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Elder Rights : World
Archives : 2003
France:Collecte Record pour «+ de Vie»
(December 10, 2003)
(Article in French)
Ms. Chirac, president of the « Hôpitaux de Paris-Hôpitaux de
France Fundation » said that 1, 3 million euros have been collected
by the charity « + de vie ». Created in 1997, this group
collects funds in order to improve everyday life for the elderly at
hospital. Even if « + de vie » is less known than the « Pièces
Jaunes » (that aims at improving children’s life in hospital), it
assists families visit their loved ones, to have enjoyable activities and
to make available needed medications to help the older persons’
situation.
Australia: It's
never too late for a sporting life (December 4, 2003)
Dawn Hartigan, a 47 year-old-Australian woman, has just written a book
aimed at encouraging old people to get active. She tries to demonstrate
the benefit of a healthy and exercise filled life for retired people. Her
book includes stories of a 100-year-old runner and a 71-year-old swimmer.
The older they get, the more engaged in sport they become, and the better
they feel.
Japan
: Helping the elderly lead active lives(December 1, 2003
)
Ms. Chika Sekine aims to improve the lives of elderly and
disabled people in
Japan
by making information technology more accessible. As a former employee at
IBM Japan, she founded her own company in 1998 to make the internet,
computers, and other technology easier for elderly and disabled people to
use.
Yokohama
subway gives elderly, disabled passengers priority to all seats (December
1, 2003)
In eastern
Japan
, the
Yokohama
municipal government has decided to require the entire population to give
up their subway seats to elderly people. Seniors hailed the decision, but
some younger people grumbled that “sometimes young people feel sick
too.”
Elderly Chinese Re-marry to
Face Old Age (November 20, 2003)
In China, getting married late in life after a divorce or the death of a spouse
has a certain stigma. Sometimes
conflicts between parents and children can lead to difficult relations.
However, things are changing, due to government support of late
re-marriage. In fact, there are advantages since spouses take care of each
other and the State doesn’t have to spend money.
France: Trois magazines
cherchent à conquérir la clientèle des plus de 50 ans (November 8,
2003)
In France, « Notre Temps », « Vivre Plus »
and « Pleine Vie » are magazines for adults in early
retirement that include both with news, such as pension reform, and
in-depth studies on issues facing “younger” seniors. The magazines are
popular with seniors who may already be grand-parents, but who still have
to take care of their own elderly parents.
France: Who Cares? (November 6, 2003)
The shocking death toll of the summer heat wave in
France
has made care of the elderly a
national priority. Brett Kline discovers the home help system largely
depends on a workforce of poorly-paid African women.
EU: To
Ban Gender Bias In Insurance, Pensions (November 6, 2003)
The European Commission formalized a controversial proposal to ban sex
discrimination on everything from insurance rates to private pension
funds. In the first step toward establishing a new law for the 15-nation
European Union, the commission, the EU's executive agency, published draft
legislation that would ban the use of a person's sex in the calculation of
insurance rates and related pension
plans. It also would ban banks from discriminating against women in
lending.
Australia:
Saving Medicare (November 5, 2003)
The federal Coalition government's $1 billion plan to “save” Medicare
has been widely exposed as a wolf in sheep's clothing — a set of changes
that would radically change Medicare from providing universal health care
to little more than a safety net for the poor. This was further confirmed
by the October 30 release of a report by the Senate inquiry into the
government's Medicare proposals. Setting up free clinics for the
disadvantaged on the cheap will only accelerate the process of a two-tier
health system with high-quality health care for the rich and second-rate
health care for the poor.
Pour financer
la dépendance, le gouvernement laisse aux entreprises le choix d'un jour
travaillé en plus (
November 5, 2003)
In order to finance a fund for elders who
require continuous care, the French government has decided to remove a
traditional holiday. But Prime Minister modified this decision by allowing
the private sector to decide how to contribute to the elder fund. Private
firms will have a choice between removing a holiday or working during an
RTT day (day that is off due to the 35 hour workweek law). Moreover, the
Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin announced measures to modernize
hospitals and nursing homes.
What's Left
for Canadians If Americans Buy Their Drugs? (November 4, 2003)
A Canadian pharmacists'
group is blaming the burgeoning trade in prescription-drug sales to U.S.
patients for reported instances of local drug shortages. Barry Power, a
director of the Canadian Pharmacists Association, says his organization
has been hearing from members across the country that supply problems are
cropping up more often and lasting longer than before the Internet
pharmacies set up shop. While Canada's federal health ministry says it
doesn't have any evidence that the online pharmacies are causing
shortages, a senior official acknowledged last week that swelling
cross-border sales raise that risk.
Italy: New Figures Show 7,659 More Died In Italy In Summer Heat
(November 4, 2003)
A least 7,659 more people - nearly all elderly - died during this past summer's scorching European heat
wave compared with the same period last year, Italy said Tuesday as it
sharply updated its figures on the death toll. Figures released Sept. 11
had said 4,175 more people died, but that toll did not include the second
half of August, one of the hottest periods of the summer. The revised
death toll still leaves Italy
second after
France, where the government reported 14,802 deaths.
Israel: The senior citizens beat the elderly (
November 4, 2003)
Considered a mere
curiosity five years ago, the Power to the Pensioners Party rose this year
to win seats in the Tel Aviv City Council. The Pensioners list won by listening to people's actual problems
and addressing their needs, putting constant pressure on the city to
maintain welfare programs even as city budgets dwindled. The success of
the Pensioners list "reflects the longing for more accessible, human
leadership - not the old generals, but the leadership of the wise old man
on the park bench."Lilian
Akinyi Okumu: Kenyan woman acts for elder people in her country
Ms. Lilian Akinyi Okumu, a
state counsel in the office of the Attorney General in Kenya, writes about the situation of older people in her country. In
Kenya, she observes, old people live in entrenched poverty, social neglect,
political contempt, and lack of appropriate health care. Ms. Okumu has
decided to create a non-governmental organization in order to protect the
elderly and to advocate for elder-appropriate laws, a social security
system, and health care.
A
run for ages (November 2, 2003)
Among
the tens of thousands of people running the
New York
marathon, one man provides special inspiration to a range of people in
England
: 92 year old runner Fauja Singh. The British Sikh will run his sixth
marathon to promote awareness of Sikh culture, drawing hundreds of Sikhs
from around the
New York
area to cheer him on. Singh
recently ran his personal best of 5 hours and 40 minutes.
France:
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.
Canada
voices concern over drug deals to U.S. (October 29, 2003)
The
Canadian government voiced concern on Wednesday that sales of
low-cost prescription drugs to the United States might cause shortages in
Canada. Health Minister Anne McLellan urged professional associations on
Wednesday to condemn the practice of Internet sales to the United States. "There are associations, be they pharmacists in particular or
doctors, who have not passed resolutions condemning the practice,"
McLellan told reporters. "There are some associations that have taken
a strong line in relation to Internet pharmacy practices. I would suggest
that other associations should do the same." McLellan said she had no
evidence of any shortages, and her department called for information on
the impact of the cross-border sales.
A
partir de 2004, les salariés travailleront le lundi de Pentecôte
(October 29, 2003)
The French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin announced the
removal of a traditional day-off called “Lundi de Pentecôte.”
Government tax collected from profits on this new work-day will finance a
fund for elders who require constant care. The government expects to
collect 1, 9 billion euros for the fund. Elderly people will receive money
from the fund according to age and level of handicap.
Old and In
the Way?
(October 28, 2003)
Europe is aging fast, but this journalist debunks some popular myths about
the causes and implications of an older population. European governments
exploit the “myth of the pension time bomb” to justify many cuts in
welfare systems by focusing on the “problem” of the elderly, but
cutting pensions isn’t the right solution. Instead, more unemployed
could be put to work, women could join the workforce in equal numbers with
men, and elders should be able to work longer with flexible working
conditions.
France
to Scrap Holiday to Pay for Elderly Care (October 27, 2003)
In order to finance better health care for the elderly, the French
government may give up a national holiday: the Monday after Pentecost. The
extra work day should bring an average of £1.3 billion (1.8 billion
dollars) that the government could use to improve care to older persons in
hospitals and nursing homes. However, French people may be reluctant to
give up one of their 11 official days off per year.
Maria
prepares to celebrate her 110th birthday (October 27, 2003)
Scotland’s oldest woman, Maria Pettigrew, turned 110 years old on
October 27. She credits a healthy life, simple food, and the “odd drop
of sherry” to her outstanding longevity. Maria was born before
telephones, televisions, and washing machines were invented, and remembers
vividly many of the greatest historical events of the last century.
Average ages
for retirement in the main European countries (23
October 2003)
The legal retirement age
in most major European countries is 65, but the actual age when many
people leave their jobs is often lower. European countries are starting to
reform the legal retirement age, increasing the number of contribution
years a worker must put in to receive their full pension benefits. This
article presents an overview of EU countries’ retirement laws and
proposed reforms.
Koizumi
tackles octogenarian MPs (October 23, 2003)
The Prime Minister of Japan has asked two octogenarian members
of parliament not to run again, in an effort to “spruce up” the image
of the Liberal Democratic Party. One of the targeted MPs, 85-year-old former
Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone, qualifies this as “political
terrorism” in the form of age discrimination. Nakosone warns, "If
they give the impression that old people aren't needed, then all the old
people in the country will oppose them."
Quebec waitress wins
$16,700 for age discrimination (October 22, 2003)
The Quebec Human Rights Tribunal charged three people with age
discrimination against an employee of their bar, awarding the woman
$15,000 in “material losses.” The Tribunal found that a bar attempted
to fire a 56-year-old waitress after renovating the space to attract
younger customers. The decision was based on the Quebec Charter of Human
Rights and Freedoms, which prohibits age discrimination.
Grey power will advise
government (October 22, 2003)
New Brunswick
,
Canada
’s “oldest” province set up a Seniors’ Advisory Council this year
to deal with issues concerning seniors’ daily lives, such as the high
cost of health care and car insurance. Premier Bertrand Lord, who made the
decision to establish the council, said, “I decided to create the
council because I felt it was paramount for us as a government to hear
directly from the seniors”.
What the Elderly Demand from Us (
October 21, 2003
)
The population of
India
is aging rapidly, and many Indians are worried about how to take care
of the elders. With the structural evolution of the “modern” nuclear
Indian family, older people are becoming the new outcasts of society, with
no state structure to replace family support. This author calls on
insurance companies, state welfare programs, and non-governmental
organizations to mobilize to meet the needs of older people, but argues
that Indian families need to take responsibility for older parents.
Iraq: 'Living on memories of
my family' (October 20, 2003
)
It is six months since 10 members of the large family of Abid Hassan
Hamoodi were killed when coalition aircraft mistakenly bombed his
Basra
home. He says: “They are of my blood.
My wife, my daughter, who was a doctor, my son, a computer engineer and my
grandchildren. They have all gone.” The
72-year-old tells how he is coping.
South Africa: Poverty Hinders a Hunger to Learn
(October 19, 2003)
In a rural corner of
South Africa
, a grandmother is raising eight children on R700 ($97, GAA) a month - and
her biggest worry is paying school fees. IT'S
6.30am
. Suzan Dolo sniffs her snuff, with her right hand clutching a hand-made
grass-broom. At 64, she still sweeps her sandy 100m' yard before sunrise -
the first activity every morning for the women of Vergenoeg village, 80km
northwest of Mokopane in
Limpopo
. Here is the story of her life.
France
: Mutuelles: des augmentations de cotisations de près de 10 %(
October 17, 2003
)
The French Parliament will consider a bill at the end of October that
would shift some of the burden of prescription drug costs from public
Social Security insurance funds to private insurance companies. While the
French Social Security system must find a way to manage its large deficit,
decreasing the “couverture de base” (base level of reimbursement)
could have largely negative consequences. People who don’t benefit from
the “CMU” (Couverture Maladie Universelle) will be forced to pay for
private insurance companies, whose rates will increase on average of 10
percent after April.
UN: Gender and age: a challenge
that matters (October 17, 2003)
The issue of human rights has always been a top most priority in the
United Nations' agenda. Over the years, many committees have been formed
solely for the purpose of researching human rights violations and
developing policies to stop their growth. Yet even today, in spite of all
the efforts to prevent such cases, violation of fundamental human rights
is a significant threat to people of the world. Thus, it falls under the
jurisdiction of the Social, Humanitarian and Cultural committee (Third
Committee) to discuss not only ways member nations can prevent human right
violations, but also ways to implement these sound policies. One of the
related topics of the Committee is Advancement of women. This year, Margit
van der Steen raised the issues of gender and age at the meeting of the
Third Committee and her statement was also dedicated to the role of older
women.
United Kingdom
: Legion joins council tax fight (
October 17, 2003
)
The Royal British Legion has joined pensioners across the South West in
calling for reductions in council tax. It
says it has received more calls than ever before from pensioners in the
region facing financial hardship. The charity has combined with several
other groups in calling for reforms to the council tax system. The legion
says the system unfairly penalises the over 60s. The organisation says the
recent large increases in council tax have been too much for pensioners to
bear and that many of those eligible for council tax benefit are not
claiming it.
Russia
: Every 5th Russian citizen - elderly person (
October 1, 2003
)
Russia
has almost 30 million elderly people, that is,
virtually one fifth of the country's population. 12.5 mln people out of
them are over 70 and 5.3 million are disabled. About 20,000 are
long-livers who are already over 100. These figures were cited in an
interview with the governmental Rossiyskaya Gazeta by Deputy Prime
Minister Galina Karelova on the occasion of the International Day of the
Elderly Persons. In recent years, the country has witnessed a drastic
increase in the number of social services institutions, she said. At
present they comprise over 1,200 in-patient institutions and almost 2,000
centers for temporary stay.
Kyrgyzstan: Elderly call for improved conditions (October 15, 2003
)
Following the collapse of the
Soviet Union
in 1991, together with the comprehensive health
care it the offered its citizens, elderly people in the mountainous state
of Kyrgyzstan
are increasingly feeling sidelined by a system
that no longer cares. "I bought an apartment in Soviet times and
lived well. I planned to live on a fairly-earned pension," Svetlana
Valentinovna told IRIN in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek. But following
independence and the introduction of a new national currency - the som -
the 78-year-old soon saw her plans fall apart. "My pension was not
sufficient for anything," she cried. Adding to her pain, her own son deceived her by selling her home with a
promise of taking his elderly mother in afterwards. "Now I have to
live in a nursing home. I have nowhere else to go," she said.
New
puzzle for older Chinese (
October 13, 2003
)
China’s population is rapidly ageing. Statistics
vary but UN figures show over 65-year-olds making up 23% of the total
population by 2050, as opposed to 7% in 2000. The effect on the labour
market will mean the ratio of working age people to support each person
over 65 will change from today’s
five to one to three
to one by 2050. This in a country where
economic transitions have blurred the once guaranteed pension allowance
and where many people have only the one child to support them.
China:
23.4 million empty nesters struggle to live alone (October 8, 2003)
"Empty nesters" refers to senior
citizens in a family without children around, including both the married
and the widowed.
China
has at least 23.4 million "empty
nesters" and the number is still growing, statistics showed. In
Tianjin
, 54 percent of senior citizens lived apart from
their children in 1997. This figure rose to 62.5 percent in 2002 and is
estimated to hit 90 percent in ten years. Currently, the empty nester
group is expanding quantitatively and proportionately, said He Maishou, a
professor on aging with the Tianjin Academy of Social Sciences. The empty
nesters are concerned with three major problems, namely moderate income,
lack of physical care and insufficient emotional support, experts
said.
Canada: Aging Boomers will have to work longer (October 7, 2003)
A new report from the Conference Board of Canada warns that the shift of
the baby boomer generation into retirement will have a significant impact
on the labor market and on the health care system in Canada. The report
says that a shortage of replacement workers may force companies to provide
incentives for older workers to stay on the job longer, and may require
the government to extend the retirement age past 65.
Sri Lanka: New services for elders (October 3,
2003)
The government of
Sri Lanka
is taking several measures to improve the quality of life for older
people. The National Savings Bank raised interest rates on older
people’s savings deposits, and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation will
reduce the price of drugs for older people, allowing the aging population
to have better health care. The government will also set up Elders’
Committees and Elders’ Homes countrywide.
South Africa: Chronic poverty among aged (October 1, 2003)
A quarter of all older people living in South Africa may be classified as
chronically poor, with most living in households earning less than US $100
per month. According to a recent report commissioned by HelpAge
International (HAI), South Africa has one of the most rapidly ageing
populations in Africa, with a particular increase in the 64- to 74-year
age category, from 25.8 percent of the total population of older people in
1996, to 26.5 percent in 1999. The report, "Chronic Poverty and Older
People", noted that while the aged in
South Africa
continued to work well into the later stages of
ageing, fulfilling an important economic role in the household,
"chronic poverty reduces the options of older people to move from
producer to consumer".
Ukraine: A Sketch of an Older Ukrainian (October 10, 2003)
Ukraine is located in southeastern
Europe, and its largest neighbors include
Russia, Poland, Romania
and Byelorussia
(Belarus). The country has about 49 million
people in an area about the size of
Texas, making it the biggest European country next to
Russia
and Turkey. The population has been shrinking
in the last few years, decreasing by almost 3 million people from 1991 to
2003, and the average age is getting older. Today people over 60 comprise
more than 20% of the total population and in the next decade this number
is projected to increase by 9%. Dmytro Komshyn tells you a story of
someone who still lives in Ukraine
and who went through the process
of becoming a poor senior citizen after the break up of the USSR. This story is typical for
millions of elderly Ukrainian women and men.
Seeking Love (
October
10, 2003
)
The 50-plus dating game has never been hotter. Here's how
millions are finding new romance that second marriages are statistically
more likely to fail than first marriages. There are more players than ever
before: Higher divorce rates, longer life spans, and a greater tendency to
never marry are churning out more single Americans than at any other time
in the country's history. Of the 97 million Americans who are 45 or older,
almost 40 percent—36.2 million—are on the loose, according to the U.S.
Census Bureau.
Japan: When it
becomes too late to save (October 8, 2003)
The percentage of savings in
Japan
has fallen dramatically in the
last two decades, while incomes have failed to keep up with rising costs.
Economists worry that if the trend does not reverse,
Japan
’s aging population may find
that their savings do not meet their basic needs in retirement.
Japan
is slowly waking up to the problem of abuse of the
elderly in its rapidly greying society (
October 8, 2003
)
Not long ago, old age was a curse in some poor villages
in
Japan
. Starving villagers abandoned the aged to die on mountain tops, so that
they would not be a liability. The barbaric practice was portrayed in a
1980s' award-winning movie, The Ballad of Narayama. Abuse of the elderly
continues in
Japan
, which has the world's longest life expectancy - 84.93 years for women
and 78.07 for men. 'The human rights of
Japan
's elderly have been ignored for too long though we are a developed
nation,' says Professor Soji Tanaka, 68, of
Nihon
University. But things are changing.
Grant
to cut 'bed-blocking' (October 6, 2003)
A social services chief has said money will be spent preventing elderly
patients "blocking" hospital beds in
Kent
rather than saving it
to pay fines. The government has given
councils across the
UK
extra money to reduce the bed-blocking problem
but will take it back in the form of fines paid to the NHS if they fail.
Kent County Council has said it intends to take the gamble of spending its
£1.2m grant in advance to provide alternatives to acute hospital care
rather than saving it to pay any fines it may incur. Bed-blocking is when
vulnerable elderly people are kept in hospital because of a shortage of
beds available in care homes.
United Kingdom: The truth
about ageing (October 5, 2003)
Will Hutton of the Observer argues that the
UK
government has to face up to its responsibilities concerning retirement
age, pension rates, and how to finance pensions. The government must
develop a framework that will mitigate complex social inequalities while
developing a sustainable way to pay for pensions - a difficult but
necessary task.
Ireland:
Rally against attacks on elderly (October 1, 2003)
About 200
people have marched through
Belfast
city centre to
protest against a series of attacks on elderly people. Speakers
at the rally on Wednesday called on the police, government and community
groups to do more to protect the more vulnerable members of society.
Police say the chances of an elderly person being the victim of burglary
are small, but fear of crime remains a concern.
Nigeria:
Group Harps On Well Being of Elderly (October 2, 2003)
A non-governmental organisation (NGO) under the aegis of Centre for Social
Policy (CSP) based in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital, has declared its
intention to improve on awareness and understanding of the situation,
problems, needs and rights of older persons in the society. Executive
Director of CSP, Ibadan, and Project Coordinator , Dr. Dayo Akeredolu-Ale,
who made this known at a media briefing and consultation on the theme:
"Promoting the Well Being of the Elderly," said the Centre for
Social Policy and Community Health, a not-for-profit organisation, founded
on September 25, 1994, was to contribute significantly towards the
emergence and consolidation in Nigeria in particular, and Africa in
general, of a social-policy environment that facilitates and guarantees
the attainment of adequate and sustainable human development and human
welfare.
UN:
Powerful resource of older persons must be tapped for says
Secretary-General in message on International day (
October 1, 2003
)
Following is Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message on the
International
Day of Older Persons, observed 1 October.
South Korea: 300,000 Jobs to Be Created for Elderly (
October 1, 2003
)
In preparation for an aging society, the government plans to create
300,000 jobs for senior citizens by 2007. The Ministry of Health and
Welfare said Wednesday that it will operate a resource center for the
elderly from next year for that purpose. The center, which will focus on
creating jobs for people above 65, will employ seniors in such sectors as
environmental preservation, traffic and parking regulation and
maintenance.
Ireland: Aged go on the offensive for protection (
October 1, 2003
)
Older people from across
Northern Ireland
today demanded Government action to protect
them against violent attacks. Hundreds of people were set to take to the
streets for Help the Aged's Community Safety Rally where they were told
that society would "not stand idly by while they are attacked in
their homes".
Ukraine: Thousands
Rally for Soviet Benefits in
Kiev
(October 1,
2003
)
Thousands of veterans, pensioners and
Chernobyl
victims rallied outside
Ukraine
's
parliament on Tuesday, demanding the cash-strapped government leave in
place Soviet-era benefits that many say they cannot live without. Carrying
red Soviet flags and posters with slogans such as "Veterans, everyone
defend your rights" and "Take away your own benefits, return our
health," thousands of elderly people protested the 2004 draft budget,
which would replace free municipal transport and special medical and
social privileges with fixed payments in an effort to cut expenditures.
Vietnam: Various activities to be held to mark Elderly People's Day (
September 30, 2003
)
Various cultural and sports events will take place in Ha Noi from Oct.
4-10 to mark the International Elderly People's Day (Oct. 1). These events
are aimed at honouring the elderly Vietnamese people's contributions to
the country's development. On this occasion, a fine art exhibition will
also open from Sept. 29 to Oct. 9 to display 59 paintings by 49 aged
members of the Viet Nam Fine Arts Association.
Viet Nam
now has over 6 million elderly people,
accounting for 7.5 percent of the population.
Bahrain:
New social benefits for elderly on way (September 30, 2003)
New laws are being drafted to improve services being provided to the
elderly, announced a top social worker yesterday. Assistant
Under-Secretary for Social Affairs Shaikha Hind bint Salman Al Khalifa
said plans include providing new benefits for the elderly, as a token of
thanks for their services for their nation and families. These will
include reductions in air travel fares, free use of public transport and
discount cards which give the elderly special reductions in outlets across
Bahrain.
Vietnam
gives play to potential of elderly people (
September 30, 2003
)
Vietnam
has attached importance to the role of elderly people, especially
intelligentsia, in socioeconomic development in recent years. "Our
country has been actively issuing policies to fully tap experience and
expertise of the elderly," an official of the Vietnam Association of
the Elderly told Xinhua on Tuesday. The policies include establishing
centers for retired state employees, creating favorable conditions for
people of great scholarship to give university lectures, inviting the
talented to participate in national projects, and encouraging the elderly
to do business, said Do Trong Ngoan, the association's general secretary.
United Kingdom: Elderly care plans to be policed (
September 29, 2003
)
The City watchdog is taking new steps to protect people who purchase
long-term care plans - savings products which cover the cost of specialist
support in old age. Financial advisers
will have to pass exams if they want to sell the plans. Policyholders will
also be allowed to seek compensation if they have been given bad advice. A
Royal Commission report on Monday, September 29, found that thousands of
old people are selling their homes to fund care costs.
Denmark: Volunteerism amongst older Danes (
September 20, 2003
)
As in the rest of the developed world, the growth of the older
population in
Denmark
is projected to be considerably larger than that of the younger
population. According to the
Danish National Institute of Social Research (2001) the 60 years and older
population will grow by 30% compared to approximately 2% for the youngest
generation (0-18 years old) and 3% for the 19 to 59 group between 1998 and
2020.
Denmark
is facing similar concerns to that of the developed world regarding how to
cope economically with an aging population. For example, by the year 2020
the cost of services to the aging population will rise by 20% to what it
is today (over $54,000,000).
Hence interest has grown in policies that may ameliorate this
economic burden. And volunteerism is one such possible avenue. The goal of
this brief article is to describe volunteerism in Denmark, particularly amongst older adults, and what the future holds.
Italy
pension overhaul to get unions' input (September 24, 2003)
The Italian government said Tuesday that it was open to discussing pension
reform with Italy's labor unions - which had threatened this week to call
a general strike to protest measures to keep workers on the job longer -
but it gave no indication that it would budge on planned changes to the
country's bloated social security system. After meeting with labor unions
and industrialists to discuss the 2004 budget, which seeks to raise E16
billion, or $18.4 billion, from spending cuts and revenue measures,
Welfare Minister Roberto Maroni said consultations on pension reforms
would likely begin Thursday (Sep.25).
United
Kingdom: Pensioners feeling the pinch (September 22, 2003)
Pensioners are often reluctant to claim additional benefits
and, with fixed incomes, their living standards are very sensitive to
small increases in the cost of living. Evidence suggests many have found
that above-inflation increases in council tax, water bills, insurance
costs and other expenses are putting their incomes under increasing
pressure. BBC News Online spoke to three pensioners about how they are
coping.
Italy :
Older, but Not Better, in Italy. Despite
TV Show's Celebration of Aging, Pensions Draining System (September 21,
2003)
"Velone," a hit summertime television show that
featured geriatric women singing and kicking up their heels in a quest for
a $270,000 grand prize, ended its run last week with the victor dancing a
barefoot tarantella under a shower of confetti. The creators of the
series, the latest and wackiest version of the showgirl-heavy,
shake-your-booty programming that is a staple of Italian television,
hailed the event as a celebration of aging. But Italy as a whole is not so
much celebrating the elderly as ruefully trying to figure out how it is
going to care for and feed a population that is Europe's oldest. With
birthrates low and life spans growing longer, more and more people are
entering Italy's generous pension system -- and money is running out.
Already, more than 40 percent of income tax revenue is spent on supporting
Italians in retirement.
United
Kingdom: 'Action needed' to protect elderly (September 17, 2003)
The
government must take more action to protect elderly people in the
community, the Democratic Unionist Party has said. The party outlined
their concerns during talks with the Minister for Social Development, John
Spellar. The meeting followed an attack on a 96-year-old woman and her
daughter at their home in Tullylish outside Gilford, County Down, earlier
this week. North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds said too many senior citizens were
"living in fear" in Northern Ireland. "Newspaper and
television reports of horrific assaults on some 80 and 90-year-olds has
created a climate of fear amongst elderly people who feel isolated and
vulnerable," he said.
Shizuoka
/ Drive-through pharmacy helps elderly (September 15, 2003)
A pharmacist in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, who opened the
country's first drive-through pharmacy is also offering home delivery
service. The pharmacy, P Station Mikatahara Yakkyoku opened in June and is
located in a 360-square-meter space along a prefectural road in the city.
The owner, Hiroaki Suzuki, 40, has worked as a pharmacist at several
pharmacies in the city, and waited 10 years to open his own. He often saw
people tired and sick people having to wait in line to receive medicine,
which he felt must have been very hard on them. The outside of the
pharmacy has the appearance of a fast-food restaurant. Customers drive up
to the reception window, hand their prescriptions to the pharmacist, and
wait in their cars while their prescriptions are filled.
France
pledges to make elderly a priority (September 15, 2003)
A French Cabinet member said Monday, September 15 that the government had
been stunned by the scope of devastation in an August heat wave and
suggested it couldn't be blamed for failing to save thousands of lives.
The government has faced tough criticism from doctors, who say it didn't
react fast enough when temperatures soared to 104 degrees and stayed
there. Most of those killed were elderly and weak. "We were caught
off guard by the size, the brutality and the length of the high
temperatures," Social Affairs Minister Francois Fillon said,
testifying at a parliamentary committee on the heat deaths. "Nobody
expected such a big crisis."
United
Kingdom: Surveillance equipment to help elderly living alone (September
12, 2003)
Elderly people are to be monitored in their homes using
sophisticated computer surveillance equipment, in a pilot scheme run by
Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council. Sensors will be attached to doors,
locks, kitchen equipment, beds, baths and even toilets in the homes of the
elderly, under the Insight Active Care Environments Scheme. Is that an
attempt to improve elderly care or violation of privacy?
United Kingdom: 'Big
Brother' for the elderly (September 11, 2003)
It could be an idea for a TV reality programme: take a group of
elderly residents and monitor them 24-hours-a-day in their own homes with
a hi-tech computer that follows their normal routine, interacts with them
and tends to their every need. No, it is not the latest Big Brother show
targeted at an older audience. Instead, it is the solution under-pressure
social services bosses have turned to to deal with the ongoing shortage
and rising cost of care home places.
Germany:
Elderly still have much to offer our
society (September 11, 2003)
The young complaining about free hip implants for old people, and the old
grumbling about free university education for the young: In Germany, the
war of the generations appears to amount to a banal feud over who gets
what. But it is not only in Germany that the young are pushing aside the
old, since the same principle applies to global competition among young,
faster-growing nations and older, less dynamic ones. Yet new research
shows that wisdom, long thought of as an intangible benefit of growing
older, can be measured tangibly and put to practical use. While too many
elderly put a burden on society, too many young people can also pose
problems. And while population growth may temporarily relieve national
pension budgets it is a dead-end street on a global level. In view of the
world's limited resources, some are therefore considering the aging
nations of Europe not as a dying breed, but as a pilot project.
Italy:
Heat Killed 4,000 More Elderly (September 11, 2003)
The heat wave that scorched Europe this summer may be to blame in the
deaths of more than 4,000 elderly Italians, the Health Ministry said
Thursday, offering its first official figures related to the searing
temperatures. The ministry said 34,071 people over the age of 65 died
during the period of July 16 to Aug. 15, the height of the heat wave.
That's 4,175 more than the same time last year.
Japan:
A yen for a hi-tech life (September 11, 2003)
The ageing residents of Japan are turning to cutting-edge
technology in their twilight years. Mrs
Tanaka is 84. Today, as usual, she wakes just before 7am, slips on her
dressing gown and flips a switch to start water boiling for her first
green tea of the day. She's about to get dressed when she pauses. She
turns to the low table near the door, where a soft toy sits incongruously,
and greets it in her distinctive west-Japan accent."Good morning Teddy. How are you today?" "Pretty good,
thanks Tanaka-san," comes the reply. "Have you remembered to
take your pills? It's the pink ones this morning," the robot bear
continues.
Australia:
Loan push aimed at the elderly (September 11, 2003)
Big banks are targeting the equity in the homes of the elderly by
offering loans against the value of their house - to the chagrin of
consumer groups and those who value their future inheritance. The
Commonwealth Bank announced yesterday the establishment of a reverse
mortgage product which in effect swaps the retained value in a home for a
loan. The loans are aimed at maintaining a lifestyle not available for
most pensioners and superannuants.
Estonia's youth
ready to jump to EU while elderly stay cautious (September 10, 2003)
While Estonia's youth largely see the European Union as a land of
promise ahead of Sunday's referendum on joining, the elderly are more
cautious, seeing perhaps a better future for their children in the bloc
but little benefit for themselves. "There is no rise in pensions in
sight, but the prices are going up even without the EU," 68-year-old
Hilja Kukk, director of the Estonian Pensioners Union told AFP. "Even
our government admits that many prices will skyrocket in the EU, so I
can't imagine how the pensioners will be able to manage."
Japan: No way out: A future of
fewer workers and more retirees looks grim (September 9, 2003)
It may not be a glamorous matchup-Finance Ministry versus welfare
ministry-but it is certainly one that will help determine whether Japan
ages gracefully or tumbles into precipitous decline. Add vote-wary
politicians and grousing senior citizens at ringside, and you can see how
the debate could develop into a donnybrook.
Ghana: The Old Beggars
Who Should Be At Home (September 8, 2003)
Taking a brisk walk through the heart of the city of Accra notably Nkrumah
circle and other traffic joints during rush hours reveal a lot. Beggars
calling out is most outstanding. A number of these beggars are women- some
with children including twins. The most pathetic of them all are the older
women who should be nursing their grand children at home. Some older women
who look very sick, with some visually impaired are helped by children of
school going age to beg for alms. Others in wheel chairs are more
concerned about the money they get than their lives and cross on-coming
vehicles anyhow. According to a lecturer at the Department of Sociology,
University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Araba Apt the story of many African older
women are sad. Faced with widespread poverty, deprivation, illiteracy,
poor health and banishment, many older African women are still struggling.
France:
Lack of communication to blame for French heat wave crisis: official
report (September 8, 2003)
A breakdown in communication in France's health care system was mainly to
blame for the crisis sparked by last month's heat wave, which killed more
than 11,000, according to an official report. "An adequate alert,
watch and information system would have allowed those involved to act more
quickly in implementing measures to adapt the health care system" to
help those at risk, said the team of experts who drafted the report and
published it on Monday, on what went wrong during the heat wave.
China: “Grandpa Testee” Fulfilled
College Dream (September 3, 2003)
Shanghai, China – A 62 years old from Zhejiang Province went for college
entrance exam this year. He
scored 317 as the first “Grandpa Testee” passing the exam in the
nation. But his score was about 30 points lower than his desired
college Shanghai Professional Medical Mechanic School’s acceptance
criteria. To fulfilled his
dream, the school exceptionally granted his admission as a special testee.
(The text is in Chinese.)
Nigeria: 70-Yr-Old
Ex-Serviceman Dies On Pension Queue (September 2, 2003)
The article examines the present state of the Nigerian pension scheme for
military pensioners. The screening committee, which carries out the
exercise on a monthly basis, according to sources, is meticulous in its
work to ensure that only authentic pensioners are cleared to collect
pensions. Many pensioners, however, complain that the exercise is tedious,
especially for the elderly ones, and that the large number of pensioners
in the state further worsened the situation.
India:
Desperately seeking succour (September 9, 2003)
Ageing, it would seem, does not discriminate on grounds of gender. But a
closer look reveals the loopholes in that argument. In the Indian context,
it appears that men might not be as vulnerable to distress and miseries in
old age as women generally are. This is because women in our country form
a small percentage of the working population. They are thus denied the
retirement benefits that working men have access to when they grow old. A
survey conducted by the Calcutta Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology
revealed an interesting fact. While 61.23 per cent of the male respondents
cited economic problems as a major cause of worry after retirement, a
significant chunk of 40.9 per cent among the women claimed that they did
not anticipate any problems. This sounds ironical, especially in a social
environment where old women are constantly being edged out of their own
homes, and their children’s, once they are widowed.
France:
Paris May End a Holiday to Improve Care of Aged (September 8, 2003)
Pentecost is one of the most important holidays in Christianity.
The 50th day after the resurrection of Christ, it commemorates the descent
of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles. In France, the day after Pentecost
is also considered sacred, though for a far different reason. Workers get
the day off. Last week, Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin floated the
idea of abolishing the Monday holiday — one of 11 national holidays —
to raise money for improved health care for the elderly after last month's
heat wave killed an estimated 11,000 people, most of them elderly and
isolated.
China: “Silver Hair Car Lovers” Now Enjoy
Fast-Forward Experience (September 3, 2003)
Many driving schools in Tianjin showed there are more and more older
people learn to drive today. More
than 10% of the students were over 50 years old.
Among them, learners over 60 years old started to increase rapidly.
Days ago, the Police Department allocated the “Automobile
Management Ten Expedient Measure”. It stated that starting from September 1, the age limit of
obtaining a driving license change from 60 to 70.
(The text is in Chinese.)
China:
“Grandpa Testee” Fulfilled College Dream(September 3, 2003)
A
62 years old from Zhejiang Province went for college entrance exam this
year. He scored 317 as the
first “Grandpa Testee” passing the exam in the nation.
But his score was about 30 points lower than his desired college
Shanghai Professional Medical Mechanic School’s acceptance criteria.
To fulfilled his dream, the school exceptionally granted his
admission as a special testee. (The
text is in Chinese.)
The Netherlands: Cabinet to
punish early retirement (September 3, 2003)
If you are thinking of retiring early in the Netherlands, you better have
deep pockets. The Cabinet reportedly discussed a plan on Wednesday under
which workers who avail of the VUT system to stop work before retirement
age will have to pay a massive "advance levy" in tax equivalent
to a year's salary. The FNV, the largest labour union confederation in the
Netherlands, described the plan as "idiotic" and warned it would
go to court to "fight tooth and nail against the violation of
pre-pensioners".
China:
Yes to cohabiting, no to marriage for the elderly (August 31, 2003)
A growing number of elderly widowers and widows in China's
capital are putting an end to their loneliness, not by getting married,
but by moving in together. Social workers said this arrangement was being
favoured to avoid potential problems. Ms
Yi Mi, vice-president of the local elderly people's federation, said: 'To
some of them, walking directly into marriage can lead to problems such as
property disputes. Some children also dislike a re-arrangement of the
heritage due to another marriage by a parent.'
'Nursing
home' jails for elderly (August 29, 2003)
Over-60s make up the
fastest-growing age group in England and Wales, with 1,200 inmates - three
times the number a decade ago, according to the study. The campaign group
argues that steep rises in numbers have left the prisons struggling to
deal with the health problems of the elderly. Building the kind of
"nursing home prisons" that already exist in America could be
the answer, the group argues.
Japan:
Senior-friendly products good for all (August 29, 2003)
The population has been aging quickly, and in 2025 one of every
four Japanese will be 65 or older. As people age, their vision, hearing,
sense of balance, adaptability and other physical abilities inevitably
deteriorate. The loss of these abilities progresses over time. Many
elderly people suffer from multiple mild but progressive disabilities or
are on the verge of becoming disabled. Therefore, a society nearing a
phase in which a significant percentage of its population is elderly
should orient itself toward serving the needs of disabled people. In their
efforts to develop products and services for the elderly, businesses need
to bear in mind that they must also be serving the needs of people with
disabilities.
India:
Violence Against Elderly Growing (August 24, 2003)
The
examples of the increasing incidence of abuse and violence against elderly
people are provided in this article. An ominous trend likely to grow as
many countries experience rapidly aging populations. According to HelpAge
India Director-General, Maj Gen (retd) Inderjit S Dhillon, the
organisation has for the past three years been conducting workshops with
the Delhi Police to sensitize them to the special needs of the elderly.
UK: Pensioner home loan
warning (August 22, 2003)
Pensioners are able to obtain cash advances secured against the value of
their houses through equity release or home reversion plans. Under such
schemes, people over the age of 60 sell their home, or a percentage of
their home, to a lender who collects on the homeowners’ death. In return
they receive a cash lump sum, or a monthly income, or a combination of
both.
UK:
The looming clash of the generations (August 22, 2003)
Some writers predict a new intergenerational war looming in the West. For
once, youth could be on the losing side. Western countries need new social
policies that address the consequences of demographic and technological
change - but the baby boom generation that brought about the social
revolution of the 60's and 70's could suffer under such policies, and has
the numbers to prevent them from being adopted.
Food
label reader makes shopping easier for the elderly and blind
(August 20, 2003)
A SCOTS inventor has found a state-of-the-art solution to a daily problem
faced by thousands of blind and elderly shoppers. One in five Scots have
trouble reading the small print on food labels and medicines which warn of
potential allergic reactions. But
a group of Glasgow-based engineers hope to bring an end to the problem by
installing their futuristic invention in shops across the country.
China:
Hollow Family Increase; City Elders Longing for Emotional Care (August 18,
2003)
Beijing, China – According to a research from Beijing Marriage Family
Center showed, among the total population of 1 million 780 thousands
elderly living in Beijing city, female elders who lived in hollow family
were 29.36% of the total, and male elders were 42.56% of the total.
28.17% female and 31.47% male elders demanded independent personal
living space and expressed they don’t want to live with their children.
Though, the same research indicated that many elders wanted their
children to take care of their needs, yet because their children reside
far away or busy with work, they can’t take care of their elder parents.
Expert’s analysis indicated the country’s transition to a
modern society, role exchange during the process of modernization,
increase in hollow families and complication of family relation added much
mental and emotional burden to the elderly. (full text is in Chinese)
Seniors
A Go-Go On Italian TV (July 29, 2003)
After endless programs featuring
half-naked girls pawing at balding hosts, this one tries to turn the trend
on its head with a show of pageants in which each elderly woman sings and
dances for a big cash prize while her height, weight and age are displayed
on-screen. Some are appalled by the six-night-a-week program. The Vatican
newspaper said this sort of thing shouldn't be televised; women's rights
campaigners call it shameful. But many of the contestants describe "Velone,"
which can be roughly translated as "Big Showgirls," as a welcome
bit of fun in a country that often overlooks its sizable elderly
population.
Elderly
in deprived areas 'at risk' (July 16, 2003)
Seven out of 10 older people in deprived areas are victims of social
exclusion, a new study claims. The research, published on Wednesday, was
carried out for the Economic and Social Research Council and looked at
some of the most deprived areas of Liverpool, Manchester and Newham, east
London. It also found that 45% of
the elderly in the areas were living in poverty. And just 7% felt safe
leaving their homes at night. The report defines social exclusion as the
elderly missing out on material needs, social relations, civic activities
or basic services.
Adult health center to open in Waipahu
(August 14, 2003)
A new adult day health care and child care center opened yesterday
in Waipahu. When senior citizens exercised in Wallace Roig's class at
Waipahu District Park, they always left with a smile, his wife, Saiwun,
recalls. But in 1999 he was paralyzed by a stroke and could no longer
teach the class. The new Waipahu Community Adult Day Health Care Center
and Youth Day Care Center was dedicated yesterday and includes a room
honoring Roig. The center aims to continue his legacy of keeping the
community's seniors active.
Bulgaria: Saviours
of the elderly (August 7, 2003)
FOR many of the elderly generation of Bulgarians, life is a time of grey
despair, struggling to survive on less than two leva a day. Attempting to
bring light into the greyness are the American Red Cross, in co-operation
with the Bulgarian Red Cross, which launched a project last June aimed at
helping elderly, low-income people. Their intervention is timely.
"Elderly people are doomed to die," said 75-year-old Boika
Kutsarova from Lovech with tears shining in her eyes.
Malta:
Elderly
of the year award to be held in September (August 5, 2003)
The first day of October is dedicated to the elderly throughout the
world, and the activities organised by the parliamentary secretariat will
reach their peak on 27 September. The parliamentary secretary urged
voluntary organisations and local councils to nominate elderly people for
the prize to show their appreciation and recognition for the voluntary
work that was taking place in society. Nominations for the prize will be
received by Friday 29 August at noon.
New
Zealand: "Jobs
Jolt" to hit older workers (August 5, 2003)
A new plan to shorten the dole queues will also make it harder for older
workers to get a benefit. The so-called "Jobs Jolt" initiative
includes a move to bring in work tests for people over 55. Social Services
Minister Steve Maharey says it is going to get tough and suspend benefits
for those who refuse to work.Of the jobless, 8,000 are 55 to 60 years old
and on a transition to retirement benefit - they get the dole but aren't
work tested!!!
Knitting
for the Needy (August 2, 2003)
Mona MacKellar, 77, of Port Erin, said she called on friends and family to
help and the pensioners put their needles and wool into action. The
four women have produced more than 100 hats, gloves and scarves to help
clothe the youngsters after the daughter of one of the group, Mona
MacKellar, told them what was happening. The knitwear will start its long
journey to Serbia this week, but it won't be alone. Linda explained: 'We
were discussing the transporting of these things to Serbia when I
mentioned that the saddest people were the elderly refugees who are
without family.
Gambia: First
African Old People's Home Here (July 28, 2003)
Banjul - A
facility that is being dubbed the first old people's home in Africa has
been inaugurated in The Gambia. The facility located in Bakoteh is
perceived to be a "providential answer" for the predicament of
old members of society who may find it difficult to enjoy the care and
attention of hospitals already overstretched by the teeming number of
younger people needing their services.
Bahrain:
Elderly
to get new medical center (July 28, 2003)
Bahrain – With the growth of aging population and urgency to respond to
their needs, a community medical centre for the elderly is to be
constructed in Salmaniya. The project will consist of a two-storey
building with six general wards, three for males and three for females
with 22 beds each, private rooms, recreation halls, consultation rooms,
laboratory, pharmacy and medical records section. Other facilities are
administration offices, kitchen, cafeteria, laundry, meeting room,
reception and waiting areas and prayer rooms. The project is currently
under development stage.
India:Life
begins at 65 for theatre cast (July 28, 2003)
New Delhi - Life begins at
65. Just ask the mixed crew of amateurs, ranging from the ages of 65 to
96, who entertained audiences here with a rib tickling play to promote
their key message -- active ageing. The senior citizens of the
Chittaranjan Park Morning Club, gathered under the banner of Helpage
India. "The main purpose of staging the play is that one can make
one's life as productive and meaningful as possible, even though the
people have crossed many milestones," said Helpage director general
Inderjit S Dhillon.
Israel: Six elderly Iraqi Jews brought
to Israel (July 27, 2003)
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