, social security, health, financial motivations in later life, inflation and elderly Brazilians, and population aging in the public policy agenda.

Africa: Aging in Africa Issue 24 HelpAge International (May 2005)
HelpAge International released its No. 24 newsletter on Ageing in Africa. The publication adds to information on older refugees caught in emergency situations in the Darfur Crisis. Here you can also find out about the Regional Aids Programme launched to maximize the involvement of elderly and increase the awareness, support, and inclusion of older people affected by HIV/AIDS at district, national and regional levels.

Russia: The System of Social Protection of Older People in Russian Federation 
The report includes a description of the Social Protection System of Older People in Russian Federation along with information on the Legal Basis for Social Protection of Elderly in Russia, Pensions, the System of Benefits and Allowances, the System of Social Services.  These materials provide statistical information on the assistance provided to elderly by the network of residential social care institutions, day care units and social care departments
(the original article can be found in Russian).  

Africa: Ageing in Africa Issue 23: HelpAge International (February, 2005) 
HelpAge International, an active advocacy group based in London focusing on aging issues in developing countries, released its 23rd newsletter featuring stories about Africa. This publication treats elder abuse, HIV/AIDS, poverty, and other topics. Please check it out!

Articles

Mexico: By 2030, Elderly Adults Will Comprise 17.68% of the Population (October 20, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
At an international conference that addressed the issues facing elderly citizens of various Latin American Nations (Segundo Curso de Capacitación para Coordinadoras de las Estancias de Atención y Encuentro para Adultos Mayores) representatives from 35 municipalities from the region of Morelia and Uapan discussed topics such as providing appropriate employment and adequate social assistance to the continuously increasing number of elderly persons. The conference also focused on ways in which the represented nations could reorganize their social structures to address the needs of their elderly members. Teresa Zarazúa Ortega, chief of the Department of Attention to the Elderly, stressed the importance of overcoming cultural stereotypes that inhibit a nation’s citizens from recognizing their responsibility towards their elder counterparts.

France: Wide Mobilization Against the Social Isolation of the Elderly (October 21, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
In France, since last Monday, the “blue week” is at its heights. Its number one aim is to cope with the isolation of seniors and encourage relations between generations. Dedicated to the elderly, this blue week does not really draw much attention from the French public. Yet, this event has existed since 1951 and tries to remedy the population disregarding the elderly. The week ends with a contest over the theme: “Let’s talk about old people” and is umpired by French minister Philippe Bas. To reinforce the effort to fight discrimination against the elderly, Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin announced that the theme of the Family conference in 2006 will be the “relations between generations”. 

France: A Third of the Directors of Human Resources Think that Older Workers’ Retirements Will Lead to a Competence Shortage (October 20, 2005)
(Article in French)
The French and American companies’ managers are not anticipating the looming shortage of competence among employees due to older employees leaving the workforce. The French, German and English directors of Human Resources were asked about this expected shortage of competence. Some 85% answer that they know about such shortages. However, only 7% of them said that they are taking measures to anticipate the shortages. As a matter of fact, about 80% of them are simply waiting for this expected catastrophe to happen. 

Algeria: Elderly’s “Baraka” (charity) (October 20, 2005)
(Article in French)
The elderly association, Dar El Ihcene, in Ain Tremouchehmt-ville (Algeria) plays an active role in Muslim Ramadan solidarity. Every day its members offer about 500 full meals to the poorest families of the town. The well-organized and very active team is already focusing on another project: they’re planning to buy a bus to transport older persons. 

France: French Trade Union CFDT supports the Seniors Employment Agreement (October 19, 2005)
(Article in French)
French Trade Union “CFDT” agrees with business leaders about employment of older persons. The union says that this is the first time that such an agreement has tried to promote “career safety.” They view it as a first step testifying to the new interest in older workers’ employment. 

Spain: First Survivor Partner Benefit Paid To a Homosexual Widow Person (October 18, 2005)
(Article in French)
The Spanish social security program has paid its first surviving partner benefit to an homosexual person who married in July, thanks to the new law giving equal rights to same-sex couples as to the heterosexual couples. The Spanish Labor ministry said the pension was paid the day after the surviving partner applied to the ministry. 

Canada: Driving After 65…What’s the Problem? (October 18, 2005)
(Article in French)
How can security of older drivers be assured? When authorities revoke an older person’s driver’s license, the person will suffer from isolation. The former drivers then can lose their self reliance as well as their bond to their families. Although families try to prevent their relative’s isolation, former drivers usually have to give up their social life. That’s why some cities deliver meals to older persons, a new kind of license that includes observing the health condition of the older person. But this made-to measure license is not available in all Canada: the most isolated counties have no delivery programs.

Cameroon: Cameroon Forgets the Elderly (October 17, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
The living conditions of older people in Cameroon is becoming more westernized. Elderly are more isolated and alone. This development follows the rural exodus and the HIV Aids epidemic that’s decimated a whole generation of children who were supposed to take care of their parents. While they should be resting, the elderly now have to take care of their grandchildren. “It’s a real change in the traditional African way to respond to elderly, and old people have a hard time accepting it,” Jean Robert Mbané, president of the organization, “Together, Let’s Protect Our Elderly,” explains. Old people used to make a living with cocoa and coffee, but these economic markets have disappeared. 

Japan: Sick of Their Husbands in Graying Japan (October 17, 2005)
An alarmingly common phenomenon is occurring among older women in Japan. As their husbands retire and spend more time at home, the women are being relegated to fulltime domestic servants. A resulting condition is occurring in an estimated 60% of these wives. The condition has been dubbed retired husband syndrome, or RHS by experts, and is a serious stress-related illness. Experts recommend therapy and spending as much time away as possible from husbands. Others have developed programs to teach retired men how to be more independent, including guidance on how to shop, cook and clean for themselves.

France: The Rate of Working Seniors: a New Economic Indicator in France (October 17, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
Only one third (33.8%) of the French population over 55 is still working, as compared to 39.9% in the whole of Europe. Moreover, unemployed people over 50 have only a slight chance of working again due to age discrimination. Commenting on this economic situation, French Minister of the Economy T. Breton said that the statistics of seniors working would now be included as part of the French economic indicators made public each month. France wants to deal with a severe crisis of inactive seniors that affects 500,000 to a million people. 

Russia: Old People in Cages (October 14, 2005) 
(Article in Russian)
Lyukian Bezrukov, an inhabitant of Uryupinsk (Russia) nursery home for elderly and disabled invalids applied to the local court claiming that the administration of the home had deprived them of freedom. “First it was hard to believe in such facts,” says Sergey Kozorez, Uryupinsk’s prosecutor,” but the inspection has fully confirmed those horrible facts. Among 330 inhabitants of the house for elderly, 210 have been forcefully put into a special locked room equipped with iron bars on the window and the door. The furniture consists of only two uncomfortable iron beds whereas up to 10 old men and women could be put there simultaneously until they improved their “bad behavior.” The staff provided food only occasionally. The administration of the home explained the situation by saying that as a result of pension reforms in Russia, elderly disabled who lived in the nursing home received money instead of social benefits and suddenly became “rich” and therefore drank a lot. Therefore, the staff hoped that “temporary prisons” would help to keep the elders under control. The prosecution continues and residents hope that a final verdict will uphold their rights.

China: Silver Hair Industry Waiting to be Explored (October 13, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
As the Second China International Expo on Products for Seniors kicks off in Dalian, China, the “Silver Hair Industry” once again becomes the focus of public attention. This industry integrates agriculture, manufacturering, as well as the service industry. China has a relatively well developed market in terms of personal health care products, but in other sectors, the market is still open for development.

France: Jacques Chirac Asks the Health Professionals to Be More "Responsible" (October 13, 2005)
(Article in French)
The French Council of Ministers passed the appropriations bill for social security  Wednesday. In Parliament, the debate over the law at the end of the month will probably be very tense. The controversial bill plans to reduce the deficit of social security down to 6 billion euros. That’s why Jacques Chirac has asked doctors and hospitals to cut their expenses. The bill will have a strong impact on the use of generic drugs as it plans to reduce their cost by 13%. Chirac’s plan will force a new direction in the social security system, a “step toward privatization” the Socialist party says.

Taiwan: Seeing Ageing as an Economic Opportunity (October 12, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
In 2018, Taiwan will go from an “ageing society” to an “aged society”, explained the minister of economy in Taiwan. It means that 14% of the population in Taiwan will be over 65 years old. But unlike others politicians, he mentioned it was actually a great economic opportunity as an ageing population also means new medical needs and, as a matter of facts, new opportunities for the pharmaceutical market. 

France: The "Problem" of Ageing (October 12, 2005) 
(Article in French)
When talking about the “problem” of ageing, it's important to understand which problem one is talking about. Indeed, most people who will turn 60 soon will not be “old” as the average "old" age will be around 80 years in 2050. As a matter of fact, the problem is less ageing than its supposed cost, through pensions, for example. Y.Geneste and J. Pelissier explain, among others, the changing attitude toward the French system of pensions which is based on solidarity between generations. They also debate what they call the misconception of the cost of ageing and encourage people to think twice before talking about the “problem of ageing.” 

The Network of the Adoptive Grandparents: a Real Professional World (October 10, 2005)
(Article in French) 
The Senior Corps gives grandparents a real education about how to deal with problem children or abandoned children. The elder ones have the chance to remain active or to learn from new techniques. Numerous organizations of this type have been created, to encourage intergenerational activities, such as “Foster Grandparents program” (Dakota). In this program, old people with low incomes can meet problem children within the framework of the legislation entitled "To fight against the abandonment of children." These organizations play the role of "go-between" among generations and help combat poverty as well.

World: OECD Being Very Alarmist About Population Aging (October 10, 2005)
(Article in French)
The OEDC asks governments to modernize their employment policies especially concerning older persons. OEDC highlights that the average time when people are pensioned has increased from 11 years to 18 years for men and from 14 years to 23 years for females between 1970 and 2004. OECD calls for a better use of opportunities brought by the lengthening of people’s lives.

France:  "Elderly Film Festival" a Strong Connection with Cinema (October 12, 2005) 
(Article in French)
Old age is not taboo anymore! That’s what the “Lumiere Blanches” festival (White Lights) has been proving for two years now. Entirely dedicated to aging, the festival develops different ways to show old age, from the Kurozawa deep style to the light and tender Hollywood style. On the negative site, you won’t see many older women or Alzheimer's in the films. Nevertheless, the festival aims to improve the representation of aging in cinema as well as putting it in a new light. 

France: Trade Unions and Managers Have Agreed to an Important Feature of Senior Employment (October 12, 2005)
(Article in French)
Unions and Managers have agreed to increase the length of temporary employment contracts for unemployed people aged over 57. This agreement was the topic of one of the questions raised in the French Parliament on October 12, 2005. But Parliament must pass the measure. Trade unions feared the right wing majority would extend this longer temporary contract to other social groups, preventing people under temporary contracts to get permanent jobs.  

France: "America First”…No! “Youth First!” (October 10, 2005)
(Article in French)
The growth of the world population has started to slow down and has generated greater fear of aging. Yet many regions of the world differ enormously with respect to longevity.  People live longer in northern countries, especially in Japan and Iceland, with average ages of death now at 86 years for men and 79 for women. However, figures of the Western word cannot hide the real crisis in the former USSR, where the average age of death is declining due to the elder health care crisis, and in Africa, where HIV-AIDS kills more young and midlife people. The issue in the western world revolves around three questions: “Should we quickly start having more babies, or should we work to older ages or should we be more open to immigration?”   On the other hand, the “southern world” is trying to save its youngest population.

France: The Increasing Figure of Elderly and the Work Policy (October 10, 2005)
(Article in French)
On October 10th the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) will hold a press conference in Brussels about the new work policy of the western countries to deal with the increasing number of older persons. The Forum will review how people now live longer and retirement makes up a greater share of their citizens’ lives. The Forum will probably consider ways to encourage retirees to find new work if they wish. The Forum will work hand in hand with governments who stand to benefit from this high level brainstorming. 

France: Take a New Look on Aging (October 5, 2005)
(Article in French)
The French minister for social security, Philippe Bas, stated yesterday at the French and Quebecois Observatory of Health that we all had to “change the way we look at the elderly.” He added that we should rather say “living longer” than “getting old.” This is a matter of respect but also to change the image of aging. Indeed, older persons are still very often taking care of their own parents as the aged can actually belong to two different generations. The Minister added that if Alzheimer disease and dependence were the main issues of aging, more and more older persons will try to stay active until they die. That’s why he wants to deal with what he calls “the new active age.”

France: Less Tax for More Children (October 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
This tax proposal may help raise the birth rate and combat the problem of aging: the French Council of economic analysis says that families that have children should pay less social taxes. This new approach to an economic issue has two aims: fight against the poverty of families with more than three children and help raise the birthrate. The council also thinks that all taxes should be adjusted to the number of children in a family. Among others ideas, the council proposes to change the financial bonus given to the families at the birth of the third child. According to its director, turning that bonus into a tax credit would be much more efficient in helping families. This would also encourage families to have children. These ideas show that the fight against poverty can also go hand in hand with a pro-natalist policy. These new point of view also challenges the idea that “all women have to go back to work,” an idea which is also a reality. Among women from 25 to 49 with one child, 88 % work. 

Canada: Getting Old…Getting Poor (October 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
The National Consultative Council on Aging (CCNTA) asks all governments and the general society to do all that is possible to reduce poverty among the elderly in Canada. Indeed, about 7% of the Canadian older persons live below the poverty line and the gap between poor and wealthy retired people will grow wider in the next decade, though the Canadian system claims to be one of the best in the world. That’s why the Council decided to address all the failures in the pension system by proposing some 15 recommendations contained in this report. 

Zimbabwe: Grandparents Shoulder the Burden of Care (September 27, 2005)
Grandparents in Zimbabwe, one of many African nations burdened by the HIV/AIDS pandemic, need more help in raising their grandchildren. They are likely to rear children orphaned by a parent’s death due to HIV/AIDS. Economic strife, along with physical limitations to produce food, has made it increasingly difficult for grandparents to provide access to education and nourishment to children in their care. Any increased assistance to grandparents will lead to an improved life for orphaned children in Zimbabwe. 


Belgium: Press Release from the Belgian Government to the Trade Union (September 20, 2005)
(Article in French)
Due to high unemployment in Belgium, policymakers want to oppose the idea that age is a barrier to employment. This policy, well known in Europe, deals with over 60 working people and over 45 unemployed. In fact, the government wants to emphasize life-long education and to spread what they call the “career plans.” The government wants to launch new projects such as a bonus system for people who will work over 60 and the creation of an “end of career job” for older unemployed. The government intends these measures for the private sector but the public service may have to adopt them as well. In a related development, the government wants to encourage unemployed people to return to work by awarding a bonus as soon as the person finds a new job.

France: Blue Day for the Elderly in Morbihan (October 5, 2005)
(Article in French)
The blue day in the French region of Morbihan has focused on the elderly during the week preceding the official starting date in France. This week is supposed to be the “great place for the elderly speaking, an oral account of the subjective feeling of aging”. This day testifies to the local population’s strong interest in their seniors as well as to seniors’ wish to help others, especially the youngest. 

France: Trade Unions and Employers Mobilized for Negotiating about Seniors Employment (October 5, 2005)
(Article in French)
Whereas the news has mainly dealt with the big strikes of October 4^th  in France, trade unions and employers resumed today their negotiations about employment of older workers.  The parties had stopped talking and took a 3 month break. During these negotiations, they will discuss the application of Fillon Pensions Reform in 2003 (Mr Fillon was then social affairs minister), elderly employment issues, work conditions and protection against unemployment.

United Kingdom: Elderly Evacuated in Scare over Killer Gas (October 5, 2005)
In Oldham Road, England, carbon monoxide which has no smell but potentially deadly gas was leaked from a boiler adjacent one of the units. 30 residents were evacuated and sent to the hospital. Fortunately, no one was found to have carbon monoxide in the blood so that all residents were discharged. According to the nursing home’s spokesman, the boiler is serviced regularly and had been inspected within the last six months. But even so, why did dangerous gas leak into the nursing home? Is this because of a boiler or something else? Many nursing home residents are not able to evacuate themselves so the investigation should be done completely in order to prevent a similar case in the future. 

Cuba: Population Aging Confronts the Nation and it Must Adapt (October 4, 2005)
(Article in French)
It is now the time when all universities start their academic year. In Cuba, the first great senior university session gets underway as well. In Cuba people over 60 represent more than 14.5% of the population and in 2010 Cuba could have the oldest population of Latin America. This specialized session offers classes and other activities to improve the life quality of the elderly. These policies aim to exchange intergenerational knowledge with a focus on the important role for the elderly, as a real part of the Cuban society.

France: Veterans Help Fight Against Unemployment (October 4, 2005)
(Article in French) 
Because the French Defense ministry wanted to help young unemployed people in France, the deputy minister of the Veterans, Mr Hamlaoui Mekachera, has asked French military veterans to transform 9 schools into a “second chance school” against unemployment. Though the officers feel confident to give this intergenerational help, the question remains whether the young people will want to live with the military rules.

France: Getting out of Jail Old: Tough Way to be Born Again. (October 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
One thing is to get old in jail, another one is to get out of jail old. The people convicted for more than 15 years or who leave prison after 60 years old usually think of their release as a second birth. Indeed, the former convicts, once out, often have no job and no family (when everyone around them has built their own lives). A few organizations that deal with former prisoners say that bringing them back into society is difficult. One of these organizations wants to create a special center adapted to ex-convicts’ needs.  Former convicts believe that they have served their time and once out, deserve a full place in society.

France: Game Over for the Elderly (October 3, 2005)
(Article in French) 
The government of Switzerland plans what journalists called a “mini revolution” in taking care of the elderly: developing day care facilities as well as giving help at home. The reform was conceived in anticipation of 180,000 elderly in 2010, a figure that the current budget cannot meet. Meanwhile, the government wants to change the aging policy into a cheaper one. It claims that all people in “EMS” (public health institutions) actually don’t need such an expensive care. That’s why medical assistance could be given at home, the government says. The whole challenge is to overcome a paradox: reduce the help brought to the elderly AND make their life easier. 

Nepal: Senior Citizens, Our Responsibility (October 1, 2005)
In Nepal, senior citizens often complain that they are not getting fair treatment from family members and society. Though the government has expressed concern for senor citizens, no significant steps have been taken to assist them. As the society ages, more elderly people need help with housing, medical treatment and other issues. This article argues that society as well as institutions should do more in order to help the hopeless and powerless elderly people. Indeed, this is a world wide imperative!

Congo-Brazzaville: October 1: International Elderly Day (October 1, 2005)
(Article in French)
“Aging in the new millennium: poverty, aged women and development under focus” that’s the theme of the International Older Persons Day 2005. While the UN asks governments to develop ageing policies, Congo has promoted concrete actions towards older people. The media press from Congo describes the increasing interest in aging issues in developing countries in this article.

The Attorney General’s Office of Mexico City Anticipates Signing an Agreement to Investigate the Killings of Older Adults (September 30, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Who is killing older adults in Mexico City ?  What lies behind these heinous acts? The Mexico City Attorney General’s office of Mexico City is discussing signing an agreement to increase investigations with the National Institute of Penal Sciences of the Attorney General of the Republic.  The investigations will focus on the assassination of elderly adults in the city. Batiz Vazquez, the Attorney General of Mexico City, acknowledged the pressing need to address this problem, indicating that in the last eight days, the Attorney General’s office has registered three homicides. According to Gerardo Laveaga, director of the National Institute of Penal Sciences, the covenant will bolster theoretical knowledge regarding the killing of the elderly by conducting more statistical research on specific homicides, and to use the research findings to take preventive measures against possible criminals.

Brazil: Statue Has Improved the Lives of the Elderly (September 28, 2005)
The president of the National Council for the Rights of the Elderly, Perly Cipriano, announced that the Senior Citizens’ Statute has improved since it was ratified on October 1, 2003. Even though the rules still need some improvement, most of the Brazilian states have Councils of the Elderly and the National Health Surveillance Agency, the Public Defense Ministry, and the Brazilian Bar Association monitor the activities against the elderly. The number of elderly in Brazil as well as Latin American countries is rapidly increasing. While free access to mass transportation and concert ticket discounts help, affordable medical care and a secure pension are really needed! 

Russia, Udmurtia: October 1st– International Day of Older Persons (September 28, 2005) 
(Article in Russian)
In 1990 the General Assembly designated October 1^st as the International Day of Older Persons. Starting in 1992, this day has been celebrated in Russia . In Udmurtiam pensioners make up almost 40% of the population. The majority lives in villages and small towns. Beginning September 27 and going to October 10, the local administration will organize free concerts, movies, roundtables and meetings where the elderly will be able to communicate with the local and regional administration, ask questions, receive answers, as well as enjoy the activities organized due to this special occasion. Read further for information on the life of Udmurtian elderly in rural areas.

Chile: One in Three Elderly Adults Suffers Some Form of Abuse (September 23, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Although Chile has no statistics on abuse of its elderly, three recent Latin American  demographical studies show that at least 30% of older Chileans regularly suffer some form of mistreatment ranging from negligence, to physical, psychological, and sexual abuse. Despite the alarmingly high rate of elderly abuse, of the 600 studies concerning elderly members of the Chilean population, only one deals with physical and psychological mistreatment. According to one of the three recent Latin American studies, the abuse of elderly women (33.2%) is slightly more common than that of men (26.9%). The most common form of abuse is psychological. Most victims of elderly abuse do not look for help, and those who do tend to consult with friends, based on the assumption that to look for help through public services would be futile.

Nepal: Senior Citizens to Hold Rally (September 23, 2005)
In Nepal, October 1st is the Elderly Citizens’ Day. The National Senior Citizen Organization Network Nepal (NSCONN) and the Senior Citizen Welfare Association of Nepal (SCWAN) had a press conference. Dr. Leela Devi K.C. said the greatest need among elderly Nepalese is access to affordable medical services. She emphasized that most elderly were depressed because they receive little care and attention from their families and society. Hopefully the Elderly Citizens’ Day will focus the country’s attention on how to create a better society for older Nepalese. By the way, does your country have a special Day to celebrate the gifts and capacities of older citizens?

Ecuador: Renewed Concern for Elderly Adults (September 23, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Non-governmental organizations in Ecuador have recently complained about the lack of free healthcare and assistance in planning a healthy lifestyle for older adults. The most recent chapter of this debate took place at the Department of Medicine at the Catholic University of Guayalquil, Ecuador, and was organized by the Committee for Social and Educational Action. The Committee said that of 140,000 elderly citizens in Guayalquil, only 28% of them receive sufficient health care benefits to remedy their most basic medical needs. In organizing this conference, the Committee wanted to draw attention to the urgent needs of older persons and to propose projects that would improve the quality of life for older citizens and increase their involvement in the city’s economy.

Russia: Who Will Have Money for Transportation? (September 22, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Last spring older persons throughout Russia protested vigorously when the government took away their right to free transportation. The government’s failure to provide sufficient money to buy public transport tickets made elders very angry. Now, the government has found an additional 4.3 milliards rubles in the state budget to give more travel compensation to the elderly. During 2005 the Russian government has spent 8 milliards of rubles for transport in its effort to promote its monetization policy.

China: China’s Income Gap Provokes Alarm, Report Says (September 21, 2005)
The Xinhuan News Agency reported that the income gap between China’s richest and poorest citizens is approaching a dangerous level and could lead to social unrest. For example, the civil servants earn an average of US $1,900 a year in nationwide, while urban incomes in China are about US $1,000 a year. In the countryside; however, average incomes are about $300, and nearly 30 million Chinese live in absolute poverty, meaning that they lack enough food and clothing by local standard. In addition, another 60 million have incomes below US$100 a year—well below the $1 a day that the World Bank takes as its standard. Because China has a big population and covers a vast geographical area, it will be a challenge to reduce poverty with a privatized approach. What is the gap between rich and poor in your country? 

China: Social Services for the Elderly Must Go a Long Way to Become Efficient (September 16, 2005)
(Article in French)
The realization of the 11th Five Year Plan for social welfare programs directed to older persons (2006-2010) comes at a real turning point in dealing with aging in China. “Population aged over 60 will increase up to 147 million in 2010, to represent 12.57% of the total population” said Mr Yuanm, leader of this plan committee. A striking example: Shanghai has the highest growth in the number of aged people in China with about 20% of its local population representing 2.6 million people. China, with the greatest number of elder citizens in the world, faces tremendous challenges as it tries to engage the capacities and meet the needs of its older population.

Japan: ‘The Elderly’ Need to Be Redefined (September 19, 2005)
In Japan, the third Monday of September is a national holiday called “Keiro no Hi,” the Respect for the Aged Day. Generally, those aged 65 or older are considered to be “the elderly” and on Keiro no Hi, they receive gifts from families, friends, and sometimes even from local governments. However, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, there are about 25,600 centenarians and more than 1 million citizens aged 90 or older. When the 7 million Japanese baby boomers, those born between 1947 and 1949, become “the elderly,” the definition of elderly should be indeed changed. Currently, the average life expectancy of Japanese men is 78 as well as 85 for women, and compared with past century, “the elderly” are healthier and more active. If elderly is redefined to mean those aged 70 or more, the ratio of the elderly population will drop from nearly 20% to 15%. Well, so-called “the elderly” may not mind redefining the definition if the government makes their jobs secure.

Scotland: Heat or Eat Fears for Elderly (September 19, 2005) 
Age Concern Dundee warns that this winter will put older people at great risk due to soaring energy bills. Ian Borthwick, who has led Dundee-based advocacy officer, said vulnerable elderly people may be facing a straight choice between “heating and eating.” He also added “we know already that in 2002-03 that 2500 elderly people died as a result of cold-related illness.” The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) announced that winter fuel payments for the elderly, which is £200 for an individual over 60 and £300 for the one over 80, would again be paid in November and December in order to cover its cost. But how about January and February when more snow falls than in November and December? 

China: Emotional Void Waiting to be Filled for Elderly ( September 15, 2005 )
(Article in Chinese)
The report about an old person who attempted suicide by jumping into a river due to intense feelings of loneliness and abandonment has generated a great deal of public discussion.  Experts point out that the government needs to play a more active role helping elderly cope with emotional difficulties. In addition, geriatric study programs should be encouraged in academic institutions as soon as possible.

Mexico: Elderly Affected by Electoral Reforms (September 15, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Changes in the electoral procedure in Cuernavaca , Mexico , if approved by the Chamber of Disputes, could result in those members of the population aged sixty-five and older obtaining the right to participate in the upcoming 2006 elections. Humbreto Valverde Prado, former electoral counselor of the Chamber of Disputes in Cuernavaca , sent a document to the Congress of the State on Wednesday containing, among other proposed reforms, one requesting that all persons aged sixty-five and older and in sound mental and physical condition be granted the right of suffrage, which, up to this point, legislation has denied them. Along with pressure from the State Commission of Human Rights, associations of elderly persons will appeal to parliamentary factions to push for a reform that would enable them to participate in the elections.

World: Millennium Development Goals Must Target Poorest, Say Older People (September 13, 2005)
HelpAge International asked at the United Nations Millennium Summit Review in New York last week that the international community respond to the needs and rights of the poorest and most marginalized people in order to achieve the MDGs. Currently, more than 10% of those living with less than a dollar a day are over 60, and its percentage is expected to be risen as the number of elderly increase. Doña Fernanda, 83 years old living in Bolivia, had been working since she was a child. Every day, she collects papers and plastic on the street to make money. For each kilogram (2.2 pounds) of rubbish, US$0.05 is paid to her. But how she can take care of herself with this money? Aging is, not will be, a major issue for this century. In developing countries, particularly in Asia and Latin America, the elderly population is expected to rise from 8 to 19% by 2050. If the world governments ignore the Millennium Development Goals, what sort of old age will the middle aged of today find in twenty years?

South Korea: Elderly Taking Jobs Others Quit (September 13, 2005) 
The National Statistical Office says that the number of the unemployed who are not seeking work for reasons other than ill health or age has been increasing, while a growing number of older people are trying to reenter the workforce. The official with the office said that people who are not looking for a job are categorized as “economically inactive,” and reached a monthly average of 1.2 million, an increase of 19.6% from the same period last year. On the other hand, among the economically inactive group, the people who said they stopped seeking jobs because of their age has dropped 2.8% in the first seven months of this year’s average. Nowadays, many seniors are active and want a chance to work. 

Russia: Only for Those Who are Old (September 12, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The Moscow government has decided to celebrate the Day of Older Persons on a very high level this year. About one hundred events dedicated to the elders have been planned for October 1, 2005. Among these events are concerts, excursion, tours, and competitions with a lot of prizes. Lyudmila Shevtsova, Moscow deputy mayor, said that the government is planning to increase the amount of extra pension monies currently received by Moscow elders.  The  budget will also consider additional payments to pay old Moscovites once per quarter.

India: Homes for Senior Citizens Getting Ready (September 10, 2005)
In Chennai, the city located in the southern part of India, a corporation is establishing ‘Assisted Living Community Centre’ for senior citizens. This is the first project promoted by the LIC Housing Finance Ltd. Care Homes Limited. S. K. Mitter, Chief Executive of LICEFL said the LICHFL had set a target of Rs. 6270 (US $143.085) for 2005 to 06 towards individual loans for housing. As the number of elderly increase, assisted living facilities as well as nursing homes will be required, particularly in developing countries. Not only governments but also private companies should work together to build affordable houses for the elderly.

Japan: A Small Proposal for an Aging Japan (September 9, 2005)
Japan faces a significant, demographic crisis due to a low fertility rate and the strict immigration policy. According to the author, the fertility rate in Japan is below 1.3 and because the country does not encourage immigrants, the population in Japan is declining. In the first six months of 2005, the number of deaths already exceeded births by 31,000, and the World Bank expects that the Japanese population to decline 2.8 million by 2015. However, a lower population will reduce the population density in Tokyo and throughout the country since Japan is among the most densely populated industrialized countries. If Japan opens its door to immigrants, it would likely make the housing density much worse. 

Japan: In Typhoon, Elderly People Most at Risk (September 8, 2005)
When typhoons attack the country, the elderly suffer most. This time, 19 of the 27 dead or missing were senior citizens. Three women in their 70s were found dead in a rural small community in Kagoshima Prefecture. Though they lived alone, they got together to the home of one of the women when the typhoon attacked and a torrent of mud and rocks swept the house away. Though the city administrators planned to provide transportation service for evacuation, the city didn’t use the wireless system so that many residents were unaware of it. In March, the central government compiled guidelines for evacuating senior citizens in times of emergency. But the plan was rejected because it relied on private records and invaded persons’ privacy. Useful evacuation guidelines should be prepared.

Southeast Asia: ASEAN Told to Prepare for a ‘Greyer’ Future (September 8, 2005)
Minister for Social Development and Human Security, Watana Muangsook, said the governments of countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should establish policies to prepare to care for an aging population. The population of elderly was 9.4% in 2000; however, it is expected to rise sharply to 15.4% by 2025 and 23.5% by 2050. Mr. Watana said ASEAN countries need to adopt policies and an action plans to prepare health services and social welfare systems for the vulnerable citizens. But Sutthichai Jitapunkul from Chulalongkorn University pointed out that most politicians regard the aging issues as unimportant because they have little effect on their popularity. 

United Kingdom: Ageism Regarded as Biggest Form of Prejudice (September 7, 2005)
According to the survey by the University of Kent, ageism is the most widely experienced form of prejudice in Great Britain. “People reported being the target of ageism more than any other form of prejudice- be it based on gender, disability, sexuality, ethnicity or religion,” the study leader, Dominic Abrams, said. The study showed that if people have friends with different ages, they are more kind and gentle to other age groups. The charity, Age Concern, that sponsored the survey, concluded, “Encouraging more intergenerational, positive contact may be a key way of tackling ageism against people of any age.”

World: Women's Paid Labor Keeps Door Open to Poverty (September 6, 2005)
A UNIFEM report calls attention to the fact that most women are expected to take on two jobs: paid employment and the unpaid family caregiving. Women tend to take on low paying and insecure jobs that do not offer benefits but allow them flexibility. While the female labor force has increased in absolute numbers, many question whether it is a positive sign. Numbers do not tell about their conditions of work. Martha Chen, one of the UN report’s authors, state that “companies often seek out female workers because they perceive them to be a source of cheap, unskilled labor, more docile and less organized than men.” Women’s greater risk of poverty will in turn increase their poverty in old age as women. Also, they will likely not have the benefits of healthcare and social insurance that underwrite more formally employed persons.

United Kingdom: Older Chinese People at a Disadvantage for Cancer Care (September 3, 2005) 
According to the research by the University of Sheffield’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, older Chinese people in Sheffield and Manchester, are disadvantaged in cancer screening, treatment and care, because of language and cultural barriers in the healthcare system. Professor Sheila Payne who led the survey and her team found that most older Chinese people were keen to find out about cancer. However, due to the language barriers and levels of illiteracy in both English and oriental languages, they have limitations of getting information regarding hospital care as well as end-of-life care. Also, the lack of interpreters or familiar Chinese food in hospitals is also a source of additional discomfort in times of illness. “To combat this disadvantage, health care providers need to ensure that information about cancer is made readily available in written and audio formats, in the appropriate languages for the Chinese community,” Professor Payne urged.

Mexico: Recognizing the Importance of the Elderly (August 31, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
The physical and psychological well-being and continued social involvement of older persons are paramount to a country’s success. In Mexico City , the government has revised the pension system so that older persons receive a universal or social pension, resulting in an improved quality of life. Nonetheless, 60% of Mexico ’s elderly population continues to live in poverty and marginalized conditions. Although Mexico ’s constitution  protects elders from abuse, and permits older persons to demand pensions from their children, most elderly do not know that they possess such rights.  Mexico ’s government must continue to work for social and economic justice by making this crucial section of the population aware of its rights.

China: Senior Travel Market Expected to Boom (August 30, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
Leading gerontologists in China predict that by 2030 the nation’s population of elderly will reach 0.31 billion, or 20.4% of the total population. The survey shows that currently senior travelers account for more than 20 percent of total number of travelers. It further speculated that a percentage equally that of developed countries could result in a 0.3% jump in GDP for China. 

Mexico: The Generational Pyramid Undergoes Important Changes (August 26, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
According to Mexico’s National Consensus of Population (Conapo), there are 20.5 elderly adults for every 100 children. Elena Zuniga, general secretary of Conapo, points out that this means there are five dependents for every older worker, which, in turn, should result in an enormous potential for production. The ratio of older adults to children will continue to increase in the coming decades, predictions by Conapo indicate, as will life expectancy of both men and women. Along with her optimistic comments, however, Zuniga adds that the increasing elderly population could result in a “delicate situation,” as the government will have to create more informal employment for elders and strengthen the social security system to meet growing needs.

Russia: 111 Years for Anna Kuzmik Fly by in a Blink! (August 26, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
She was born on May 15, 1894, to a poor peasant family at the West of the Russian Empire which nowadays  is  the territory of Belarus . “My years fly by in a blink so it seems to me like one quick moment. I have always lived with a joy in my heart and I wish it to everyone. I also wish people to be more kind and to do no harm to each other,” says this very old lady.  

Switzerland: Experts Tackle Challenges of Ageing Society (August 26, 2005)
Switzerland is holding a three-day international congress entitled Healthy Ageing: Current Social Challenges. The Congress will discuss the rapidly aging population and the social challenges that will happen in the near future. Experts will examine issues in health care, problems with social inequality among the elderly and the threat posed by today's "cult of youth." The number of old people in Switzerland in need of care is expected to rise by one fifth over the next 15 years, according to the Swiss Health Observator.

Greece: Elderly In Squalid Homes (August 25, 2005)
An inspection committee in Athens, Greece, has discovered a number of private retirement homes that house their residents in cockroach-infested rooms and filthy sleeping areas. Of the eleven care homes the committee visited, only two were not found guilty of violating health regulations. Many nursing homes did not meet proper hygiene standards or suitable food storage conditions. The committee found dirty walls, wet mattresses and filthy toilets during their checks. Spoiled food was even found in the facilities. This is the second incident this summer that unveils the health risks that seniors are exposed to in poor nursing facilities in Greece. But as Athens Prefect Yiannis Sgouros states, “unfortunately, based on current law, the largest fine we can impose is between 15,000 and 65,000 euros depending on the infringement, while the maximum jail sentence is for a year and this can be bought out.” Is this punishment enough.

Portugal: Portugal Fires Could Speed Flight from Interior (August 25, 2005)
This year’s forest fires in Portugal have been the worst in decades. More than 600 firefighters and aircraft from the European Union have worked continuously to contain the fires near Vila Nova, about 110 miles north of Lisbon. Officials and residents warn that the forest fires will likely cause more people to leave the once-bustling farming village, making the land even more susceptible to future fires. Joao Dinis, aide to the board of the National Confederation of Agriculture, says that "major economic damage, environmental damage and people's feeling of insecurity are going to speed up the departure of people living in rural areas." Only the older people are left in Portugal’s countryside because many younger persons have departed for the cities.

Indonesia: Number of Elderly People Increasing (August 25, 2005)
Advocacy groups say the Indonesia government needs to stop ignoring its elderly and start taking action to promote their welfare. The Central Statistics Bureau 2005 data shows that there are about 16 million 60+ year olds in the country, which is about 8 percent of the country's total 210 million people. As average life expectancy increases to 68 years old for men and women, the number of senior citizens is projected to rise to 11.3 percent, or 28.8 million, by 2020. According to Emong Lansia Foundation for the Elderly chairwoman and HelpAge Indonesia director Eva Sabdono, "some 12 million senior citizens are poor and neglected." Indonesian seniors are more likely to have health problems, feel abandoned and neglected in society, and often are unable to pay for public services. 

Niger: UN Secretary General Calls for More Aid to Niger (August 24, 2005)
United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan urges humanitarian organizations to send more food aid to drought-stricken Niger, as the UN has only received half of the aid it asked for. While the response of aid agencies has been slow, Annan attests that it is important humanitarian organizations get together now to help the people of Niger. Young children and the elderly have been most affected by the severe lack of food.

Ghana: Interview with Chief Nana Boakyewa Yiadom Apeadu from Ghana (August 2005)
Chief Nana Boakyewa Yiadom Apeadu is the first female chief in Aburi , Ghana , West Africa . She has risen to leadership in her area to a position that no woman has had before her. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology as well as a Master’s degree in Human Rights and Justice. In an extensive interview with Chief Nana Apeadu, GAA learns about the joys and growing struggles of the elderly in Ghana.

Sudan: Garang Death Hampers Return of Refugees (August 24, 2005)
Following the death of Sudan's First Vice President as well as the leader of the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army, John Garang, humanitarian workers say there is dampened enthusiasm for repatriation among some Sudanese refugees in Uganda. Many people, including the elderly, wish to return to their native homes but fear doing so, as bloody riots are ensuing in the war-torn country. 

Congo: Chased Then Robbed: Another Day In Congo's Katanga (August 24, 2005)
Three thousand residents, elderly men, women and children included, of Congo's Katanga fled their camp fearing an attack by the "Mai Mai" militia, only to return to find that government troops sent to their rescue had looted their food and belongings. The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo has been named one of Africa’s most neglected crisis areas, as the safety of civilians and UN peacekeepers are constantly being threatened by soldiers or militiamen.

China: Personal Accident Insurance Plan Available to Senior Citizens Over 65 in Shanghai (August 24, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
For the first time, two million senior citizens residing in Shanghai have the option to participate the Personal Accident Insurance plan, which was not available to seniors previously. Annual premium is around RMB￥20, with half of the cost born by a local insurance company and the other half paid out of pocket. The highest coverage goes up to RMB￥ 10,000. But accidents occurred within domestic dwellings are not covered. The third witness is often hard to find and the legal procedure involved is very complex. 

UK: Concern Voiced About “Sinister” Tax Plan (August 22, 2005)
Critics have slammed the Government for pushing a “sinister” death tax, saying British pensioners face selling their homes in order to pay for higher council levies. Under this tax scheme, elderly homeowners are struggling to pay large council tax bills could opt to “defer payment” until they die. Councils would then be able to claim back the tax from the sale of these elders’ homes, with interest. While the Government claims this plan will help some seniors pay their taxes, it just doesn’t seem very fair at all.

Japan: Home Renovation Scams Causing Alarm (August 19, 2005)
Since the media coverage of two elderly sisters with dementia who were scammed out of 50 million yen in unnecessary home repair work, there have been reports of home renovation fraud all over Japan. A certified architect inspected the sisters’ house upon the city's request and noted that, while more than 100 pieces of reinforcement equipment were found under the roof, only 10 were actually needed. The sisters almost lost their home in an auction to pay for the scam. The National Police Agency states that the number of people victimized by home-renovation fraud nationwide has reached 8,200, with total damages reaching 11.9 billion yen. 

New Zealand: Bosses Told to Give Older Workers A Go (August 19, 2005)
Equal Employment Opportunities Commissioner, Judy McGregor, says that New Zealand's current skills shortage could be relieved if employers retained workers in the labor market past retirement. Many employees aged 65 and older would continue to work if given the right encouragement. Unfortunately, employers must change their thinking and overcome the negative stereotypes associated with mature workers. Dr. McGregor claims that “some employers are not creative enough in their thinking about retention of skills.” When older workers do retire, labor market participation and productivity declines. Dr. McGregor also believes the government should try to help businesses keep older workers in the job force. 

Scotland: 22-Point Charter Drawn Up to Aid Elderly (August 19, 2005)
Scotland has created a 22-point action plan to improve the lives of thousands of elderly, which will be implemented next year. The charter was drawn up after the council consulted with numerous older people who expressed their views and concerns. These changes are meant to provide more services and benefits for the Scottish elderly. This kind of charter should be implemented everywhere. 

Switzerland: Info Bus for Elderly Immigrants Hits the Road (August 16, 2005)
An information minibus started its 15-month, 40-leg tour of Switzerland on Tuesday on a mission to explain the functions of the social and healthcare systems to immigrant pensioners. Many elderly immigrants in Switzerland are unaware of the fact that they enjoy the same entitlements as Swiss citizens, a problem that the “migration bus” hopes to address. In addition, first-generation immigrants largely belong to a low-wage bracket, and suffer poorer health compared to Swiss citizens. The bus project will collaborate with local organizations and institutions dedicated to caring for the elderly at each stop. Most importantly, organizers hope that their country-wide road show will “raise awareness of the current needs and past contributions of older immigrants among the general public.”

Argentina: A Great Love Illuminates Old Age (August 15, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
The film “Elsa and Fred,” written and directed by Marcos Carnevale, casts new light on the notion of aging, urging viewers to reconsider negative stereotypes often associated with older persons. In suggesting that elderly adults may enjoy the same intensity of sentiment in an amorous relationship as a passionate young couple, the film forces us to acknowledge that the human erotic emotional sensibilities are not necessarily dulled by the ageing process. Carnevale’s work also suggests that such character traits as risk and spontaneity are not confined to younger individuals, but that the elderly, too, may behave with the same energetic impulse that society tends to attribute only to the young and restless. “Elsa and Fred” thus ultimately seeks to eliminate the negative implications associated with the term “old age” and the artificial separation between the young and the elderly.

Scotland: Concern Shortage of Doctors Could Lead to Elderly Deaths (August 15, 2005)
Elderly residents in Scottish care homes are dying in hospital emergency departments. There aren't enough physicians available to treat them in their home surroundings. Care home owners are saying that they are finding it very difficult to recruit physicians to visit patients in their own homes, as they are reaching the end of their lives. The Executive denies that there is a widespread problem. 

China: China Has Great Potential in Tapping Market for Senior Citizens (August 15, 2005)
“China's 'graying-hair market' has great potential as the development of products specially made for the elderly has lagged, said Li Baoku, an expert on research of gerontology… Li, president of China's Gerontology Development Foundation, said that market potential of the elderly population has been rising in China in correspondence with their rise in income.”

Scotland: OAP Care Crisis: Evicted (August 13, 2005)
“More than 1,200 vulnerable pensioners have been evicted from Scottish nursing homes, with another 700 set to follow because of a care crisis.” Scotland’s nursing homes have been closing at the astonishing rate of one per week. Many have been forced to sell by bank managers, or face bankruptcy. Elderly advocate groups are urging officials to help these pensioners; many are seriously ill and have no family to depend on. These elders could die from enduring the trauma of being evicted out of their own homes. The crisis is also creating bed blocking in hospitals because there is nowhere for the pensioners to go. 

South Korea: Aging Korea On Course for Massive Problems (August 11, 2005)
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, South Korea’s population is aging faster than just about every other country in the world. Korea's elderly, aged 65 and up, make up 8.7 percent of the population (or 4.18 million). By 2050, that percentage is projected to skyrocket to 37.3 percent. 

Guam: Decades After Abuses By the Japanese, Guam Hopes the US Will Make Amends (August 11, 2005)
Elderly Guam residents hope that the US government will compensate them for injustices suffered under Japan’s 32-month occupation during WWII. The Guam World War II Loyalty Recognition Act, a House bill introduced in April with 83 Congressional sponsors, hopes to accomplish just that. Compensation for the Guamanians would be comparable to the compensation paid to interned Japanese Americans, estimated to cost about 135 million US dollars. The Guam WWII Loyalty Recognition Act hopes to rectify the injustices largely enumerated in the 2003 Guam War Claims Review Commission, where elderly witnesses painted a picture of Japanese colonial occupation that turned progressively violent against anyone suspected of sympathizing with the United States.

Malaysia: Hazy Malaysia Offers Help to Douse Indonesia Fires (August 10, 2005)
Malaysia is offering to help neighboring Indonesia extinguish forest fires that have smothered Kuala Lumpur. The fires have caused much destruction in the Malaysian capital, aggravating traffic and health conditions. The smoke has triggered a surge in respiratory illnesses, and is causing public health concerns, especially for children and seniors. Something should be done.

South Korea: Korean WWII Sex Slaves Fight On (August 9, 2005)
Korean sex slaves of the Second World War, who were exploited by the Imperial Japanese Army, are demanding Japan stop hiding the brutal reality of the war. They are also asking for an official compensation to be paid on account of the brutality they suffered. These so-called “comfort women” were taken to "comfort stations,” where they were repeatedly raped by Japanese soldiers. Many women were even killed as part of an attempt to cover up the crimes. While Japan has made some public apologies for the crimes, many feel Japan has not done enough for these women.

China: Family Planning Policy Saves China 300 Mln Births (August 8, 2005)
China's total fertility rate has dropped to around 1.8 since the nation started to exercise its family planning policy in the 1970s, which is 1.2 or 1.3 points lower than other countries or regions of the same economic development level and has saved China the birth of 300 million people. The average life expectancy has reached 71 to 72, ready at the same level with moderately developed countries.

Scotland: Council Tax 'Rip-Off' For Care Home Residents After Executive Blunder (August 7, 2005)
New housing laws in Scotland have labeled elderly residents living in nursing homes as tenants, thereby forcing them to pay more than £1,000 a year in council tax for their individual rooms. Despite having only private accommodations consisting of a room and a bathroom, elders are receiving bills from councils demanding they pay rates for full living facilities. Moreover, even if the rule is amended, those people who have been wrongly paying the council tax may not be able to claim their money back. That’s just preposterous.

Mexico: Mexicans at Home Abroad (August 4, 2005)
In recent decades, millions of working-age Mexicans have entered the United States. Most of them have come illegally, taking jobs on the bottom rungs of the American labor market. The question that follows is: do they go back to Mexico or stay in the States as they retire? With a rapidly aging population and virtually no public system of social security or health insurance, Mexico is not prepared to receive them back. But the United States is also unprepared to deal with millions of poor, aging immigrants, eking out a living without recourse to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid or most other forms of federal assistance. 

Australia: Tassie Plan to Improve Aged Care Goes National (August 4, 2005)
The Australia Federal Government announced it would spend $336,000 on the Building Connections in Aged Care program that aims to attract young nursing students into geriatric care. The program will continue in Tasmania, but it will also be implemented in South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland. Senior lecturer at the University of Tasmania's School of Nursing and Midwifery, Andrew Robinson, led a university work-placement program with the federal government and six care facilities to show students the benefits of working in aged care. Initially, only 35% of students said they would consider working with seniors. But after the students participated in the program, 95% of students were interested in working with the elderly. This program should be cloned in many nursing schools.

UK: Cicely Saunders Dies At 87; Reshaped End-of-Life Care (August 4, 2005)
Dame Cicely Saunders died on July 14, 2005 in St. Christopher's in Sydenham, London at the age of 87. Dame Cicely was a founder of the modern hospice movement, as she played a significant role in providing palliative care for the terminally ill so patients could have peace of mind rather than enduring needless pain before death. She founded the hospice at St. Christopher's in 1967 and then helped spread the hospice movement of complementing “pain and symptom control with compassionate care” throughout the world.

Scotland: OAP Abuse Complaints Soar 240% (August 3, 2005)
Age Concern Scotland reveals that calls to Scottish Helpline for Older People have more than tripled within the last year! While these numbers are staggering enough, Age Concern fears that there may even be more incidents of abuse at care facilities that are not being reported. “Help the Aged is urging the Scottish Executive to press ahead for a Scottish Human Rights Commission to bolster the rights of the elderly and better protect them from abuse and neglect.” Why didn’t the Commission exist in the first place?

China: Survey Says For Healthy Life In Old Age, Fixed Income Is 'A Must' (August 3, 2005)
According to a recent survey conducted by a local insurance firm, eighty percent of residents in Hong Kong believe a fixed monthly income after retirement is essential and investment in pension schemes is a viable option. The survey also suggests annuity products are popular with retirees.

Canada: Retirement Laws Bad For the Working Poor (August 3, 2005)
A new book shows that Canada’a mandatory retirement is forcing many senior citizens, especially women, into low level jobs in order to survive. Fortunately, attitudes toward older persons in the workforce are slowly shifting. Experts expect Canada to eventually catch up with Australia, New Zealand and the US, which have largely banned compulsory retirement.

DPI’s Panel Discussion on Women with Disabilities (August 2, 2005)
Ms. Evelyn Chow details the major issues and concerns raised at the sixth session of the Ad Hoc Committee’s Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights and Dignity of Persons with Disabilities; which she attended at the United Nations on August 2, 2005. She summarizes, in particular, the challenges faced by elderly women with disabilities. 

Japan: Hiroshima Survivors Keep Memories Alive (August 2, 2005)
For 60 years since World War II ended, Hibakusha have been telling their terrible stories in not only Hiroshima and Nagasaki , where the nuclear bombs were dropped, but also all over Japan and overseas. “We were the offending side, but also the victims. We harmed people in China , Korea and South Asia . But the A-bomb was dropped on us, so we understand how difficult and terrible war is,” Yukio Yoshioka, 76, said. That’s why Hibakusha tell their terrible experience to “try to make sure it never happens again.” Now, all Hibakusha become the age over 60, and they were all exposed to radiation—means that their health is weaker than others. But Hibakusha never give up telling their stories—they believe that’s their mission in the world.
   
UK: Human Rights Law 'Fails Elderly' (August 2, 2005)
Help the Aged is urging the British government to push for a planned equality to protect the elderly, which includes the establishment of a Commission for Equality and Human Rights. The current Human Rights Act inadequately protects older people from mistreatment that may be difficult to be fully investigated or handled. “While statutory services were covered under the Act, the majority of care [within] the private sector is not.” It’s about time. 

England: Chinatown Frees the Spirits of Its Ancestors on the Mersey (August 1, 2005)
In Liverpool , England , hundreds of people from the Chinese community gathered to launch 100 hand-painted wooden boats on the River Mersey. Moira Kenny from Chinapool said the boats, painted by members of the city’s Chinese community, represent the returning of Chinese souls to their homeland. “The boats are a metaphor for the people who came here via the river.” She also added that this event gathered the elderly and young people to take them back to their roots, particularly for younger generation to respect their heritage. International migration has become very common nowadays. Not only in England but also in any other places, older people have a very important role to hand on their traditions and spirit to the next generation.

Japan: Survey of Seniors: 70 Is the New ‘Old' (July 30, 2005)
According to a poll of 60+ year-olds in Japan, age 65 no longer seems old anymore. The Japanese government continues to use age 65 as the limit for being "elderly" in statistical and other official purposes, but almost half of the respondents in the survey believe 70 should be the threshold. Maybe it’s time we reconsider what we think is “old.”

World: Global Aging: The Challenge of Success (July 27, 2005)
The global aging population will soon have a huge impact on societies, as governments struggle to deal with the social and economic problems that arise from the growing older population. “Japan and many European countries will be the first to grapple with the various challenges of aging that will soon face all countries, including the United States.” In Europe and Japan, the elderly consist of 20% of the population. Couples would need to have many more children than they currently have, or there would need to be large scale immigration into those countries, in order to halt the demographic shift of aging. As long as the number of births is reduced each year and improved health/medical care allow people to live longer, population aging does not seem to be slowing down anytime soon. 

Ireland: The Elderly Get Left Out In the Dark Again (July 27, 2005)
In Ireland, the private nursing homes subvention scheme was introduced in 1993 when the maximum subvention equaled  approximately 65% of fees payable. However, since then, the level of subvention has increased only one time, and the Department of Health has still no plans to increase it. Currently, the maximum subvention payable is €190 per week. However, people with a pension of more than €190.42 per week are not qualified for the subvention so they have to go to public facilities while poorer pensioners live in private nursing homes. How will the Irish government solve this issue?

China: Senior Citizens’ Bicycle Ride Highlights Wildlife Protection (July 27, 2005)
13 retired men and women, from a 59 year-old to a 74 year-old, from northwest China concluded a 5,700-kilometer bicycle ride! They left Urumqi, Xinjiang’s capital, on May 18 and traveled 100 kilometers a day during the past two months in order to promote public awareness of wildlife protection. They have received more than 330,000 people’s signatures for their campaign. Despite their age, they spent 24 days in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, more than 3,000 meters above sea level, where oxygen is much lower than ground level. Traveling on a bicycle is good for your health as well as for protecting nature. Congratulations on the successful trip!

South Asia: Maternal Mortality in South Asia is Second Highest in the World, UNICEF Says (July 27, 2005)
The Deputy Director Rima Salah, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), said that South Asia has high mortality rates despite the fact that it has enjoyed spectacular technological advances. “One out of every three child deaths occurs in South Asia.” The report is showing the strong link between poverty, gender inequity and the poor survival rates and wellbeing of the region’s children and women. A poor child is more likely not to be immunized or not to go to school, to be malnourished, and not to have access to clean water. “Every day, the focus on health could not be more appropriate or timely,” Dr. Salah added. Children are the people who are going to support the society in the future. To prepare for the aged society, South Asia should consider how to decrease maternal mortality and infant fatality. 

Australia: Elderly and Home Alone, Women Soak up Aid (July 27, 2005)
Elderly women are more likely to remain at home by accessing community services in Australia. According to the Australian Institute of Health’s report, women are three times more likely than men to be living on their own. Like other developed countries, Australian community service for the elderly is well-developed, offering assistance in cleaning, cooking, personal hygiene, shopping and getting dressed. In 2004, more than 30,000 packages of home-based care were provided, compared with only 235 packages in 1992. The number of elderly is expected to increase dramatically, from 1.8 million in 2110 to between 2.8 million to 3.7 million in 2026. Home-based care will be more and more needed! 

UK: 700 Barred from Adult Care Work (July 26, 2005)
The Department of Health reports that “more than 700 people have been barred from working with vulnerable adults,” since the Protection of Vulnerable Adults scheme was set up a year ago. The system registers the names of those workers accused of abusing or neglecting the elderly, mentally ill or other adults. Help the Aged organization notes the efforts taken to prevent abuse from happening to these vulnerable people, but declare that the statistics should be "wake-up call" to the British government to do more to address the large-scale problem of elderly abuse.

Japan: New Nursing Fees Hit Elderly (July 26, 2005)
The recently revised Nursing Care Insurance Law in Japan will abolish government spending on housing and food for geriatric nursing care, forcing the elderly to pay for these services. These changes will take effect starting October. The amendment has caused much concern among nursing care facility operators and families of nursing home residents, as some believe the changes are happening too quickly and the financial burden is too much for the elderly. Currently, some elderly residents pay fees between 25,000 to 53,000 yen a month, but with the revised law, residents may face increases of up to 80,000 yen a month.

Argentina: Geriatric Hospital Fire Leaves Government In the Hot Seat (July 25, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Aníbal Ibarra, the Chief of the Porteño Government assured that the “sad and fatal” geriatric hospital fire that killed three elderly women and injured 15 others in the town of Palermo, was due to an electrical malfunction. According to an Argentinean news agency, after the fire on July 23^rd, one of the deceased who had died of smoke inhalation, was tied to a bed.  This revelation left officials wondering if the other two women were in the same condition. When questioned if the hospital was overpopulated,  Ibarra firmly stated to authorities that there were “fewer residents than permitted.” He denied any responsibility for the three deaths. As part of a worldwide movement, many suspect the hospital's poor conditions. They demand reforms to ensure the safety of all elderly people.

UK: Concern Over Funding for Elderly (July 25, 2005)
Social services for the elderly are getting cutback, as administrators divert funds from seniors to other age groups. The elderly make up 62% of social services' clients but they only receive 47% of the financial resources, according to a report by SPAIN, a coalition of different charities for the elderly. That’s not right!
Elderly people in need of care are being "starved" of funding because social services across the country are "creaming off" money and diverting it to younger clients, a new report says.
The report by SPAIN, a large coalition of charities including Help the Aged and Age Concern, also said the number of households receiving home care had gone down by a quarter since 1997. Time to launch a public investigation!

UK: Government Urged to Back Research Into Ageing (July 25, 2005)
A recent House of Lords report proposes that the government invest more money to fund scientific research on ageing. Research manager Dr. Lorna Layward of Research into Ageing, the trust for biomedical research within Help the Aged organization, says that the meager £4.8m provided for ageing research by the Government Department of Health is inadequate. If more money is not granted, this will leave the UK greatly unprepared for the baby boomer generation.

China: New Look Entertainment Center for Seniors (July 22, 2005)
The new entertainment center in Shenyang is vibrant, chic, and buzzing with life. Unlike many of its urban counterparts, it boasts a rather different kind of clientele—the over-sixties crowd. Built to address the over 1 million elderly in Shenyang, this new entertainment concept provides a place for China’s elderly to relax, kick back, and enjoy. Though the activities in Shenyang’s “Entertainment Bar” are not always associated with the aging population (body building, anyone?), its conception brings to light a topic confronting most of China’s elderly: what to do. Recreation and social interaction should be integral parts of any senior’s life, and when these components are missing, what is there to replace them? Perhaps with more initiatives like the Entertainment Bar, China’s elderly will become better connected with its growing, fast-paced, and rapidly modernizing younger generations.

UK: Summit Call on Abuse of Elderly (July 21, 2005)
The charity, Action on Elder Abuse, is pushing for an urgent summit following BBC's “Panorama” undercover investigation of elderly neglect and abuse in one particular nursing home. The shocking live footage reveals patients having their most basic needs ignored, left dirty and even sitting in their own urine! Elder abuse cannot be ignored any longer! 

Chile: The Elderly (July 20, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Latin America is rapidly aging. For this reason, Chile is modifying the services it offers to older persons. A surprising new report describes the growth, lifestyle, financial status, and pensions of today and the future for the older people living in Chile.

South Korea: Elderly Suicide Rises 5-Fold in 20 Years (July 20, 2005)
“The suicide rate for South Korea’s elderly has increased more than five-fold over the past 20 years!” While other causes remain as leading killers of Korean seniors, this alarming statistic proves that more Koreans are adopting a nuclear family structure, leaving the elderly to face economic hardship and depression alone. Very sad situation.

Canada: 8M to Increase Senior Home Care (July 20, 2005)
The Ontario government is increasing spending on senior home care by more than 8 million dollars into the London area. This money will help relieve hospitals and long-term care facilities from seniors seeking treatment, where care is more expensive, as well as allow the elderly to receive care within their own homes.

Canada: Commitment to Find Solutions for Seniors (July 19, 2005)
“Seniors are the fastest-growing age group in Canada. Presently, one in eight people is over the age of 65; that number will be one in five in less than 20 years. Ministers Responsible for Seniors met in Québec City to reestablish their commitment to prepare for the challenges facing Canada’s governments and society, due to Canada's aging population and demographic shifts. Ministers also agreed to work together on issues affecting the elderly, such as social isolation and prevention of elderly abuse. Hopefully, Canada’s governments will keep their word and not alienate their senior citizens.

Australia: Groups Home in on Elder Abuse (July 19, 2005)
According to the John MacKean, the President of the Council on the Ageing Taasmania, 12,000 older Tasmanians are abused yearly. He estimated 5 to 8 % of the elderly Tasmanians suffer some form of abuse physically, emotionally, or financially. Though he does not admit elder abuse, MacKean said that “(it) is usually caused by a carer becoming so frustrated, angry or tired that they just snap.” MacKean acknowledged that dealing with people who were frail, dependent, confused and often cantankerous was demanding and thankless. Due to these behaviors, carers become frustrated and tired of taking care of the elderly. Tim Morris, Greens health spokesman, suggested that a mandatory reporting system to improve the protection of children works well so that a similar system might help the elderly, too. 

China: Aging in China (July 19, 2005)
A compilation of articles collected and reviewed by Ms. Evelyn Chow, examining the current experience of  growing old in different parts of China. The articles include information on emerging health and elder rights issues. Read on for more!

World: What Is Elder Abuse? (July 18, 2005)
So what exactly is elder abuse? The definition ranges from physical to emotional abuse, neglect to financial exploitation. Help stop elderly abuse now!

Australia: Elderly Abuse Rife in Tassie (July 18, 2005)
Lillian Jeter, executive director of Australian Elder Abuse Prevention Association, states that between 3000 and 12,000 elderly Tasmanians are abused each year, even by their partners or children! The Australian Council for the Rehabilitation of Disabled will be holding a conference to discuss the issues of aging and disability. But will this “hidden epidemic of abuse” be addressed?

Europe: Europe’s Slow Demographic Bleed (July 16, 2005)
Europe will soon need to deal with serious economic problems caused by a declining work force. This issue was one of the important concerns addressed in a series of conferences in Brussels, Belgium titled, "Confronting Demographic Change: A New Solidarity between the Generations." Many changes need to be implemented if Europe is to sustain economic growth, including increasing employment of younger and older people and modernizing the social welfare system. Sustainability!

Japan: Cover Story: Age Issue (July 15, 2005)
Kaoru Sato didn’t make it to Gunma University's Medical School, despite scoring 10.3 points higher than the average. Why? The only possible explanation is because of her age. A university official told Kaoru: "National universities are tasked with the responsibility to educate, train and nurture doctors, who will be able to serve the community. The process takes many long years. In your case, when we consider your age at graduation, there remains the question as to whether you would be able to serve the community, realistically speaking." While this situation may seem outlandish, age discrimination, in fact, is not unusual in Japan. What about your country?

Japan: Shutting Down Business Fraud (July 14, 2005)
Many Japanese elders are targets for criminals, specifically fraudulent business operators. These swindlers deceive unsuspecting seniors out of their life savings, completely aware that elderly people may live in isolation and suffer from impaired judgment. There have been complaints reported involving various fraudulent telephone or door-to-door sales, from home renovation to health food sales. The abuse schemes seem crazy but unsuspecting elders get snared. 

South Korea: Aging Korea Will Burden Young Workers (July 14, 2005)
According to the United Nations, South Korea’s elderly population is expected to grow to 37.3 percent of the total in 2050 – the highest in the world. The Ministry of Finance and Economy (MOFE) contends that the nation’s cost for supporting senior citizens will grow at the fastest rate in the world, as a result of a decline in birth rate and an increased aging population. This means that by 2050, about 1.4 potential workers will have to support one senior over 65 years. Market experts strongly suggest the “government adopt a long-term, systematic plan to deal with this problem by reforming labor, medical and pension sectors.” Will those “reforms” sustain older persons, both current and in the future? 

Chile: Chile’s Court of Appeals Absolves Elderly Marijuana User (July 13, 2005)
Chile’s Court of Appeals revoked a charge against María Luisa Velasco, an elderly woman who has been suffering from arthritis and rheumatism. In February, police seized 40 marijuana plants and found 500,000 pesos (US $860) in cash at Velasco’s house. But she claimed that she used marijuana for medical purposes, and never sold it. According to Mariano Montenegro, the chief for the National Council for Narcotics Control, there are regulations which restrict use to patients with chronic pain, who undergo chemotherapy, or who need marijuana to stimulate their appetite. Velasco is now allowed to grow marijuana at her home. 

Chile: Debt Reduction in Serviu (July 12, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Sonia Tschorne, the Minister of Housing and Urbanism in Chile, announced that around 31,000 modest families will greatly benefit from the bill signed by President Lagos. This bill promises to settle and reduce debt amongst the poor elderly, indigenous and others indebted civilians. However, the plan is facing firm opposition from many Chileans such as Eduardo Leiva, spokesman for the National Grouping of Indebted Habitants and Friends (Agrupación Nacional de Deudores Habitacionales y Allegados). The group feels more Chileans deserve to benefit from the new bill and are greatly skeptical of the Chilean government’s intentions. They describe it as a deceptive empire that says one thing, but as demonstrated in the past, does another. This group is pushing the government to help free all Chileans from debt, or in the least, allow them to pay a very low minimum in order to settle their financial troubles.

Mexico: Help for the Elderly (July 12, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
Due to the serious problems amongst the elderly, Mario García Jiménez, the subdirector of Citizen Attention (Atención Ciudadana) in Chihuahua announced a new municipal government program that will offer assistance to the elderly living in poverty and abandonment. With thousands of people in full support, the program plans on visiting the homes of five thousand beneficiaries in order to provide them with medical attention, health provisions, access to a hospital whenever needed, and donations of costly orthopedic and medical devices.

Australia: Grandparents Do 1/3 of Childcare (July 12, 2005)
According to the Australian Social Trends 2005 report conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), grandparents are providing almost one third of childcare in Australia. About 1.4 million children aged up to 11 years used childcare in 2002, and 63% of them received care informally. Grandparents cared for half of them and others are cared by non-resident parents, brothers or sisters, and other relatives. The reason why children need childcare is because their parents are working, looking for work, or training for work. But in the future, not only children but also aged parents might need care, won’t they? Who will take care of the aged parents?

China: Emergency Alarms for the Elderly (July 12, 2005)
In Guangzhou, the government is investing 1 mission yuan (US $120,000) to provide an emergency alarm system for vulnerable elderly people. Last week, one elderly woman who lived alone was found dead in her apartment, and some experts said that she could have been saved if she had received emergency care. In order to prevent this kind of incident, the Guangzhou’s government plans to give the alarms to 1,000 senior citizens, such as retirees living on government subsidies and aged above 60, living alone or with handicapped children, or retired handicapped veterans, or centenarians, or those who had received the title of model worker. Also, the government encourages other senior citizens to buy the alarms at 1,500 yuan each.    

Mexico: More Older Adults Living on the Border (July 11, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
In the dangerous Ciudad Juárez in Mexico, the number of older adults is growing at an exaggerated pace. Between 2000 and 2005, the older population has doubled and will continue to do so every five years, thanks to medical advances and nutritional improvements that have greatly increased life expectancy.  For that reason, there is a disproportion between the rapidly growing older population and the resources available to them. Data from the health sector of the city indicate that in Ciudad Juárez, the main causes of elderly death are diabetes, hypertension and heart attack. Unfortunately, neither government nor civic organizations nor religious groups have developed such programs; rather, they have abandoned the elderly for the most part.

Asia: Asia's Slowing Down (July 9, 2005)
Roughly six percent of Asia's 3.88 billion people were 65 years or older last year, but as people live longer and more young people delay having children, that figure is expected to surge to 17 percent of the estimated 5 billion Asians by 2050, according to the Population Reference Bureau, a US-based research group. Scholars declare East Asia will need to start addressing the issues of the population, especially the ageing, or else there may be economic downfall. Fewer children are caring for their elderly parents, and so the public sector must “carry the burden and cost of elderly care.” If senior citizens do not find ways to contribute to society, according to predictions from sociology professor Eun Ki-soo’s at the School of International Studies at Seoul National University, society could go bankrupt within 20 to 30 years!

Africa: Views from Africa on Social Protection (July 2005)
Leaders of the world are trying to tackle issues of poverty affecting third world countries, especially in Africa. Many people recognize the importance of social protection for vulnerable citizens, like the elderly. This includes the potential role of cash transfers within an integrated social protection system. But besides implementing effective social protection programs, several problems need to be addressed first. Social welfare agencies need more financing from governments and donors. Agencies need to root out corruption or assure transparency so that people feel secure about their cash transfers. If these issues are neglected, it will compromise trust in governments’ commitment to social protection.

Japan: Home-Renovation Scam Targeted Senior Citizens (July 4, 2005)
People aged 60 or older have been targeted for unnecessary home renovations! According to the police, Samnin group made a contract with 5,399 people in Tokyo and other prefectures. Samnin’s salespeople deliberately visited the homes occupied by seniors or people living alone, and offered a home-renovation. One woman in her 60s living alone in Chiba Prefecture, said that her home was renovated some years ago; however, a Samnin salesperson knocked on her door and talked her into signing a contract for repairs to the outer walls and in areas underneath her home’s first-floor floorboards. Her bill was about US $140,000. Also, an elderly man received a US $84,000 bill for repairing the roof and other areas. Police also found the Samnin salespeople lied to or threatened customers who wanted to cancel. The company should be punished!

Zambia: Suspected Witches Find Refuge in Kaleni Hills (July 7, 2005)
In the Kaleni hills of Mwinilunga district, a North-Western province in Zambia, there is a mission where old women seek refuge. The camp provides the elderly women food and shelter, as these women have no one to ask for help. Why would these old ladies flee from their homes? Because they have been accused of being witches and driven away from as far as Angola. Read on to learn more!

Bangladesh: Ageing: A Creeping Problem for Future Society? (July 6, 2005)
Rural-urban migration of young adults has resulted in many aged people being left behind and isolated in rural areas. Bangladesh faces this dilemma; this article details some of the social and demographic facts. Traditionally, the elderly are cared for by their children but increasing complexities of urban living make it difficult to tend to aging parents or maintain extended family relations. Older people feel that the younger generation sees them as being dependent and burdensome, as the elderly are unable to contribute much. With population above age sixty reaching over 7.2 million in Bangladesh, and life expectancy continuing to increase due to improved health education and technology, policies for improving the lives of an aging population must be considered.

UK: Age Concern Comes Out at Pride London to Support Elderly Gays (July 4, 2005)
Age Concern, a UK-based organization focused on issues affecting the elderly, participated in this year’s London Pride parade to show their support for older lesbians, gay men and bisexuals (LGB). Tony Page, Managing Director of the trading arm of Age Concern, believes “involvement in public events such as this is important as it challenges misconceptions, removes taboos and demonstrates to older people that there are support networks out there.” Older people do not just belong to one homogeneous group. Age Concern hopes to work with other groups across England to promote awareness and to provide support for the older LGB community.

India Plans Law to Force Children to Care for Aging Parents (July 2, 2005)
India ’s government intends to pass legislation that will require children to take responsibility for caring for their elderly parents. The traditional family structure in India has been breaking down, and “the younger generation is increasingly unwilling to look after parents and provide them with food, shelter and emotional needs,” states Satita Prasad, the federal secretary for social justice. As a result, the Indian government has decided to take action.  But will it work?  

Canada: Advising the Older Client (June, 2005) 
Ann Soden, in her book entitled “Advising the Older Client,” explores critical issues relating to older persons and the Canadian legal system. Discussed in detail are the ethics and dilemmas surrounding elder law practice, general planning for the older client, guardianship of the person and the estate, enduring powers of attorney and health care directives, capacity, consent and health care decision-making, the abuse and neglect of older Canadians, discrimination, assisted living, principles of equity, and the elderly and family law. A big step forward in the field of elderly representation!

Police Arrested Three Robbers for Stealing from Older Persons (June 28, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
The Ha’al police department arrested 3 robbers.  One worked for one of Ha’al’s banks.   The scheme went like this:  When an older person came to the bank and did not know how to use the ATM machine to withdraw money, one of the robbers presented himself helpfully to assist the older person. After the older person did his transaction and left, the “helpful” assistant helped himself to the money in the account because the password had been revealed in the first transaction.  The law caught up with the robber when an old man reviewed his bank record and noticed that after he had finished his transaction, another deduction was made. He had 3000 less ryals than he was supposed to have in the account.  He alerted the police who caught up with the robbers.   

Russia: An Insufficient Living Wage (June 28, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Kursk residents are demanding in large protests to get back their subsidies for housing. Thousands of people were shocked when they received the new utility bills. The figures are twice, five times and even ten times higher than they used to be. The situation is even more complicated for those that used to receive subsidies for utilities payments. Low-income families and elderly used to pay 22 percent of the total utility; the Russian Federation Government paid the remainder. Starting in August 2004, the government decided to decrease the number of people benefiting from subsidies. In Kursk more than half of the 23,000 persons on the list were taken off. Is the only way to “heal” the economy, to remove essential benefits from poor and elderly?

Cuba: Cuba's Living Embodiment of History (June 23, 2005)
One of the proudest boasts of the Cuban revolution is that despite being one of the poorer countries in the world, it has managed to raise life expectancy of its citizens to 77 years, equal to that of the US. Cuban citizen Benito Martinez claims to be 125 years old. He says he was born near the Haitian town of Cavaellon in 1880. Benito Martinez is the star attraction of the country's recently formed 120-Club, an organization promoting healthy lives for Cuba's most elderly citizens. Cuban experts said that they believe Benito Martinez was probably around 119. If not the official oldest, surely Mr. Martinez stands among the very oldest persons in the world.

Russia, Bashkiria: The Elderly Woman are “Fighting” Along With the Opposition in Bashkiria (June 22, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
In the capital of Bashkiria, the Police department may bring fraud charges against a man named Xuzin who “hired” pensioners to distribute information for the opposition during the winter protests. He failed to pay them any of the promised money. The elderly pensioners filed a complaint with the police stating that during winter and spring that they had distributed leaflets to support the local opposition. It is not new to hire pensioners and students for such work before political campaigns and elections; but using them deliberately as a free workforce occurred only in Bashkiria. The blame for exploiting the elderly should not only rest on the opposition leaders. It can also be seen as a result of a new law that cut benefits to pensioners, forcing them to grasp for any new means of survival. 

South Korea: Jobless Rate for Elderly Rises (June 21, 2005)
The number of jobless aged 60 or older has increased in South Korea. Nowadays, more senior citizens who expect to live longer than their parents, want to continue to work. However, the number of unemployed elderly age 60 and older reached 41,000, according to the National Statistical Office (NSO). The overall number of unemployed stood at 811,00 in May. “The elderly are having a tough time finding employment because companies would rather hire younger workers who are desperate to get jobs amid the bleak job market,” an NSO official said. He added that the government needs to create more support measures, such as retraining programs, to help older workers to find a job.

Singapore: Elderly More Anxious About Future (June 21, 2005)
According to the latest survey by the Housing and Development Board, 9 in 10 Singaporean households classified themselves as middle class; however, elderly households seem to have a poorer perception of themselves. Elderly people were least satisfied with their health, their household income, medical services and the cost of living. Additionally, half of the elderly surveyed did not have a plan to retire because they were jobless and were more concerned with day-to-day living. Dr. Yap Mui Teng, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, said this pessimism “may be a reflection of the situation of family members on whom the current generation of Singaporean elderly is highly dependent.”

Australia: Australia Must Keep Older People Working (June 21, 2005)
According to OECD, most Australians drop out of the workforce before retirement age: by 57 for women and 62 for men despite the fact that they do not want to retire early. Why? They lose their jobs; employers discriminate against hiring older workers, or because of ill health or injury. But something is wrong—there are 150,000 jobs vacant at the same time as more than a million people are unemployed, underemployed, or pushed into premature retirement. Also, the gap between the elder’s employment rates and those of young adults age 25 to 49 is now the smallest on record. The writer warns that if elders they are jobless in their prime, they will be jobless when they are older, too. Will Australia change its rewards for early retirement that are now on the books?

Russia: The Residents of Ulianovsk Are Protesting Against the Increase of Utilities Costs (June 19, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
In Ulianovsk there is a scandal mounting due to the fact that the local government decided to raise utilities costs by ten percent. During the election campaign, the Mayor had promised the people NOT to raise utility prices, the exact opposite. At the same time as the price hike, city residents learned about the government’s decision after the resolution was been already in place. “The pensioners are receiving only 1500-1800 rubles. This amount is totally insufficient and forces retirees to leave their apartments for slum neighborhoods in order to survive.” Meanwhile the residents are preparing an appeal for the Russian parliament.

France: Wealth Tax Hits Poor Pensioners of Paris (June 17, 2005)
A 76-year-old retired primary school teacher, Bernadette, who lives on a fixed pension of €800 a month, finds that she cannot pay a new tax. According to the new legislation, a wealth tax is imposed on all French residents with belongings worth more than €730,000. But, like growing numbers of pensioners in a similar situation, she cannot pay it. She inherited the faded, three-bedroom apartment in a fine block in Paris's chic sixth district more than thirty years ago. Real estate prices have gone up 15% per year in Paris and elsewhere in France.  Pensioners don’t know where to find the money. Furthermore, they fear having to move out of their homes in old age. Bear in mind that the wealth tax in general, will tax the very rich- only a few pensioners face this dilemma.

Lebanon: Lebanese Association Organized An Activity to “Open Doors to the Third Age Elderly”People (June 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
A social care organization based in Lebanon recently highlighted the services and activities it offers older people. The slogan for the event was “Yesterday will make tomorrow bright.” As a greater proportion of the Lebanese population enters old age, the association’s programming for older persons grows. 

World: Turn Down That Stereotype! (June 14, 2005)
Why are so many so tough on older persons? Maybe the young ones can’t stop laughing and mocking them because the stereotype of an incompetent and unhealthy old age must be denied. Maybe we are just afraid of death and of its sunset, being an elderly person. 

Japan: Nation Must Adapt to Support Elderly Workers (June 9, 2005)
According to the Annual Report on the Aging Society 2005, the number of people aged 65 or older in Japan reached 24.88 million, or 19.5% of the total population as of October 1, 2004. Within 10 years, one out of every four people will be so-called “elderly.” According to a survey conducted by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, 51.6% of men aged between 65 and 69, and 28.7% of women in the same age group had jobs in 2000. But there were also jobless elderly people. “Elderly people don’t need to be employed on a permanent basis,” Recruit Works Institute General Manager, Yukio Okubo, said. “Senior people are skilled in counseling younger workers and passing on their knowledge, such as negotiating skills.” The government should encourage and support the elderly who wish to work—the elderly workers’ contribution helps the nation!

Australia: Elderly Soft Targets for Cowardly Criminals (June 9, 2005)
Callous and cowardly thieves in Australia target old women as they shop. In a recent attack, a female thief spotted a great-grandmother, snatched her purse and ran out of the store. Jess Kurth, 82 years old, was shopping about 1:40 pm when the woman sneaked up on her and grabbed her handbag. Unfortunately, similar cases have been happened in other suburban shopping centers. In those cases, many of victims were females who ranged in ages from 72 to 92 years old. How sad! 

Japan: Nation Must Adapt to Support Elderly Workers (June 9, 2005)
According to the Annual Report on the Aging Society 2005, the number of people aged 65 or older in Japan reached 24.88 million, or 19.5% of the total population as of October 1, 2004. Within 10 years, one out of every four people will be so-called “elderly.” According to a survey conducted by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry, 51.6% of men aged between 65 and 69, and 28.7% of women in the same age group had jobs in 2000. But there were also jobless elderly people. “Elderly people don’t need to be employed on a permanent basis,” Recruit Works Institute General Manager, Yukio Okubo, said. “Senior people are skilled in counseling younger workers and passing on their knowledge, such as negotiating skills.” The government should encourage and support the elderly who wish to work—the elderly workers’ contribution helps the nation!

Germany: Germany, Graying Global Cities
Cologne: Educated, Active and Elderly (June 8, 2005)
For decades, German society believed in Generationenvertrag, or inter-generational contract. Simply put: young people in the workforce finance the pensions of the older generation, with the expectation that future generations will do the same for them. 
Retiree Eckhard Krauss, age 63, founded a discussion group at the university known as the InitiativForum Generationenvertrag (IFG). The group, which consists of around 20 older students (their average age is 60), meets weekly to explore the economic and cultural aspects of aging, including post-professional engagement. A major tenet: pensioners should continue to lead active lives and find new ways of contributing to society.

United Kingdom, Limerick: Horror at Nursing Home Abuse (June 7, 2005)
A recent documentary revealed distressing scenes of elder’s residents maltreatment, filmed by a hidden camera at Lees Cross Nursing Home in Swords, County Dublin. Now families worry over conditions at the 41 nursing homes run by the Mid Western Health Service Executive. After watching the tape, people from Limerick became scared for their loves one. The staff are not qualified or properly trained because managers wanted to maximize their profits from elderly institutions. The older residents were constantly restrained, abused, excessively drugged to give the staff an easier life and generally not treated with the dignity they deserve.
Ireland has no statutory requirements to inspect the State’s 500 public nursing homes, which care for over 10,000 people. Furthermore, there is not sufficient staff to regularly inspect all private nursing homes at least twice yearly, as is required under the Nursing Home Act 1990. What can families do? Contact HSE and make a complaint. Or leave Ireland!

Japan: Dancing Robot is Strictly Ballroom (June 7, 2005) 
The world’s first ballroom-dancing robot is performing at the World Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan! The Partner Ballroom Dance Robot (PBDR), developed by scientists at Tohoku University, is able to predict the steps of a human partner based on body movement and react accordingly on its three wheels. Professor Kazuhiro Kosuge, who led the team behind PBDR, said PBRP is a step toward developing responsive robots that could provide care for the sick and elderly. As a robotics expert Henrik Lund mentioned, Japan wants to develop home-based robots because 35% of its population will be over 65 by 2050—Japanese elderly might be ignored due to lack of caregivers. 

Chile: Adults Pursuing a Late Education Face Many Hardships (June 6, 2005)
(Article in Spanish)
As many Chilean adults work towards a higher education in their late years, they are confronted with adversity and hopelessness, as they struggle to find successful careers after graduation. 

Mexico: The Elderly Patrol Schools in Mexico (June 4, 2005) 
Due to an alarming string of murders and kidnappings of young children in Ciudad Juarez, Mexican officials are hiring people ages 60 and over to patrol elementary schools and city parks. Authorities hope that this unarmed elder police force will increase the trust of a city riddled with police corruption. Earning a $185 weekly paycheck and $75 for groceries, officers of this force are pleased with their duties and embrace their responsibilities to remove some of the violent conditions of the city.

Australia: Elderly Patients Moved from Hospital Beds to Make Way for Minogue (June 2, 2005)
A number of elderly heart patients were moved from their beds to clear the way for Kylie Minogue, a pop star who underwent breast cancer surgery. According to the article, Saint Francis Xavier Cabrini Hospital provided 8 out of 18 rooms in the hospital’s cardiac ward to Minogue despite the fact that she is a non-cardiac patient. The Herald Sun newspaper reported the cardiac ward is the most secluded area of the hospital and maybe that’s the reason why the hospital gave the room to Minogue. But is privacy for a pop star so important to disturb elderly cardiac patients? Also, why did the hospital choose to move elder patients from their rooms? Aren’t there any younger patients whose conditions are less severe?

Canada: Ontarion Celebrates the Elderly’ Month (June 1, 2005)
(Article in French)
June in Ontario is for older persons: it’s an important opportunity to recognize their role in society while trying at the same time to improve their situation every day. Older persons represent today 13 percent of the Ontarian population. This year, the debates and varied events will focus on the accessibility of the work place to seniors.

Portugal: Model Home in Portugal Shows How Technology can Help Elderly Live Alone (June 1, 2005) 
A Talking washing machine, mirrors that double as television screens, a virtual garden, a computer which transforms text into a digital voice, and a vacuum cleaner that works by itself… Nowadays, they are not the stuff of dreams! “House of the Future” in Lisbon’s Museum of Communications exhibits new technological gadgets. Goncalo Areia, who has overseen the project since 2003, said, “We want to prove to people that with new technologies it is easier to keep older people living at home even if they are a bit dependent.” In 2004, about 20,000 people visited the model house, and especially people with disabilities or those who care for them often offer feedback. Yes, maybe the elderly can live independently with new technological equipment. But are they affordable?

Mexico: Mexico City Mayor Announces Free Home Medical Care for Elderly (June 1, 2005)
Mexico City Mayor, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, announced that the City will provide free home medical care for all of the elderly in the capital city. Mexico City is already providing a monthly social pension income to the elderly, and this program, staffed by 200 doctors, is an additional program. “There are many elderly adults who now cannot leave their homes and who need medical attention at home,” the major told. He is now campaigning for the presidential election, with a slogan, “there cannot be a rich government with a poor people.” The Mexico City Mayor has set an important precedent for elderly well-being in his country. 

United Kingdom: Inflation is Hurting the Elderly (June 1, 2005)
According to research titled, “Inflation and Age, ”conducted over the past two years by the investment firm Alliance Trusts, inflation inflicted on the elderly is at least a third higher than the national average. The firm said that elderly face higher inflation levels due to a higher proportion of spending on food and non-alcoholic drinks (19%), compared with 9% from those people under 30. Also, they add that elderly people are likely to purchase health-related products and insurance, and must deal with ballooning utility bills. Importantly, most elderly live with fixed retirement income so that they cannot adjust by increasing their wages.

France: M. Philippe Bas Replaces Mrs Catherine Vautrin to the Ministry of Older People (June 2005)
(Article in French)
M. Philippe Bas, a 47-year old, has been nominated on June 2 as the Minister delegated to Social Security, Older Persons, Disabled People and Family in the new government of Mr de Villepin to replace Mrs. Catherine Vautrin who held the position since October 2004.

Saudi Arabia: An Old Saudi Man Died After Three Days In One Of Al Taa’f’s Storage Areas (June 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
A body of a Saudi man, 65 years old, was found in an illegal storage site in the Al-Taa’f territory. Local residents said that they could smell a very bad odor coming from the storage. When the fire and police departments reached the location, they broke down the door and found the body of the old man in the middle of some pieces of furniture. What is the explanation for this old man’s death? 

Saudi Arabia: An Old Saudi Man Shoots Son (June 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
Following a bitter argument and a fist fight between an older Saudi man and his son, the father shot his son in Abha. What did age or youth have to do with it?

Estonia: European Union’s Directive Imposed Estonia to Offer Residency Status to the Russian Veterans Living in Estonia and Their Families (May 31, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Russian veterans and members of their families, who are living permanently in Estonia, will soon be able to enjoy the status of citizenship. The new European Union directive stipulates that starting January 23, 2006, all people coming from a different country but living in one of the European Union member countries will have the right to become a citizen of that particular country. In order to obtain the status of a permanent legal citizen, the conditions are 5 years of residence in the territory of the country as well as proof of income and medical insurance. This is good news for the older Russian population living in Estonia due to the fact that the Estonian government has ignored their legal rights since the country gained its independence. 

Russia: Internet-café is being Created for Chelyabinsk Pensioners While They are on Holiday (May 30, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
A new project has been launched at teaching computer skills to a socially unprotected population in Chelyabinsk. Over six weeks, a group of pensioners learned how to use Word, Excel, and got some skills for using the Internet. As another part of the project, an Internet-café for elders is currently under construction.

South Africa: One Person Commits Suicide Every Hour in SA (May 30, 2005) 
Every hour in South Africa, one person commits suicide! Professor Lourens Schlebusch, the Department of Behavioural Medicine at the Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, released these shocking statistics. According to Schlebusch, “During the 45 years, the highest fatal suicide rates have moved from the elderly towards younger people in that 57 % of suicides are committed by people in the 35 to 44 year age group, for both males and females.” Especially, those who diagnosed with HIV and Aids are 36 times more likely to have suicidal behavior compared to the general population. If these middle-age adults commit suicide, who will care for their children? For their elder relatives? The article lists some Help Lines.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Reduced Funding May Force UN Agency to Stop Work in DPR of Korea (May 27, 2005) 
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said that is would have to stop distributing rations to nearly 4 million people over the next two months because of reduced donations to its emergency fund for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK). In January the Public Distribution System ration of subsidized cereals was reduced from an average of 300 grams per person a day to 250 grams, or just 40 % of the internationally recommended minimum calorie intake. WFP Regional Director for Asia, Tony Banbury said “This downturn in donations has resulted in a critical shortfall for our operation. It will aggravate the considerable suffering of the DPRK’s most vulnerable children. Women and elderly people.” What can we do for these needy North Koreans? Encourage donations now! 

France: Seniors and the Referendum: the Answer Is No (May 26, 2005)
(Article in French)
More than 1000 persons participated in the poll launched by Seniorplanet.fr about their voting intentions for the referendum on the European Constitution on May 29. Some 1,128 wanted to express their opinions which came out as opposing the Constitution. But who voted? See details in the articles.

Asia: Asia’s Falling Fertility Poses Economic, Social Problems (May 26, 2005) 
Several countries in Asia face severe economic and social challenges due to their rapid population aging and declining fertility rate. The United Nations estimates the number of elderly people in Asia will more than triple by 2050, and the average age will be 40 years. Thanks to Asian governments that promoted the use of contraceptives to control population growth, Asia’s fertility rates have been falling for several decades. But now there are worries about some of the assumptions of pension funding—whether productivity and workers’ contributions can cover the cost of increasing numbers of older persons. New ways of providing income support in old age will be found; the old way of ever increasing numbers of children cannot be sustained—and is no longer peoples’ choice.

Zambia: Discrimination Makes Senior Citizens’ Survival Difficult (May 26, 2005) 
Cyprian Pombolokani, Zambia Aged People’s Association vice-national secretary, said that because of discrimination and a lack of policies and legislation on the elderly, African elderly find it difficult to survive. He emphasized that HIV and AIDS and the increase in armed conflicts meant that older people in Africa were denied access to basic rights and services, which caused the elderly live in poverty. Yes, if a government would allocate a little bit more money from the military budget and put it into health care and a social pension, a lot of poor elderly would survive, right?

Scotland: Elderly can Be Better Cared for in Community (May 26, 2005) 
Nowadays, Scottish elderly live longer than ever. But as people live longer, governments must consider how to support vulnerable people with limited incomes and some chronic disease. David Kerr has published a responsive framework for the next decade that lists three key issues: the growth in the number of frail older people, the emergence of chronic disease, and the growth in emergency admissions. Kerr says that governments must improve the quality of life, deliver more coordinated community care in the community and reduce avoidable hospital admissions.

Japan: Elderly Need Warm-up to Face Food Hazards (May 24, 2005)
During 2003, some 8,570 people died in Japan because they choked on food. That’s more than 20 people a day, and most of them were 65 and older. Yoshiharu Mukai, a professor at the Showa University School of Dentistry, warns that “Aging causes muscles in your mouth to deteriorate, (and) this prevents the proper swallowing of food.” The officials of the Tokyo Metropolitan Fire Department said that ordinary side dishes are more dangerous than rice or mochi, the gooey rice cake that people believe to be dangerous. Mukai recommends that older people do a little “oral workout” before they eat such as opening the mouth wide and then shutting it, and sticking out the tongue as far as it will go.

Japan: Helping Elderly People (May 24, 2005) 
Japanese rural prefectures are organizing a number of weekly “memory-method schools.” Usually, three coordinators, all volunteers, join with about 10 senor citizens and relay stories of the days gone by, such as “our school.” Participants talk without interruption, switching from one subject to another, from umbrellas to school records and lunches. Their memories are vivid and they seem more relaxed. Yes, many people like to share their experience and memory, don’t they?

Thailand: Elderly Don’t Want to Live in Tall Buildings (May 24, 2005)
Social Development and Human Security Minister, Pracha Maleenont, has planned a condominium project for the elderly at the Ban Bang Khae Welfare Home. But some elderly oppose it. The Association of the Councils of the Elderly of Thailand found that elderly Thai people don’t like condominiums. Others said elderly suffered from depression and had a high risk of committing suicide if they lived in high, cramped buildings. “I am confident no one will agree with this project. No one wants to live in narrow places built to generate business benefits,” said expert Dr. Banlu. As Duan Khamdee, chairman of the association’s Krabi branch urged, the government should improve the living conditions and facilities at current welfare homes before spending money to build a condominium! 

Cuba: Cuban Senior Citizens Hit the Books (May 23, 2005)
Since 2000, more than 30,000 senior citizens have been graduated from the University Departments for Aged Adults (CUAM, in Spanish) in Cuba! Currently, 17,500 elderly students are attending the school which has 636 departments and branch offices, 7,000 professors, experts and lecturers. Classrooms are located in cultural centers, museums, and community schools so that it is easy for senior citizens to attend. In addition, there is no requirement to enroll. According to CAUM officials, these courses not only raise elderly students’ educational level but also their self-esteem, and allow them to take an active part in society. Good luck, students!

South Korea: S. Korea Will Become Most Aged Society in 2050 (May 22, 2005)
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the population of senior citizens aged 65 and over is expected to grow from the current 9.1% to 37.3% in 2050, the highest elder rate in the world. The rapid growth of senior citizens will impose challenges on the workforce to support the elderly. For example, all people between 15 and 64, who are regarded as the economically active population, are decreasing from 71.8% to 53.7% in 2050. By contrast, the ratio of senior citizens to economically active population will dramatically increase 12.6% to 69.4% in 2050, the ministry said. But the number of senior citizens will create jobs as well for the younger persons. How will the Korean government deal with this new situation? 

World: Hospital Stay May Up Suicide Risk in Elderly (May 18, 2005)
According to a new study conducted by Dr. Annette Erlangsen and colleagues from the University of Southern Denmark, the likelihood of an elderly person committing suicide is significantly higher if he or she has been hospitalized for a medical illness in the previous 2 years. Dr. Erlangsen examined a total of 1184 subjects who committed suicide during 1996 to 1998, and figured out that the oldest-old men and women, age over 80 years old, have the highest suicide rate among their peer group. 

South Korea: Elderly Suicide Rate Snowballs in Korea (May 18, 2005)
According to the National Statistical Office, the suicide rate in South Korea is the highest among the 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. In 2003, 2,760 Korean seniors over 65 killed themselves, a rate of 71 suicides per 100,000 seniors, compared with only 10 suicides per 100,000 senior citizens in the U.S. and Australia, even Japan which is known for its high suicide rate had only 32 suicides per 100,000 elderly people. Seok Jae-eun, in charge of elderly welfare matters at the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs blamed that the change of social structure affected the elderly. “The elderly expect their children to take care of them when they grow old, but the younger generation is different,” she said. But is this only the reason why the Korean elderly kill themselves?

China: Shanghai: City Government is Taking Action on the Nurturance of Increased Elderly Population (May 17, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
In Shanghai, the number of people over 60 years old is up to 2.6 million, about 19.3% of total city population. This year, the city government will put more social benefit policies in place to increase medical resources and to add to education subsidies. The city government will open more retirement housing, including 10,000 new rooms in retirement housing. The government is working toward a goal of creating 100,000 new retirement housing apartments before 2010 as a minimum social requirement.

Russia: The majority of Russian people do not see any advantages in aging (May 15, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The word “aging” brings exclusively negative emotions to the majority of Russian people. According to survey conducted by “Public Opinion” Foundation, 23 % associate aging with diseases, helplessness, infirmity; for 22 % aging is the feeling of despair and loneliness, for 8 % the proximity of death; for 5 % insecurity, outcast, uselessness; for 15 % of people aging is nothing more than a low level of life. 70% consider aging as a period of life with no advantages at all.

China：The Largest Aging Culture Convention Will be Held in ShanDong Province (May 9, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
The 9th “Never Aging Chinese City” and “Culture Fair of Aging Convention ” will be held together in ShanDong province this year. The largest Chinese event about aging culture, it will extend from May 30 to June 3. Some 3,000 participating representatives will take part and organizers expect about 4,500 observers. 
The China National Committee on Aging (CNCA) organizes the “Never Aging Chinese City.” It is the most important public event on aging action in China. The CNCA will introduce and promote many facilities, new technologies, travel packages, even entertainment, all focused on older persons. The Committee is considering holding the event next year in NanSan City.


Vietnam: Elderly People’s Association Plays Active Role in Society (May 5, 2005)
The Viet Nam Elderly People’s Association (VEA), founded in 1995, has boosted socio-economic development at the grassroots level in Vietnam. VEA has 6.5 million memberships in almost all parts of the country. Not only staff members but also members have also actively participated in their residential areas. The VEA has honored elderly people for their contributions in various areas and its newspapers report on issues in lively discussions. To prepare for an aged society, grassroots activities are important to get people’s attention. All countries could embrace this model--an active civil organization to advocate for aging issues!

United Kingdom: Doctors Can Refuse to Treat Elderly (May 5, 2005)
In medical care, there should not be any discrimination against race, gender or sexual orientation. But what about age? The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (Nice), which decides what drugs and procedures the National Health Service should offer, and whose key role is to ensure that NHS treatment provides good value for money, has released its new guidelines. While the guidelines are open to consultation, they suggest what “social value judgment” doctors should use when deciding what treatment to offer patients. Surprisingly, the guidelines say that hospitals must consider whether a patient is too old to reap the benefits of care. Nice argues that the test of whether a treatment is “cost effective” could benefit older people, with flu vaccines, only being offered to over-65s. Do you think cost effectiveness should be the first priority in medical care? Should age be a criteria for medical care?

Ukraine: Timoshenko will listen to Veterans’ advice after May 9 (May 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Julian Timoshenko, the prime minister of Ukraine, has promised to have a special meeting with World War II veterans to listen to their advice for the country’s development. The meeting will take place in Kiev after the celebration of the 60th victory. 

Zambia: Care for Elderly, Zambians Urged (May 3, 2005)
70-year-old Zambian freedom fighter Mpundu Mutale has complained that “other countries are caring for their aging parents but not in this country where even those who fought for this nation’s independence are left in the cold without any incentives to support them by the Government.” Ronald Banda, a deputy minister of the Community Department and Social Services, attended the launch of Senior Citizens Day at Arcades in Lusaka. While a special day may help, it leaves income, health and human rights issues untouched. How will the Zambians meet the real needs of their elderly?

France: "I’m Fifty Years-Old, and They Think That I’m Too Old To Work" (May 2, 2005)
(Article in French)
Anne Vidalie tells here the story of Charles, divorced and unemployed. After two years searching for a job, he explains how it’s difficult to enter the labor market when you’re older. “After the fifties, you belong to prehistory.” His testimony recalls that it’s easy when you get older, to leave a social circle and become homeless.

Venezuela: Some Seniors Have to Prove that They Are Alive to Have the Right to Vote (May 2, 2005) 
(Article in French)
The National Election Council is going to create a list with the names of the voters who are 80-year old and more. Older electors will have to prove that they are still alive if they want to vote. According to an article from the local newspaper “Correo del Caroni,” the goal of this list is to update the Permanent Electoral Register. 

Europe: Europe, Old Continent of Older Persons (April 29, 2005) 
(Article in French)
A major study called Share (Survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe) and ordered by the European Commission has just released its first conclusions. The first observation, already well known, is that the population of the EU is getting older: it’s in Europe that the proportion of older persons is the most important. But the survey is also about seniors’ life in general: health, family, economic situation…a lot of aspects that show the elderly as essential to life in the EU, and that it’s now important to “transform this challenge of the ageing to an opportunity for Europe.”

France: Roger Dadoun, Elderly Is A Beautiful Age (April 28, 2005) 
(Article in French)
The famous psychoanalyst and author of about twenty essays just published a Manifest for an ardent elderly. Dadoun, with an enthusiastic and optimistic quill, defends the idea that we have the age that we choose. Then, he explains that, as Victor Hugo who said “I’m seventy-four and I’m just starting my career,” a lot of writers and artists as Bonnard, Miro or Picasso, show how elderly is a beautiful age that still allows every kind of creation and fight, for life. Elderly, wrote here Dadoun, “is the age of fight, archetypal.”

Mexico: After a Lifetime of Work, Mexico City’s Elderly Prostitutes Find Shelter (April 27, 2005) 
Marilú Torres became a prostitute as a young widow with no other means of feeding her three children. Now, 72-year-old Torres earns a standard charge of 70 pesos (US $6.35) for a job but the money is used for food and sometimes a shabby hotel. Now an abandoned sports museum is being adapted as a shelter for elderly prostitutes. It will provide a guaranteed bed for up to 70 prostitutes, food, health care, and workshops to learn how to make things that they can sell instead of their bodies. “This year is my golden anniversary as a sex worker,” Torres smiles.

United Kingdom: ‘Mother Died of Hospital Neglect’ (April 27, 2005)
A former load provost of Edinburgh has accused staff at a Scottish hospital of killing his mother through neglect. According to his letter, his mother’s weight plummeted when lack of care led to the development of bedsores and mouth and throat infections while nutrition and fluid intake were not properly monitored. Also, she received no bath and only two showers in 28 days. After four weeks spending in the hospital, she died from bronchopneumonia. This is a sad but “you-should-consider” story if your loved one is in a nursing home.

Latin America: Fiscal Growth in Latin Lands Fails to Fill Social Needs (April 25, 2005)
Many Ecuadorians have been disappointed because even though Ecuador’s economy grew at 6.6% last year with a low inflation rate, little change has been done in health care and education. At Baca Ortiz public hospital in Quito, considered the country’s leading children’s hospital, patients even have to bring their own medicine. Doctors say that they lack clean facilities, decent living wages, and even the most basic equipment. The discontent over a lack of state attention to basic social needs, despite increasingly positive macro-economic figures, is being played out across Latin America. "The growth rate is not always an accurate benchmark for a country's authentic prosperity," said Larry Birns, director of the Washington-based Council on Hemispheric Affairs, which tracks social and economic trends in Latin America.

Japan: Japan Tour Firms Catering to Disabled Foreigners (April 21, 2005)
Because of World Cup Soccer, World Fair Aichi Expo, etc., Japan has become a popular place for foreign travelers. Yes, you may enjoy English-language tours in Japan, but programs for disabled foreign tourists are still few. Eagle Bus Co. is trying to change that with a package tour it is developing for foreign tourists with disabilities. The company has been operating so-called “welfare vehicles,” including three large sightseeing buses that can accommodate 10 wheelchairs. Also, several of Eagle Bus’s drivers and tour guides are also qualified caregivers. But many restaurants and hotels are not accessible to the disabled yet. Accessibility is also important for the elderly, so not only travel companies but also restaurant owners and hotel workers should consider it!

United Kingdom: Elderly Get to Grips with Technology for the Home (April 21, 2005)
SMART House, which uses various technologies to support older adults, opened in South Norfolk. It is the second to be set up in the country, and it is part of Norfolk County Council’s drive to develop preventive services that helps the elderly to continue to live independently. Equipment in SMART House includes smoke, flood, gas and extreme temperature detectors, voice prompt technology, and bed and chair sensors. Dyliss Faife, Norfolk County Council’s assistive technology manager, said SMART House “helps people feel safer and more secure and reassures families.”

Canada: High Cost of Growing Older (April 20, 2005)
Have you ever thought about how much you need to maintain your health when you grow older? “You have to pay for your teeth, your eyes, and your hearing, and these three things wear out with age,” Shirley Lee, past president of the Senior Citizens’ Association of Powell River Branch 49 in Canada, said. For example, hearing loss is one of the most common conditions affecting older adults. One in three people older than 60 and half of those older than 85 have hearing loss. This problem makes it hard to respond to warnings, hear doorbells and alarms, and to enjoy talking with family and friends. Though there are hearing aids, they cost about $1,000 to $3,000 per for each aid—most people need two. Fortunately in Canada, medicines prescribed in hospitals are fully covered by provincial medical plans. But older people still have to pay a lot for the equipment that they need as they age and have hard choices to make. According to Shirley Lee, they may even have to choose between eating and buying hearing aids.

China: What the “Floating Elderly” Worry about the Most? (April 19, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
“Floating elderly,” refers to aging people who travel around the nation. They either return to their hometown after retirement, or they travel around, or they visit their children who live far away. They are always on the move somewhere. They seem to be a floating nation. But they are the same as other aging people. They are afraid of solitude and the feel of uselessness. However, they worry most about getting sick. They fear especially a serious illness or an emergent condition. 

France: “The Older Persons Staying at Home, It’s Better!” (April 18, 2005) 
(Article in French)
Here is the testimony of Aida B., a caregiver in a Parisian organization that assists older persons at home. She talks here about her experience in a nursing home, revealing very grave facts about widespread mistreatment that is common and accepted in this kind of place. Lack of care, lack of staff, and more problems. Unfortunately, only the richest can stay at home and have a personal assistance. 

Scotland: Suicide Concern Over Older People (April 18, 2005) 
Help the Aged Scotland and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have learned that older people do not get sufficient support in order to prevent suicides. Their research found that men aged 55 or over are twice as likely to commit suicide as women of the same age, and people age 55 or over are 10 times more likely to suicide than be killed in an assault. Liz Duncan, Help the Aged Scotland, said depression is “a widely under-recognized and under-treated medical illness” among the elderly. James Kennedy, RCN Scotland director warns that, “the fact that an older person commits suicide every three days in Scotland is a national tragedy.” Early intervention and prevention are required.

Japan: Gov’t Moves to Protect Elderly from Abuse (April 14, 2005) 
The Japanese leading party, Liberal Democratic Party, and Komeito introduced an outline of a bill to prevent elder abuse. Under the outline, professional workers such as home helpers (home aids), care managers (social workers), doctors and nurses would be obligated to report abuse if they discover it. When local cities or towns receive a report of abuse, they will consult private organizations and centers for elderly care for an appropriate response. Refusing such an investigation can result in a fine of 300,000 yen (about US $2,800). This is the first official bill, if enacted, that would outlaw elder abuse in Japan. But will it be effective in protecting abused elderly?

Germany: Fed Up With Living Alone, Germany's Elders Get Roommates (April 13, 2005) 
More and more older persons are deciding to share an apartment in Germany. This solution is a lot cheaper than nursing homes where the costs are becoming very high. With roommates, elderly can live in community and feel young again.

Mexico: Seniors Rally Around Mayor of Mexico City (April 13, 2005) 
Like US citizens across the border, older Mexicans are fighting for their social security. They have mobilized to defend the populist mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who is responsible for the Mexican pension of $64-a-month. The Mexico City Mayor is more and more popular and could become the next president. But Lopez Obrador has to fight with Congress first…but not alone, he has the elderly on his side.

Brazil: Brazil Approves Plan to Fight Elderly Abuse (April 12, 2005) 
On April 12, 2005, Brazil approved the Action Plan for Dealing with Violence Against the Elderly. With an alarming number of elderly abuse cases, the plan puts procedures in place that define and penalize negligence and maltreatment of senior citizens. These efforts focus mainly on improving care and increasing awareness.

Yemen: Saudi Authorities Arrest Killers of Yemeni Women (April 11, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
A 70 year old Yemeni woman and her relatives got killed in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi security authorities arrested suspected gang members. Robbery of the older woman, her daughter and granddaughter was the apparent motive.

China: Elderly Services Go into Market (April, 11, 2005)
In Beijing, it is predicted that the elderly population will be up to 25% before 2030. One out of four persons in Beijing is aged and the families can no longer afford to take care of all of them. Retirement communities and nursing homes are therefore growing. YinLin(Silver Age) Nursing Home, the first nursing home operated by hospital in China, is comparable to a five-star hotel. There are sunbath living rooms, recreation rooms, activity rooms and rehabilitation facilities and so on. The nurse hotline is 24-hour. And they even have the “daughter-like” services – who sing for the aged residents and chat with them. Who is unhappy living here?

France: What Can We Do For the Disabled? (April 11, 2005) 
(Article in French)
Reduced mobility, mental deficiency, lack of autonomy. In France, more than 5 million people are disabled. Facing a lot of needs, how will the collective citizens, and first the Government, step in? Could their action answer the promises and the risks? On this issue that concerns both of them, the psychoanalyst Julia Kristeva and the deputy and President of the region Poitou-Charentes Segolene Royal confront each other’s point of view.

Japan: Aging Japanese Pen Messages to Posterity (April 11, 2005) 
In Japan, the expression of innermost thoughts is considered awkward or self-indulgent. Therefore, Tomohiro Ishizuka, 75 year-old man, has never talked his personal things, such as the horrific experience during World War II, and the pain of his wife’s sudden death, to his family. However, he was thinking how to tell his deep feelings to his children. Last month, he started to write an “ending notes,” which is now booming among Japanese elderly who want to tell the things that they can’t manage to say. “It is easier for me to write it down so they can read it when I am gone,” Ishizuka said. Also, ending notes will be remain for not only the author’s children but also for grandchildren, grand-grandchildren, and maybe forever.

Australia: Women, Older People Go Back to Work (April 8, 2005) 
The unemployment rate in Australia has remained steady at a 28-year low of 5.1%. Also, 330,000 new jobs created over the past year, and women and old people are being lured into the workforce. In February, about 42% of 60 to 64-year-olds had a job or were looking for one, compared with 33% five years earlier, and this trend will be continuing as the number of healthy older workers increase. However, some economists concern that the strong job figured adds the risk of rising wages and inflation. If this trend continues and prices go up, older people will be forced to make money in order to pay food or clothes in the future…?

Japan: In Japan, a Tea Kettle that Whistles at Home and on the Internet (April 6, 2005) 
In Japan, more and more elderly people live alone or with their spouse. According to the Tokyo Medical Examiner’s Office, the number of unattended deaths among the elderly in Tokyo doubled in the past 10 years, reaching nearly 2,000 in 2003. For those who live separately from their old relatives, it is a big concern whether or not their loved ones are OK. Zojirushi, Fujitsu Copr. and NTT, a telephone company, rolled out the i-pot, an electric kettle that not only boils water for miso soup and green tea, but also records the times a user pushes a button and dispenses the water. A wireless communication device at the bottom of the i-pot sends a signal to a server so that members of the service who live in other cities or coutnries can see recent records of i-pot usage on a Web site. Zojirushi Corp. rents an i-pot for a $50 deposit and charges $30 per month for email and the Internet service. Don’t you want an i-pot for your old relative?

United Kingdom: UK Global HIV Strategy Criticized (April 5, 2005) 
According to the UK Public Accounts Select Committee, money given to HIV/Aids was not efficiently spent. In 2003 to 2003, the Department for International Development spent £270m (US $580.25m), and over the next three years has promised to increase spending to £1.5bn (US $ 2.8bn). However, nearly half of the aid budget goes to multilateral bodies such as the European Commission, and only 4% is spent on HIV/Aids. Money is also not going to the most vulnerable groups such as women and children— only 1% of the fund was used for the groups over the last five years. GAA asks if funds are allotted to the elderly affected by HIV/Aids who need help. Funds must be spent money efficiently if we want to see a better society!

Eighty Year Old Algerian Older Woman Abused by Counsel (April 2, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
An Algerian woman, 80 years old, claims that the Municipality Counsel abused her. He knocked on her door and showed his good intentions by giving her a couscous meal.  But when she opened the door for him, he hit her and abused her sexually. Elder abuse is everywhere!

Ukraine: “I have Covered all Court Instances in Ukraine” pensioner Avgustimov against Regulation № 1783 (April 1, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The government of ex-prime minister Yanukovich does not exist anymore; nevertheless some of its unfair regulations are still alive. For instance, the regulation № 1783, (2003) that “corrected” the official average wage by reducing it by 70 UAH and consequently decreased pension levels. In spite of the fact that Parliament recognized that the regulation “violates citizens’ rights,” the situation remains unchanged so far. Pensioner Vitalyi Avgustimov is trying to attract attention to this issue by applying to different court venues to take up the case.

Interview of Joy Simonson about the Commission on the Status of Women 2005 (March 2005)
Joy Simonson, long-time feminist activist, represented Global Action on Aging at the Commission on the Status of Women. Simonson has held leadership roles in Washington, DC, with a number of organizations, including the Older Women’s League. In the year preceding the International Year of Older Persons, Joy drafted large portions of the Declaration of Older Women’s Human Rights at the GAA-organized Preparatory Event held in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1998.

United Kingdom: One Million Older People Feel Lonely, Says Survey (March 31, 2005)
According to a Help the Aged survey, more than a million older people in U.K. experience feelings of loneliness and lack of regular contact with younger relatives. More than three million older people think they are out of touch with the fast pace of modern life, and two million people feel that they are not valued as a member of society. In addition, a poll by NOP World found out that 9% of those living alone went more than 6 months without seeing any relatives. A new Help Age campaign called Help Unite the Generations (Hug) tries to end some of this loneliness...

United Kingdom: Care Home Cost Fears for Elderly (March 31, 2005)
In the UK, pensioners whose capital tops £12,500 (about US $5,114), including the value of their home, are charged for part of their care, and those whose capital is more than £20,000 (about US $8,183) have to pay for all their care. However, according to Help the Aged, the cost of elderly care has risen by 33% in the past five years, while average retirement incomes increased 15% during the same time. Help the Aged is worried whether those who must contribute towards their care may not have the money. Help the Aged has a reasonable concern: many elderly people live on limited incomes such as pensions and savings. Will the UK government adjust its public support of elder care to match retirees’ incomes? 

China: Rural Elderly Cry Out for Pensions (March 28, 2005) 
Due to a lack of sufficient pension system and the one-child policy, young Chinese are asked to support their parents as well as their grandparents. According to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, only 5% of the rural elderly receive pensions while senior citizens in urban cities are covered by the system. Since the Chinese market embraced in the late 1970s, many farmers have left their hometowns and went to the major cities to seek a better life. However, because many cities apply a residency-oriented social security system. Migrants from rural areas cannot get equal access to education, housing, and other social rights. But no matter where they were born or where they are working, Chinese citizens are Chinese, aren’t they? How will China address this issue?

Japan: Japan Sees Glory in Centenarians (March 24, 2005) 
Japan has the world’s longest average life expectancy, 84.51 for women, and has 23,000 people aged 100 or older. Also, it is estimated that the number of centenarians will reach nearly 1 million by 2050, according to the UN. The Japanese public broadcaster, NHK, has run a weekly program since 2002 featuring ordinary, active centenarians from all over Japan. NHK’s producer, Fumito Kondo, said “we thought there should be at least one program that illustrates aging society positively.” Certainly, aging is just a process and should not be regarded as a ‘problem-filled’ generation. Active aging is our goal!

Japan: City’s ‘Oldest Man’ Actually Dead for 13 years (March 24, 2005)
107 year-old man was believed alive until his decomposed body was found at his home in Itami city, Hyogo Prefecture. According to a police investigation, the family said that Kyujiro Kaneoka died from illness or old age sometime around 1992. Hyogo Prefecture and Itami city officials plan to ask the relatives to return pensions and other types of old-age allowances paid after he died. Also, officials wonder why the city did not discover Kaneoka’s death when the Great Hanshin Earthquake, which killed more than 5400 people especially the elderly, happened in 1995. After a disaster, cities are responsible to count victims as well as survivors, aren’t they?

Australia: Our Frail Elderly Are Being Abused (March 19, 2005) 
Elder abuse, which might be physical beating, outright neglect, psychological pressure or financial exploitation, takes place everywhere in the world. In Australia, even though the senior citizens who are over 65 years are not cash-rich, about 75 percent of them own their homes. Some family members aim to take over their old relatives’ assets. The state’s Public Advocate, Julian Gardner, estimates that maybe 20,000 elder abuse cases happen in Victoria, and he expects it will worsen as the population ages. “It’s happening behind closed doors, and we should take it equally seriously,” Lillian Jeter from the Elder Abuse Prevention Association said.

United Kingdom: Elderly may Choose Own Care (March 22, 2005) 
The idea of “purchasing elderly care services” is actually new for many developed countries because governments usually provide social services. Now, the UK plans to give elderly and disabled people responsibility to arrange their care services. This plan gives a freedom to choose care providers; on the other hand, there is a fear that the elderly will hire a personal care assistant who turns out to be an abuser or a thief. Though local authority and social care leaders welcome the plan, they strongly recommend that there is a need of mechanisms to protect care assessors and care workers from blame when accidents occur. What about protecting the older persons? 

New Zealand: Elderly Being Targeted for Credit Card Theft (March 21, 2005) 
In New Zealand, the thieves target elderly persons' ATM and credit cards as well as PIN numbers. House burglaries or purse robberies account for some stolen ATM and credit cards. If thieves get birth date information they will call the victims and ask their PINs under the guise of being from the bank. They say “this is the bank of xxxxx here, your card has been stolen and it is blocking an ATM, to clear the machine we need your PIN.” Or “this is the bank of xxxxx here, your card has been stolen. If you do not give us your PIN, money will be taken from your account.” Crimes against older persons are increasing not only in New Zealand but also other places. Be careful!

Barhain: Old Bahraini Man (March 21, 2005)
This short photo essay captures some traditional pastimes of older men in the Arab Gulf Region. 

Japan: Elderly urged to Open Their Homes to Waseda Student Boarders (March 17, 2005) 
Recently, a new trend has emerged in Japan around elderly persons who live in urban area offering their extra rooms to university students. The young people save money and the older persons have companions. Unlike American universities, Japanese universities usually do not have campus dormitories. Students must find a place on their own. In Tokyo rents are extremely high. So, many Waseda University students have difficulties finding an apartment. Two young Japanese persons (one works in a nursing home and the other in a government office) organized the “cross-generation” boarder plan, that matches aged neighbors and Waseda students. This plan benefits both old and young.

Thailand: Aid Devices for Elderly and Disabled (March 17, 2005)
The National Electronics and Computer Technology Center (NECTEC) announced that extensive use of technology to develop devices help senior citizens and disabled people to improve their quality of life. According to Thai experts, about 24% of the elderly will suffer some form of disability. Currently, Thailand imports medical equipment such as artificial knee joints and wheelchairs; however, Thai medical doctors want local Thai companies to make these devices in order to reduce costs.

England: Isolation Fear Over Elderly Care (March 16, 2005) 
Unlike the past century when frail elderly were sent to nursing homes, home-based care is now popular. Many say that home-based care is better because elderly do not have to relocate to a new place and can enjoy their privacy and independence. But severe isolation may result. In England, the government announced that 87,100 households received home care in England at the end of last year- a 43% increase from 1998. Tony Hunter, the President of the Association of Directors of Social Services in England, warns that the government has promised to give them support at home. “What we need is government and different council departments, such as housing and leisure, to work together to provide the right conditions for older people to take part in the community,” he said.

Australia: Ringing in Changes for Elderly (March 16, 2005) 
GAA already has described cellular phone services developed in Japan and Germany that target older people’s needs. Australia may now sell new mobile phones designed for the elderly. One, the Vitaphone 1100, is being sold on a trial basis in Germany. It has just three buttons: a red button connects the owner to a medical center with doctors ready to deliver instant diagnosis by telephone or send an ambulance to the rescue. The other green and yellow buttons can be programmed to dial two favorite numbers such as a family member and a close friend. Additionally, the telephone has extra-long-life batteries so even if the owner forgets to plug it in to recharge, it will work for more than 100 hours. However, the price is $145. But even cell phones with a camera cost less than $100 these days. Why does a three-button-device cost more? 

Ukraine: Government of Ukraine will Raise Monetary Support to World War 2 Veterans on the Occasion of Victory Day (March 15, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The government will increase the annual May monetary support to World War veterans twice this year. Vyacheslav Kirilenko, minister of labor and social policy, said that for this purpose $ 80 million were designated in State Budget. Victor Yushenko, the President of Ukraine suggested not to hold traditional parade on May 9, Victory Day, this year. Instead, he believes the idea of treating elders to a dinner would be a better alternative. If Parliament approves, a huge line of tables will be installed on Khreshatic, the main street of Kiev where veterans and members of government (including Prime minister and President) will enjoy delicious food together.

Saudi Arabia: Aged and Youth Live In One of Riyadh’s Public Parks (March 12, 2005)
(Article in Arabic)
A group of very poor people live in a public park located in the middle of Riyadh. The people don’t have enough clothes, many are dirty and their light garments can’t sufficient to keep them warm on cold days in this desert city. Ranging from about 25 years to nearly 60 years old, they patiently wait for some passerby to give them some change.

India: Senior Citizens Deserve Better Treatment (March 12, 2005) 
Who is a ‘senior citizen’ in your country? In India, the age for retirement varies from organization to organization, in some 55 while others may be 58 or 60. For the Income Tax Act, only a person aged 65 and older would be eligible for the benefits provided for senior citizens. But in the case of the Railways, a woman age 60 and above is treated as a senior for reduced fares while a man has to be at least 65 years old to receive the same benefit. Sahara Airlines regards as a senior citizen at age 62 and older while Indian Airlines qualifies for age 63 and older as a senior citizen, and so on. With such confused categories, it is difficult for not only the Indian government but also civil organizations to introduce effective proposals to support senior citizens. But who should categorize a ‘senior citizen’? 

France: Employment of the Seniors: the First Steps (March 11, 2005)
(Article in French)
On the 18th of March, a meeting between the French labor unions and the minister of the Social Coherence, Jean-Louis Borloo, will be held to discuss employment of seniors. But already, the dialogue began in the union house of the Medef – the union of the business leaders - during a discussion about the position of seniors in the workplace. Each delegation formulated priorities and expectations.

Russia: Bartolomeevka: No Water -No Life-No 90 Thousands (March 10, 2005)
(Article in Russian) 
The citizens living in the village of Bartolomeevka just 6 km away from the regional center of Saratov, have experienced water blockage for 3 years. The local government cannot or does not want to provide 9000 roubles for maintenance of the water supply system. During winter, people have become used to melting snow for water. But in the summer, it is more difficult to survive. Half of the 300 citizens of this village are older persons who have to adapt themselves to these inhuman conditions.

World: Don’t Forget Older Women (March 8, 2005) 
HelpAge International called on governments on International Women’s Day (March 8) urging them, “don’t forget older women.” It proposed that governments introduce a regular income support for older women in the form of a non-contributory social pension. Generally, women have less education than men do, and women are asked to combine work with child-care. Additionally, land and property laws also tend to favor men. Especially, in their old age, women face the additional challenge of dealing with society’s negative attitudes towards older people. As a result, about half the women in the world live on less than US $2 a day.

It Will Take All Our Energy to Stand Still (March 8, 2005)
It’s not just young women that Bush and his administration hurt with their policy about abortion and their opposition to the Beijing platform for action. All women, all around the world, younger and older, are concerned. Every families are affected. When the first presidential act of Bush reinstated the global gag rule, every “organizations in the world that received any US funding were banned from providing abortion services.” It affected many persons, and not only in the US: the rule has forced family planning organisations to close clinics, cut services and increase fees. One more social disaster from the Bush administration! 
In a small victory for women, international pressure forced the US to withdraw its amendment described in this article. However, as the UN Commission on Women nears its conclusion, there may be more tricks in the US diplomats’ pockets.

France: Everything begin again at 50 (March 7, 2005)
(Article in French)
Old age? Not for them. The Baby Boom children don’t want an untroubled retirement. For a lot of persons in their fifties, it’s the good time to start a second life. And to try - why not? – a new personal and professional experience. Just for fun. 

Kenya: Elderly Women Break Taboos to Talk About Sexuality and Aids (March 6, 2006) 
Talking about sexuality with children has been taboo in sub-Saharan Africa. Some experts say that due to this traditional inhibition, HIV/Aids has spread faster and wider there. Cecilia Wambui, a 70-year-old Kenyan who lost her daughter by Aids, started to talk about how HIV/Aids is transmitted and ways to avoid it with her grandchildren. She is a member of Mwiterethia SelfHelp Group, which involves 90 elderly slum people who learned life skills by HelpAge Kenya. The result of learning, people realized that Aids is real and the best way to be healthy is to discuss it. They are now undergoing training as peer counselors on HIV/Aids as well as learning how to care for the sick.

China: Those Elders Who Are Not Living With Their Children Are Enjoying a Similar Life at Home as in the Elders' House (March 3, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
In the Automobile Community at YueTan Street of West City District of Beijing, there’s a new model of caretaking for elders. Here, elders do not have to move to the Elders’ House (retirement community). Rather, they stay at their own house but enjoy Elders’ House services. The appearance of this new model is getting society’s attention. 

France: Dealing With the Vulnerability of the Oldest Part of Society (March 3, 2005) 
(Article in French) 
For a few years now, scientists and doctors have actively worked on the issue of older persons’ physical dependency. These studies revealed many new topics that have gone unrecognized. For example, the question of who comprises the caregivers of disabled elderly. The research shows the high importance of assistance from people who have no formal credentials. Indeed, this is mostly thanks to the help of relatives (families but also sometimes neighbors) that the disabled elderly can manage to live in their homes and not have to go to a nursing home or hospital. 

Russia: There is not such a person. (March 3, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Preying on the misery of older persons who happen to live alone, lots of “businessmen” have appeared in Russia. Genadyi Kiselev, 62 , who livee in Ylyanovsk became another victim of those someone who promised to care for him in the exchange for his house. As a result, this trusting pensioner ended up without a house or important personal documents. The local government as well as hospitals refuse to help him since he is not in possession of a passport.

France: When the Young and the Elderly Discover Affinities Each Other (March 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
No, the elderly and the young and even very young do not ignore each other. The proof is that their alliance has been officially baptized “the intergenerational” one. And the range of experiences on the subject in France seethe. For example, the audacious projects include those in shared housing; encourage the elderly to welcome a student who needs a place to stay into their home. 

Spain: Senate Rejects Bankruptcy Exemption for Seniors (March 2, 2005) 
Spanish Senate turned down a proposed amendment that would have granted homestead exemptions that would have let senior citizens keep their homes when they file for bankruptcy. Under a new means test, people with income above the median level for their states would be required to pay of debts. So, senior citizens who usually live with limited income must sell their houses when they are bankrupt. But after they pay their debt, where these seniors should go? The states will take care of them?

Happy Anniversary Online Volunteering! (March 1, 2005) 
The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program’s Online Volunteering (OV) service marks its fifth anniversary. Since March 2000, about 30,000 people have joined the OV service. Working at home, school, office, or anywhere, online volunteers work for more than 600 organizations which work to eradicate poverty and hunger, empower women, educate children, and so on. “Online volunteering, in an outstanding and highly effective way, helps to harness the wealth of willingness, resources and commitment that exists in the volunteer world,” says Mike Tozer of Global Hand, a Hong-Kong-based NGO. If you are interested in, please go to the UNV website.

Saudi Arabia: 10 Reyal For The Trip : Aging people enjoy visiting the village by small cars (March 1, 2005)
Older persons and the very young enjoy visiting the Al-Janadrya cultural festival, particularly riding in a small rental car from exhibit to exhibit.

United Kingdom: Flexi-time Pledge to Families with Teenagers or Elderly Relatives (February 28, 2005)
Prime Minister Tony Blair and Patricia Hewitt, the Trade and Industry Secretary, announced that Labor would launch a consultation with business on extending the right to request shorter hours at work in order to give workers time to commit family issues such as rising children and taking care of old relatives. Though the right is originally for young working mothers, Miss Hewitt emphasized that she would like to extend this right to people who take care of their older relatives. According to the article, about 25% women aged between 50 and 59 is thought to be providing unpaid care for an ailing relative.

Japan: Dolls Give Japanese Elders a New Lease on Life (February 24, 2005) Japanese toy maker Tomy and bedding maker Lofty have developed a doll for the elderly. The Yumel doll, which looks like a baby boy comes equipped to say 1200 phrases. A “healing partner” for the elderly, it goes on the market for about $80. Because the number of children has been falling in Japan, toy makers are now switching their target toward senior citizens who live alone and desire company. But do you think robots or dolls will heal you even though they speak?

Australia: Frail Window’s Deportation Reprieve (February 24, 2005)
Despite the fact that Cui Yu Hu, a 104-year-old woman, has lived in Melbourne, the Immigration Department refused her an aged-parent visa. She came to Australia with her daughter on a one-year visitor’s visa 10 years ago, and since then, she has remained on a bridging visa. However, the decision left Ms. Hu in a legal limbo where she effectively had no status in Australia. But she does not have a place to live or even a family member in China. Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone intervened to this case and said, “there are many, many cases which obviously require ministerial intervention of a humanitarian nature and I wish sometimes we could tell you all about them.”

Saudi Arabia: Dubai Police Dept Established New Elderly Project (February 22, 2004)
(Article in Arabic)
UAE, Dubai. “Charity to our Parents,” a new project implemented by Rashdia Police Department, helps protect the human rights of older persons in the United Arab Emirates. This project focuses on the elderly who don’t have families or children to take care of them and who cannot make emergency calls for assistance. The system works on emergency sensors located on the older persons’ body. Emergency sensors help all older persons in the UAE, no matter what their nationality. 

United Kingdom: Asian Elderly in Crisis (February 22, 2005)
In the United Kingdom, a study conducted by the Policy Research Institute on Ageing and Ethnicity (PRAIE) warns that breakdown in traditional family structures is leading to a care crisis for the Asian elderly. First generation Asians came to the UK in the 1960s and 70s, and they are now turning 65. However, because their children have grown up in the UK, "their way of life is totally different to what it used to be," Rajiv Varsani who immigrated to Britain in the 1970s said. "We see minority elders being referred in housing situations that are not appropriate or where staff do not speak the language," Naina Patel from PRAIE said. How to take care of minority elderly in every country is a global concern.

World: World's Population Reaches 6.5 Billion This Year, Could Reach 7 Billion by 2012, UN Says (February 17, 2005)
According to a new United Nations report, the world's population has reached 6.5 billion this year, a one billion increased since 1993. The report said, "the current population picture is one of dynamic population change, reflected in new and diverse patterns of childbearing, mortality, migration, urbanization and aging." Within 7 years, the world will have 7 billion people - and an increasing proportion will be older.

Europe: Decisions Taken Behalf Older Persons and/or Disabled persons (February 16, 2005)
(Article in French)
Europe consolidates the rights of the citizens. It's an important social decision that the Commission is proposing: it will allow older persons and disabled to travel in better conditions.

Brazil: Thousands Turn Out for Funeral of U.S. Nun (February 16, 2005)
Two gunmen pumped six deadly gunshots into Sister Dorothy Stang, an elderly nun who had worked for years to protect the Amazon Basin and help the indigenous poor with sustainable projects on the Amazon River's southern border. Killers of environmentalists have grown ever bolder since the military government built the Trans-Amazon Highway. Speculators and loggers took over large parcels of the Amazon Basin to log for high value mahogany and other precious woods. Not only have environmentalists lost their lives but also the planet has lost 20% of its "lungs" with the disappearance of the forests. 

Korea: A Village the City Ignores (February 12, 2005) 
Guryong village is the biggest slum in Korea. The village covers 320,100 square meters and is situated in Gaepo-dong, in the Gangnam district of Seoul. It is a "ghost town" that does not appear anywhere on a map. The residents, 4100 persons, have illegally occupied privately owned land because they had been forced out of areas that were bulldozed for redevelopment. More than 300 elderly live in Guryong without any human or financial assistance. The village is a self-governing cooperative entity. Now, "fake" community members have moved in to take advantage of possible sales for redevelopment.

World: "Ageing and Development" Issue 17 (February 2005)
HelpAge International, the most active nonprofit organization working on aging and development issues, released its 17th newsletter. HelpAge reported on elderly's life after the tsunami disaster in Asia, older women's issues such as HIV/AIDS and poverty, and social protection in developing countries. Although only 12 pages in length, the publication contains important statistics and cases.

France: France Wants to Revive Employment of the Seniors (February 10, 2005)
(Article in French)
While most of Europe continues to use the job experience of their 55 and 65-year-olds, France has done everything to get rid of her seniors. Employers and unions begin their first negotiations on February 11 to increase baby-boomers' labor force activity.

Japan: Japanese Bill Recognizes Problem of Elderly Abuse (February 10, 2005) 
In February 2005, Japanese lawmakers introduced proposed legislation on elder abuse. Elder abuse crosses all economic lines and ranges from physical and psychological abuse to neglect and economic abuse such as an appropriating savings and pensions. Japan conducted a survey last year and found 1,991 cases. In 11 % of the cases, lives were endangered. But GAA has a question: The proposed law would require a witness of elderly abuse. Often family members abuse the elderly in the privacy of their home. How can we unveil this elder abuse?

Russia: Housing Patches (February 9, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Hardly had Russian pensioners got used to the new rules of life without benefits, their right for housing came under attack. Starting from January 2005, the elders of Moscow region have to pay 100% for their housing. Simultaneously, the government raised utility prices that led to a 30% increase in housing costs. Pavel Lyukov, the head of Moscow Regional Duma Committee, describes the situation as a catastrophe for elders and might well provoke the second wave of a "cotton revolution."


Vatican City: Church and Society must Care for the Elderly, Says Pope (February 9, 2005) 
Pope John Paul II, the Christian Roman Catholic religious leader, urged in his Lenten message that people should put aside ideas that the elderly are no longer 'productive' and have become useless. "The wisdom and experience of the elderly can illuminate his path on the way of progress toward an ever more complete form of civilization," the Pope said. With deep awareness of the role that the elderly are called to play in society, younger people should welcome them and treat them well, particularly in the communities of western societies where the aging population is already large.

Malaysia: Two Die After Tsunami Scare (February 8, 2005)
The tsunami scare in Malaysia's Sabah state on Borneo island shows once again how elderly persons are major victims of catastrophes, and often too much neglected by humanitarian help. Two older women, Tiambun Mansir, 73, and Eyah Aris, 66, died after fleeing their homes without any assistance.

China: China is On a Long, Steady March to Becoming and Aged Society (February 7, 2005)
GAA has published a number of articles detailing China's rapid increase in its elderly population. According to the U.N. Development Programme, the number of seniors over 80 years old will climb to about 50 million by 2040. The Chinese government is asking to retire at 60 and women at 55 or even at 50 because officials need to make room for young job seekers. But in China, 3 out of four elderly do not have pension plans so some elderly are demanding authorities to enforce laws requiring grown children to support them. Others continue to work. 

Czechs Republic: Czechs Making Cell Phones for Elderly (February 7, 2005)
Jablotron, a cell phone company in Czech Republic, started to sell extra large cellular phone targeting elderly customers. As cell phone technology improves, the body of cell phones have become smaller and smaller. But older people find it's not easy to use. Jablotron said that the company already received 100,000 orders for the new device, which will be the size of a traditional desk phone used for fixed lines-but is this new device lightweight and easy to carry?

Scotland: Tax Rise Fears for Elderly People (February 6, 2005)
Half of senior Citizens in Scotland are in "council tax poverty" because the tax increases have overtaken the rate of pension hikes. Help the Aged, one of charity organizations in the United Kingdom, found that half of Scotland's pensioners spend more than 10% of their disposable income on council tax and water charges. Policy officer Richard Meade said: "Every time council tax increases, pensioners have to make cuts on their budgets on food, heating, clothing." Surely, there should be some cost of living adjustment for the Scottish pensions.

Israel: Sisters, Separated by the Holocaust, Reunite After 61 Years (February 6, 2005) 
Klara Bleier and Hana Katz two sisters who thought that each other died in Auschwitz have reunited 61 years later in Israel, a week after the commemoration of Auschwitz liberation.
Ms. Bleier, 83 said when she first spoke to Ms. Katz, 79, "I suddenly felt faint and couldn't catch my breath," "I couldn't get up and stand."
After the war, they both came to Israel, and thought they were sole survivors. Their daughter and son-in-law who filled separate testimonial history with the Yad Vashem, Israel's center for Holocaust studies
Separated from their family, the last letter from their parents was dated April 1994. Ms. Bleier said ".They wrote together, and my mother wrote: 'I'm afraid it's our last letter,' and it was."
Now the two elderly sisters can get to know each other.

Japan: Fellowship of the Old (February 4, 2005)
Living alone gives great freedom to do whatever you like. But many feel lonely and anxious if they get sick in bed. In Japan, more elderly people choose to live with other people in a community residence. They live in separate rooms and look after themselves, but also share common space. Group House Keyaki, one of such residences, has 6 apartments with a bathroom, a closet, and a kitchenette in each room. Keyaki residents must be physically and mentally independent-- healthy enough to take care of themselves in daily activities. In Keyaki, there are not only elderly residents but also college students. Compared with other kinds of old living quarters, Keyaki costs less and its residents enjoy an independent life. 

England: Doubt Cast on Health Scheme for the Elderly (February 4, 2005)
Each country has a different formula and evaluation of medical care. Evercare, developed in the U.S. by United Health, claims it reduced emergency hospital admissions of frail elderly by 50% in the U.S. The Department of Health in England is now becoming an enthusiastic supporter of the Evercare approach. John Reid, the health secretary, said he would recruit 3,000 community matrons by March 2007 to provide targeted support for the most vulnerable over 65s throughout England. However, Martin Roland, a professor at Manchester, said: "the type of service being provided by Evercare in the U.K. is very different to the model in the U.S. that found a 50% reduction in admissions, and so we think it unlikely that similar reductions could be achieved in the U.K." Doesn't he make a good point? Maybe United Health's ties to Tony Blair overrode good judgment!

World: The Increased Number of Older Persons is the Most Important Issue in the New Century (February 1, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
An article in the January 31st issue of Business Week, a US-based business magazine, reported on the global issue of the increased numbers of older persons as the most important issue of the world in the new century. The systems of taking care of the aged in Europe, Asia and Latin-America will present financial challenges the next 10 to 20 years.

Japan: Targeting Elderly Needing Help by GPS (February 1, 2005) 
Japan leads in providing security services for the elderly at a firm called Secom Co. It runs a 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year service providing positional information on elderly people through GPS (Global Positioning System) satellites using mobile-phone base stations. Elderly people, particularly those with dementia, sometimes lose their bearings when they are out of doors. Secom's new service lets family members ascertain their elder loved one's position online via a mobile phone or PC Internet connection. Also, if the family requests, Secom's emergency personnel can hurry to locate a lost person and offer help. The service is only a one-off payment of $54 to join and cover the equipment cost and a monthly fee of $3.85. Affordable in rich countries!

Report on the UN Disability Conference, Charlotte Parkinson , DSW (January 24 - February 4, 2005)
Charlotte Parkinson, DSW, reports on the path-breaking UN Conference to draw up a text for consideration in the UN General Assembly on Rights and Protection of Persons with Disabilities throughout the world. Charlotte Parkinson, formerly directed a Mental Retardation program Catholic Charities, and advises GAA on disability issues as a volunteer. She monitored the Fifth Session of the Ad Hoc Committee debating the content of the proposed Convention and presents her summary of the discussions and issues that confronted the Country Delegations to the Session.  

Canada: CSN Warns of Crisis in Care of the Elderly (January 31, 2005) 
Taking care of elderly people is not an easy job at all. However, most employees at private long-term care facilities in Quebec earn only an average of $8.50 an hour. Jeff Begley, the Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN), said that low pay elevates workplace stress and causes high staff turnover. Do you think financially stressed staff can provide better elderly care? As GAA has shown in similar cases in the US, a low wage labor force does not benefit elderly. Pay a reasonable, fair living wage to elder care workers and professionals!

Scotland: Factcard Offers elderly Insight (January 31, 2005) 
What's are necessities for elderly people? Free bus rides? Or free newspapers? Age Concern Scotland figured out that local authority-supported care home residents receive £18.10 (about $34) a week as a personal expense allowance. It helps pay for basic items such as clothes, telephone calls, toiletries, newspapers, and so on. Jess Barrow, Age Concern Scotland, said "although people are benefiting from free personal care, free central heating and free local bus travel, there are still too many older people living in and poor housing." This article said that there are 1,515 homeless among 5,057,400 elderly populations in Scotland, a far lower percentage than in New York City. While not perfect, don't you think Scotland still provides better elder care than many other "developed" countries?

England: Wanless to Review Care of Elderly (January 31, 2005) 
Sir Derek Wanless, commissioned by the King's Fund, reported on demand and supply of elderly care. Currently, free personal care for the elderly is provided in Scotland. However, more elderly are now looked after in their homes, and the number of residents at independent and local authority-run care homes has been decreasing. Wanless pointed out that the social care resource is needed to fit the 21st century. Also, his 2003 report asked for more effort in preventing illness, rather than just treating it, saying it was a responsibility of government, schools, and individuals to improve public health. 

Russia: For the First Time in Russia Court Obliged Hospital to Return Money to Patient (January 28, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
Obedient Russian elderly who have put up with humiliation rarely go to court even when their rights have clearly been violated. Pensioners often have to pay hospital bribes just because they depend on doctors. News from Ekaterinburg brought hope that the situation can be changed. According to the regional court decision, Local Hospital # 2 gave back 6,000 rubles to a pensioner who had had to pay for his surgery repairing atherosclerosis damage.

France: No Age Limit For Pleasure and Love Affair (January 28, 2005)
(Article in French)
Former militant of the Women Liberation Movement, Rose, 64 years old, calls for the end of the taboo about elder sexuality and asks for a right to pleasure for all ages. She's not the only one. The report "Analysis of sexual behaviors in France," produced in 1972 and in 1992 shows that sexual desire has became for "senior lovers" a natural seeking. Several phenomenon have occurred in the sexual emancipation of older persons during the XX century, including the creation of drugs like Viagra, and the access to dating sites on the internet. Women themselves have had an important role as they seized their right to sexual pleasure during their earlier days in the Sixties.

Azerbaijan: Baku Wrestles With a Development Dilemma (January 25, 2005)
Building new houses is a good idea. But depriving poor people of their homes without a fair compensation to locate rich people in new residential buildings is intolerable. Mahalla was not the paradise but they had a roof and a supportive and friendly neighborhood. The younger helped the elderly and they married someone from the same area. Now, they don't know how to find a home affordable and integrate into a strange community.

Barbados: Save Our Homes! (January 21, 2005) 
In the Barbados Island, residents of Chimborazo are asking for help to save their homes from landslides. The damaged section of the road is about 50 feet long and eight feet wide. Patience Ejimofor said ".Three elderly residents. told the DAILY NATION. that some residents had been relocated as a result." The residents of Chimbrozo said a big landslide occurred there 13 years ago, and caused a major accident. Carrington, 81, said, "I don't know why Government waits until a situation gets worse before they do something about it." Due to recent rainfalls the situation is getting worse. 

England: Elderly can still Bag a Decent Job (January 20, 2005)
After you retire, do you want to have another job? How about a retailer? Dick Stanners got bored after his retirement at age 76 and decided to return to work. Dick, now 82 years old, is working as a shopping assistant for the elderly, the disabled and parents with children in his local Tesco. In England, Tesco is not only a top-name retailer providing a workforce of all ages. Asda, which has 22,357 over-50s employees, said that the elderly workers bring a wealth of experience that is a helpful contribution to their business. Elderly workers are not vulnerable, but valuable!

Nigeria: Common Health Needs of Elderly People (January 20, 2005)
Aging is a part of the process in human life. However, in Nigeria, elderly people are treated as a nuisance and hence do not accord them the much required love, care and attention. Remi Kolawole, a retired nurse but luckily still has a job as a physiotherapist, emphasizes that the government must provide recreation, rehabilitation and free medical services. Kolawole stressed that that family members should provide good food with rich vitamins and minerals. Everybody gets old sooner or later so it is "your" problem if elderly people are not treated well in your country/community.

Australia: Abuse of elderly Hits 20,00 a Year (January 19, 2005)
More than 20,000 elderly suffer abuse by their family members and carers in Victoria, Australia. Lillian Jeter, the executive director of Elder Abuse Prevention Association, said that because elder abuse happened behind closed doors, the real figure could be four times higher. "When the elderly become vulnerable and dependent is when the manipulation, control, abuse and neglect and the withdrawal of food, care and attention starts to set in," Jeter continued. Also, at a Liberal Party policy launch, Opposition Leader Robert Doyle, said "elder abuse is, in many ways, so much harder and sadder (than child abuse)." How can we prevent elder abuse? 

Asia: Asian Countries can Learn from Japan's Lessons (January 18, 2005)
The growing elderly population concerns nearly all Asian countries. In Korea, where its birthrate has fallen below 1.2, tragedies illuminate the problem: recently an elderly husband killed his wife and himself because of exhaustion in taking care of her. Old parents who gave their children a good education have sued their sons and daughters for failing to provide good care for them. Also, China, Taiwan, Singapore, and Hong Kong share the same problem of declining birthrates and an aging population. Fortunately for other Asian countries, Japan, where population aging has developed faster than any other country, has introduced several elderly welfare policies. Japan should supply precious lessons by frankly explaining its numerous successes and failures in its policy efforts around pension and nursing insurance programs. Aging is not an issue for one particular country. It's an issue for all over the world, so why not share experiences and lessons?

China: Elderly Escape Retirement Rut (January 18, 2005)
In China, learning ballet, photography, piano, traditional Peking Opera, and many other artistic skills at a senior citizens school is a big trend. "It's crucial to help the elderly pick up new information and skills so as to enrich their spiritual life," said Meng Zhaozeng, a vice president of a senior citizen's school in Heping. Shanghai has opened senior citizens schools in nearly every urban community and most rural areas. The elderly population age 60 and over is now 134 million and is going to increase. Currently, only 14 % of the municipality's total is enrolled at the schools. Chinese government and communities are still asked to build new schools for the elderly. 

Ukraine: Land Should Belong to Peasants! (January 13, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
According to the law, "On changes as for land provision to the workers of education, culture and health care system who used to live in rural area" rural intelligentsia and pensioners who used to live and work in rural areas will be given some land as private ownership for free. But in most cases people just do not have money to pay for the official documents while the registration process takes a monthly salary. Therefore the state committee on land resources has decided to give 1/5 mil. of such documents for free. It will be done out of  World Bank resources for the development of cadastre system. The author of the article has warning that the land will turn out to be in the hands of oligarchs or mafia as the society is not ready for a free market economy.

Guatemala: UN, Guatemala Sign Agreement to Open Human Rights Office (January 11, 2005)
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and Guatemala have agreed to open a UN human rights office in the Central American country this year. Despite the fact that Guatemalan factions ended their conflict in 1996, the country still have problems such as corruption, crime and a deep seated legacy of social inequality and racism against the Maya, Xinca, and garifuna indigenous groups. In addition, the population ageing in Central Americas is increasing rapidly although most of countries are not yet economically well-developed. GAA hopes that the new office in Guatemala will try to support the elderly, too.

India: Older Persons, Tsunami's Victims Forgotten in The Indian Camps (January 11, 2005)
(Article in French)
They are the Tsunami's victims neglected by India, the elderly people forsaken by the rescuers who concentrated upon children in the camps. "Eventually, if the older persons needs care, we will do something. But that could take two months before it happens. The children are more important for the moment," explained the spokesperson of an Indian NGO. Having lost everything, relatives and home, the elderly, often disabled, ills or just fatigued by their age, haven't been considered yet as a specific group requiring special care.

Japan: Efforts under Way to Stem Abuse of Elderly (January 6, 2005) 
While Japan's aging population is usually talked of in terms of innovative robotics, recently a new problem-long submerged-has come out: abuse of the elderly. A frank, but disturbing, national study may point the way to change.

Russia: New Social Service has Started in Yaroslavsky Region (January 5, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
The citizens of Yaroslavl region got a New Year present from local government. The government is providing "social taxi" to help older people move about the town. Pensioners and officially poor people pay half the price for this service compared to an ordinary private taxi. Now local elders can appreciate taxi service not as a luxury but just as a means of transportation that even poor people can afford.

Israel: No Citizenship, No Health Care (January 5, 2005)
Non-Jew immigrants in Israel are not able to access to appropriate health care reports the Israeli newpaper Ha'aretz. According to the Human Development Report by UNDP, Israel places the 22nd among 177 countries. Most developed countries grant citizenship or provide reasonable health care to immigrants' aging parents based on humanitarian considerations. However, the Israeli Law of Return, which grants full civil and social rights to a non-Jew, does not take the aging parents of a non-Jewish partner into account. Moreover, private insurance companies are not willing to provide an insurance policy because monthly fees may not cover health care costs for individuals age 65 years and older. But elderly people need to access to suitable health care to maintain quality of life at his advanced age.

Taiwan: Society Has Developed into an Age of Elders. Each Year About 60,000 Elders Increase Yearly (January 5, 2005)
(Article in Chinese)
As Taiwan society develops, there are increasingly more elderly in the population. Statistics from the Population Bureau show that there are about 2,140,000 people older than 65 at the end of the last year (2004). There is a yearly increase of about 60,000 elders. In the future, the rate of increase will be even sharper. 

Russia: Pensioners Refuse Paying for Transportation (January 4, 2005)
(Article in Russian)
A complicated situation in transportation of older people unfolds in Russia as one of the first popular responses to the "monetization" of formerly free pensioner benefits. Many pensioners just refuse to pay passenger fares in buses, trams, trolleybuses, etc. They explain this by the fact that they did not yet receive promised money compensations yet. In an act of solidarity, conductors do not insist on the pensioners paying as they pity such people and the general situation of elders in the country. Tatyana, a conductor, says she never makes claims on such passengers and always let them use the bus for free. Looks like an act of civil disobedience. 

South Asia: The Hope Decrease For the Departed of the Tsunamis (January 3, 2005)
(Article in French)
During this week, international meetings tried to find solutions to the disastrous situation in South East Asia. After the tsunami and all his victims, it's now necessary to take care of the survivors, who suffer from hunger, thirst, and the destruction of their homes. But the multiple assistance from all over the world face blockages due to the state of the local infrastructure or even local governments who block aid for military security and other reasons. However, some villagers have been found alive after several days, and many of them are children and older people very vulnerable.

Indonesia: The Sanitary Situation in Atjeh, in the North of Sumatra, Is a Disaster (January 1, 2005) 
(Article in French)
"It's a global disaster without precedence that calls for a global response without precedence," said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan about the December 26th tsunami on the east coast of Asia. In the most affected areas, the humanitarian aid seems to be enough but the weak state of the countries' infrastructures and the lack of oil blocks incoming supplies. The survivors are starving and the most fragile, like older persons, are one of the first victims amidst this chaos.

Argentina: Retired Military Man Murdered in his Home (November 22, 2004)
A 66 year old retired major from the Argentinean army was found by his partner, a 38 year old man, in the living room of his private residence. While he was suffering from mayor illnesses, he was found with his throat slit even though the weapon was not found. Without signs of a forced entry, authorities assumes the victim knew the perpetrator. But in countries with violent dictatorial pasts, like Argentina, it is not rare for victim and tormenter to find themselves on the same street. Because the victim was an armed forces retiree, authorities are not discounting that the person behind this crime was acting in revenge and taking justice into his/her own hands.

Argentina: Your Mother's Life is Threatened: Give Us $250 Thousand Pesos (August 19, 2004)
(Article in Spanish)
An elderly woman was violently kidnapped from her home at 4:30 in the morning. Her daughter has asked government authorities for help, as she does not have the means to pay the ransom. The police have stated that the only possible reasons for such an act are personal revenge or extortion between narcotic gangs. However, the daughter assures that no family member is involved in such activities. Meanwhile, this elderly woman is still kidnapped without any news about her condition.

Saudi Arabia: The Taxi: A New Service for the Aging Pilgrims Coming to Mecca (August 19, 2004)
(Article in Arabic)
By September 2005, aged pilgrims coming to Mecca will have a new service that will make this hajj (religious pilgrimage) easier than before. A new taxi service will travel throughout the entire Mecca mosque area. Now older people will be able to say their prayers at the correct time, without worrying about a means of transportation.

Guatemala: Guatemalans Commemorate Massacre Victims (July 20, 2004)
Guatemalans continue to pay tribute to the memories of 184 people, mostly elderly, women and children, who died in a massacre 22 years ago in the small village of Plan De Sanchez. Buenaventura Manuel, who survived miraculously but lost his grandmother, mother and three sisters, recalls the horrors of those days.

Tunisia: Moammar, the World Oldest Man (March 17, 2004)
(Article in Arabic)
A very aged man who is now 118 years old lives in Tunisia . While he is likely the oldest man in the world, the global media is currently reporting that it is in fact a 114 year old man in Spain . After being married three times, this Tunisia man has declined a proposal for a fourth marriage, insisting that his intended wife was too old. Currently living in one of Tunisia ’s largest cities, Sifkas, this gentleman has a daughter who is 85 years old. Fortunately, he is healthy and has no complaints.

Dying at Work (October 2003) 
(Article in French)
As the French government considers extending the age of retirement, some may forget hidden figures that are good to know. Each year, 270 million people have accidents at work and 5 000 die while on the job. Official statistics show that France has a high rate of deaths at work with 780 each year. This silent suffering does not show in the government debates about extending retirement. This is close to what social writers used to call “the death retirement” at the end of the 19th century. It is also the other side of “competitivity” and “growth.” These death figures force consideration that human lives lie behind the retirement issue. 

Kuwait: Statement by His Excellency Mr. Talal Mubarak Al-Ayyar at the 
Second World Assembly on Ageing Madrid, Spain (April 9, 2002)
As a general background to the issues facing older persons in Kuwait, this official presentation at the World Assembly on Ageing in 2002 details some of the key elements that Kuwait wanted to achieve at the Madrid Conference. The statement also summarizes some social protection programs available in Kuwait and the national commitment to older persons.