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PENSION
US
Obama Makes Auto IRA, Retirement Savings a Focus (January 28, 2010)
The government is circulating proposals to help Americans save more for retirement. This article presents the major initiatives and some early reactions to them. The package includes programs to guarantee all workers access to a retirement plan through their jobs-with automatic IRA (Individual Retirement Account); expanding the tax credits that reward saving for retirement; and tightening 401(k) regulations to make them safer and more efficient.
WORLD
United Kingdom: How to Tackle Pensioner Poverty (January 28, 2010)
Although there has been a formidable decline in the number of pensioners living in poverty in the last ten years, there are still 2 million penurious pensioners. The government's system of 'means-tested benefits' is not effectively relieving the pensioned aged from their plight. The benefits are complicated and have not been easily accessed by some. A critical look at the means-tested system is necessary to abate the poverty of pensioners.
United Kingdom: Retirement Age Should be Scrapped (January 28, 2010)
A report by the Equality and Human Rights Commission suggests that the retirement age should be abolished. Employment policies should address the issues of aging working Britons and should increase working opportunities beyond the default retirement age. Workers of pension age contribute not only to the quality of the workforce and to their employers but also to the economy.
Trinidad and Tobago: Richards Tackles Property Tax
(January 14, 2010)
At the Opening of Parliament, President George Maxwell Richards warned that the recently passed legislation to impose property tax could bring undue hardship to retired people, particularly retired government workers and judiciary members. The President suggests that considering rising costs, stagnant pensions, and the indigent conditions of many retired public servants, it is time to review the pension policies.
Ukraine: Yanukovich Promising to Increase Pensions in Ukraine (January 11, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
Currently the average pension per month in Ukraine is 130 dollars and a minimum pension is 79 dollars, which is very low by European standards. Moreover, a significant part of the pensions has not been paid to retirees since November 1. The government passed a new reform that will increase pensions, yet it's not clear whether the reform will take place with a new presidential administration. In this article, the prospective new president Victor Yanukovich promises to increase the average pension up to 250
dollars: a minimum pension up to 150 dollars, and pay the amount to retirees that they had not received by the end of the last year.
HEALTH
US
One-Fifth of Nursing Homes Get Poor Ratings (January 28, 2010) In an analysis of data released from Medicare, USA Today found that one-fifth of the nation's 15,700 nursing homes received poor ratings over the past year. Medicare began the rating system of nursing homes late in the Bush administration. The system is based on quality, staffing and health inspections, as well as an overall score.
Early Menopause Can Result in Earlier Onset Dementia (January 27, 2010)
A new study showing that women who experience menopause at an earlier age could develop dementia at a younger age. The researchers studied women with Down's syndrome who are known to have an early onset of menopause. While the study focused only on these women, the findings apply to the general population. The researchers specifically investigated a gene that plays a large role in the development of Alzheimer's disease. They found “the research results provide substantial information on the relationship between menopause and dementia and the relationship between menopause and death.”
Better With Age? Seniors
Report Spicy Sex Lives (January 27, 2010) New studies from the University of Chicago show optimistic findings about sex and aging. In a summary of the studies, there is relative similarity of sexual problems across age groups. Within the group that stays sexually active into old age, these people function at relatively the same level as sexually active people who are younger. The research also found that just as healthy sex contributes to good health in younger populations, the same is true for older persons as well.
108-Year-Old Woman Can Still Touch Toes (January 20, 2010)
(Article also available in Arabic)
Catherine Reed, a Washington State woman who lived on her own until she was 107, celebrated her 108th birthday Tuesday. Reed was born in 1902 in St. Louis. She married at the age of 17 and she and her husband ran motels and restaurants in Missouri and New Mexico until his death 30 years ago. Reed can still touch her toes, although she has lost most of her
hearing.
Guided Care Participants
Rate Quality of Health Care High (January 19, 2010) A new study published by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health shows that chronically ill older adults who receive “Guided Care” are twice as likely to rate their health care as high quality than those who receive the usual care. Guided Care includes a registered nurse, two to five physicians and the support of staff in the office. The group develops a plan
for treatment, and the nurse monitors the patient, takes monthly tests, empowers the patient by informing him/her of the treatment, and ensures that no medical needs fall through the cracks.
Report: Caregiving in the US: A Focused Look at Those Caring for Someone Age 50 or Older (December 2009)
In a December 2009 report, the National Alliance for Caregiving staff looked at US caregivers who assist people over 50 years of age. The purpose of the analysis was to learn who they are, what they do for the people they assist, and how caregiving affects their lives. The report estimates there are 43.5 million people over 18 years of age, or 19% of all adults, who provide unpaid care for someone who is at least 50 years old. Most caregivers are
female and are an average age of 50 years old. The report also contains an ethnic and demographic breakdown of the caregivers.
WORLD
China: One of the Best Hospitals Signed
a Partnership With One Senior People's Home (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
On June 2010, a medical team from Wujing Hospital will open an office in a home for senior people in Beijing and provide them professional medical treatment. This is the first case of such a practice in Beijing.
Panama: Older Adults
Need Less Sleep Than Young People (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Spanish)
A study published by SLEEP, the official organ of the U.S. Academy of Sleep Medicine and Sleep Research Society, showed that sleep time declines progressively and significantly with age. The study was
conducted on adults of different age groups that are in good health. The researchers found that people
between the age of 66 and 83 sleep 20 minutes less than people between 40 and 55, who sleep 23 minutes less than people between 20 and 30. The study also found that deep sleep--the most important
phase--also declines with age. China: Dementia Senior Shouting and Yelling; Most Homes for Seniors Refused to Accept Her (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
Qingdao has more than 79 homes for seniors in the metropolitan area. However, the homes are reluctant to accept a woman with disruptive behavior, emphasizing their need to use medications to control her behavior. Very few agreed to admit her because of the special care required.
Report: Australia: Overweight Older Persons Have Lower Mortality Risk
(February 2010)
Researchers detail in a new Australian study that overweight men and women aged 70-75 years have 13% less risk of dying than those who are normal weight. It also found that being sedentary doubled mortality risk across weight class and gender. The study shows that the World Health Organization’s standards for Body Mass Index, or the ratio of height to weight, for older people is overly restrictive. Overweight older people are not at a greater mortality risk than those who are a normal weight.
World: Overweight Elderly Less Likely to Die (January 28, 2010)
Australian researchers say that overweight adults age 70 and older are less likely to die over a 10-year period compared with normal weight adults. Lead researcher Leon Flicker of the University of Western Australia said the finding calls into question current body mass index guidelines for older adults.
Brazil: Bit of Alcohol May Benefit Aging Brain (January 28, 2010)
Brazilian researchers claim that light drinking might help older persons stay mentally sharp, while heavy drinkers are at a higher risk of dementia. The study looked at about 1,200 people over the age of 60 years old living in Brazil, tracking their alcohol consumption in relation to their cognitive functioning and health status. The report will be released this coming April in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research.
Spain: Weight Lifting is
Good for the Mind of Older People (January 28, 2010)
(Article in Spanish)
A recent study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine discovered that practicing weight lifting could improve the cognitive functions of older people, especially older women. The study was done on women between the ages of 65 to 70 who had never practiced weight lifting. It is known that physical activity is very beneficial to the brain of older people but now researchers have found new reasons to declare exercise a tool for healthy ageing.
Australia: The Real Cost of a Long Life (January 28, 2010)
As medical treatment modernizes, it also grows more expensive. Procedures that were once rare and only mentioned in movies, like hip replacements and radiation treatment, are now commonplace and come with a high price tag. In Australia, public policy officials are preparing for the boom in the aging population to determine ways to help subsidize medical treatment.
United Kingdom: Martin Amis Calls For Euthanasia Booths on Street Corners (January 24, 2010)
The well-known British novelist, Martin Amis, calls for euthanasia booths on street corners for the elderly who want to end their lives. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Amis said he fears the “silver tsunami” of aging baby boomers and wants “a way out for rational people who've decided they're in the negative.” On a personal level, he is also worried about the death of his own talent as a writer, but this time has yet to come, as he is about to release a new long-awaited novel.
World: Three Proteins May Lead to Alzheimer's (January 20, 2010)
Researchers from the Translational Genomics Research Institute in Phoenix have identified three kinases-or proteins--that dismantle connections within brain cells. Dr. Travis Dunckley, the senior author, and colleagues created tests to look at all 572 known and theoretical kinases within human cells and identified 26 associated with the formation of tau and the three found to cause tau dysfunction.
World: Aging Is
an Opportunity for Industry (January 18, 2010)
(Article in French)
With the aging of the population--in Europe as in other parts of the world--the issue of the dependence of older persons will become a major one. However, we already face a workforce shortage in this
sector and financial difficulties. One of the solutions could be to develop “gerontechnologies,” technologies adapted to the specific needs of older persons. In Japan, the leader in the domestic robot market, the baby seal robot Paro can keep persons suffering from cognitive deficits company and can, according to studies in nursing homes, lead to psychic improvements.
Belorussia: Half of Belorussian Population Has Chronic Diseases (November 3, 2009)
(Article in Russian)
The Ministry of Healthcare of Belorussia has checked 75.3% of the population for chronic diseases. Many were older people. The results were not comforting because only 19.1% of the population turned out to be healthy and 47% had chronic diseases. Most of these chronic diseases are cardiovascular in nature. However, the main problem is that many older people acquire these diseases and then don't treat them properly, refusing to follow doctors' prescriptions. Instead, they follow their neighbors' advice.
Report: United Kingdom:
ILC-UK and Actuarial Profession Joint “Green Paper” Debate: The Future of Funding Long-term Care for Older People (November 2009)
The International Longevity Center of the UK recently released a report of a November 2009 debate on the future of funding long-term care for older people. Inviting thinkers from across fields, the report outlines speakers’ various approaches on funding models for the future. Themes in the report include mandatory versus voluntary insurance for long-term care, potential risks of various options, social effects, and many others.
Report: Canada: Integrated Services Delivery for Frail Elderly Persons:
Experimentation of a Model for Canada (March 2008)
(Report in French)
Frail older persons with diseases rely on help from social and health care programs, which in Canada are still fragmented. SIPA (Services intégrés pour les personnes âgées fragiles) is an integrated service model based on community services, a multidisciplinary team and a case management. The SIPA demonstration project’s result are encouraging: the proportion of persons waiting in acute care hospitals for nursing home placement was twice as high in the control group as in the SIPA group. Moreover, the costs of acute hospitalizations for persons in the SIPA group with ADL disabilities were at least $4,000 lower than those persons in the control group.
ELDER
RIGHTS
US
A 'Robbed Twice' Kind of Feeling (January 29, 2010)
Joe Van Slyke awoke last March to find two women in her room. They told her they were new nurses at the Sugar Land assisted living center where Van Slyke lives. After discovering missing belongings and tampered funds, police arrested the two women on counts of burglary. Since the incident, Van Slyke has had extreme difficulty recovering lost funds from Washington Mutual (now Chase), but will not relinquish her efforts to pursue justice.
Elder Abuse Legislation Moves Forward (January 19, 2010)
In Alabama, efforts are under way that could help improve elder abuse reporting as well as make stiffer laws for those who take advantage of Alabama's senior population. Rep. Tammy Irons has introduced legislation that would establish the Interagency Council for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, also known as the Elder Abuse Prevention Act. Irons said she also would like to see the interagency committee look into establishing stronger laws for people who abuse the elderly.
WORLD
China: Senior Grandma Learns English (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
Liu Mian lives in Suian Zhangpu County, Fu Jian Province. She started to learn English at the age of 66. Now after eight years she can have basic conversations in English. At the senior English class party on January 1, she sang “You and Me,” the theme song of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
China: 256 Senior Universities in Xiamen While Most Community Senior Universities Are Not Functional (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
In Xiamen, senior people at the age of 60 and over account for 12.4% of the number of total citizens. Although over 50% of seniors are willing to learn something new, senior education is still marginalized. The main reason seniors do not attend the schools is that universities for seniors are not located near their homes.
China: Loneliness Became
the Main Concern of “Kong Chao Lao Ren”; they Feel the Society Has Abandoned Them (February 1, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
“Kong chao lao ren” refers to seniors who live alone because of their children's absence for study, work or marriage. Living alone makes them feel lonely and depressed. This phenomenon has become an important social problem.
United Kingdom: House Prices Prevent 1.5 Million Adults Looking After Elderly
Parents (February 1, 2010)
One and half million adults are unable to look after their elderly parents because they cannot afford to live near them, leaving families with little choice but to sell homes to pay for expensive private care, according to research released today. Although the
government's green paper on families, released last month, described grandparents as the "unsung heroes when it comes to informal care arrangements for children," the housing charity Shelter said the survey it commissioned showed that a lack of affordable homes is isolating and fracturing families.
Philippines: 1,000 Grandparents to March to Mendiola (January 31, 2010)
One thousand senior citizens are scheduled to march from Morayta to Mendiola in Manila Monday morning to press President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to sign the Congress-ratified Expanded Senior Citizens' Act immediately. Fransiskus Kupang, executive director of Coalition of he Services for the Elderly (COSE) said, “We are entitled to the additional benefits specified in he bill. We will fight for our rights to better social protection. We will show our determination with a march to Mendiola. The bill has to be signed.” If passed, the Expanded Senior Citizens' Act seeks better social protection for the country's seven million elderly, including but not limited to additional medical services and insurance, assistance with utilities and a tax exemption.
Australia: Jail Those Who Hurt Elderly, Say Police (January 30, 2010)
A disturbing increase in attacks on Queensland's most vulnerable people has police calling for offenders who assault the elderly to be jailed automatically. A series of high-profile attacks in the past 12 months has added to the perception that elderly people are increasingly at risk of violence. Queensland Police Union president Ian Leavers said people convicted of assaults on people older than 65 should be automatically jailed for a minimum of three months. Police have becoming increasingly frustrated with arresting people who commit crimes of extreme violence only to have the courts impose little or no actual jail time.
Cambodia: Association to
Unite Capital's Senior Citizens (January 29, 2010)
The Ministry of Social Affairs has established Phnom Penh 's first Association for the Elderly, one of hundreds that have been set up nationwide to assist Cambodia's senior citizens. Members of the association are required to pay dues of 2,000 riels (about U.S. $0.50) per month, which are used to provide financial assistance to members who become sick or injured. “We wanted to establish this Association for the Elderly because it expresses that we are paying attention to the old people, not only in the province but also in the city,” said Dr. Pay Sambo, deputy director of the retirement and pensions department at the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation.
Europe: Spanish EU Presidency and European Commission
Commit to Combat Poverty Among Older People (January 26, 2010)
(Article also available in French)
At the 2010 European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion opening conference held January 21 in Madrid , both the Spanish Prime Minister Zapatero (on behalf of the EU Presidency) and the President of the European Commission Barroso highlighted the issue of persisting poverty among older people. To resolve this problem, President Barroso placed an emphasis on instruments such as economic growth and job creation while the Spanish Prime Minister urged the inclusion of a strong social pillar within the new EU2020 Strategy.
Burkina Faso: A Review of Laws for Legal Protection of Older Persons (January 26, 2010)
(Article in French)
In Burkina Faso, older persons suffer from discrimination and violence, particularly older
women, who are banished because people think they are witches. To solve this
problem, some associations organized a workshop on January 22 to find solutions to
improve the current laws that are not clear concerning the rights of older persons. Those associations based their suggestions on a study by a legal consultant and will pass their proposition on to the authorities.
Taiwan: Index of Aging Breaks Record (January 23, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
According to a recent study, the population of people over age 65 reached 2,457,468 last year in Taiwan, which accounts for up to 10.63 percent of its total population. Its index of aging has been increasing, showing that Taiwan is aging at a relatively fast pace.
France: Grandpas Ghetto (January 19, 2010)
(Article in French)
Small villages for older persons are the new alternative to nursing homes--a new concept developed in France. For instance, “Les Chasselas,” thirty houses in a high security village in the south of France welcomes rich seniors who want to avoid isolation without losing their independence. However, the residents are not really participating in many group activities and some of them are lonely. The concept of regrouping older persons in villages almost closed to the outside world is questionable.
Ukraine: Police Break up Retirees
Under the Walls of Timoshenko (January 13, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
As a protest against the government's actions in social security, retirees from the Party of Regions gathered in front of the Executive Ministry building. However, the protest didn't last long because policemen assaulted the retirees and broke up the demonstration. Apparently, Julia Timoshenko, who is a candidate for the post of the President, is using these methods to reach the highest office in the country. Retirees and other citizens voting at the second round of elections for the President should make their wishes known if they want a positive change in their society.
India: A Mixed Feeling about India's Population (January 13, 2010)
(Article in Chinese)
The United States Bureau of Census recently announced that India is going to overtake China to become the country with most population in the world by 2025. China is facing severe social problems coping with its aging population. While some people welcome the fact about India's population increase, it imposes a question of what kind of impact it may bring to the country.
Belorussia: Unemployment Benefits Will Increase (January 5, 2010)
(Article in Russian)
In 2010 the Belorussian government promises to help the unemployed with unemployment benefits. This is relevant to older people because if they can show that they can still work and are still looking for a job, then they can apply for benefits. The main issue, however, is that the amount of the benefits is so
low (equivalent to $14.50 per month) that it is humiliating for people to apply for them. Leonid Zlotnkov says that even if unemployment benefits increase in the pre-election year, the
raise will not be significant.
Report: Europe: Poverty Risks for Older People in EU Countries – An Update (January 2010)
Authors of this Policy Brief provide the latest evidence on how EU countries differ in terms of poverty risks for older people (aged 65 years and over). EU-SILC data for 2008 show that, on average, older people face a higher poverty risk rate than the total population: the rate for older people was 19% as opposed to rate for the total population of 17%. In general, countries with low poverty risk rates for older people have a good social safety net, usually a basic pension
(e.g, the Netherlands) and/or they offer strong redistribution of earnings-related contributory pension schemes in the form of minimum guaranteed pensions
(e.g, Austria).
Tajikistan: Because of the Construction of Rogun Hydroelectric Plant 30,000 People
Will be Displaced (November 6, 2009)
(Article in Russian)
More than 30,000 people will be forced out of their native town as a result of the construction of a new hydroelectric plant on the river
Vahsh. The issue is that older people do not want to move out of the area because they have lived in the same place all their lives. The government plans to pay older people $16-46 thousand dollars in domestic currency for their new place. However, according to the latest information, the government is willing to pay only $7-16 thousand dollars of the estimated price for those houses. Moreover, the whole sum will not be paid up front, but only in parts at different time intervals. Therefore, it's not clear whether older people will receive full
compensation for their lost houses and whether they will receive any additional help after moving to a new location.
ARMED CONFLICT AND EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
WORLD
France: In Haiti, Older Persons Feel They Have Been Forgotten (January 23, 2010)
(Article in French)
In emergency situations, rescuers tend to focus their assistance on children and
pregnant women and to forget older persons. This article illustrates this tendency with the example of the residents of a nursing home destroyed by the recent earthquake that hit Haiti. Ten days after the quake, the 71 residents still don't have access to food, water or any kind of assistance. Some NGOs such as HelpAge International recently discovered those forgotten older persons and are now trying to help them.
Haiti: Woman, 84, Rescued Alive 10 Days After Haiti Quake (January 22, 2010)
(Article also available in Arabic)
An 84-year-old woman was pulled alive by rescuers from under a wrecked building in Port-au-Prince on Friday, 10 days after the earthquake that devastated much of the Haitian capital, the doctor who treated her said.
AGING
WATCH AT THE UN
WORLD
Aging Watch: Convention on Older Persons
Has ‘Real Capacity for Change’ (February 1,
2010)
The Madrid Plan on Ageing is a good start “but not enough” to fully protect the rights of the world’s older people, according to Maria Luz Melon, First Secretary of the Mission of Argentina to the United Nations. She advocates for an international convention on the rights of older persons. While a convention may be the “most ambitious” among the options being considered, it’s also the option “that has the real capacity for change,” she said. Melon, one of
four speakers who will offer regional perspectives on the need for a human rights instrument for older people, will outline her position at a Feb. 4 side event during the UN Commission on Social Development. Following the success of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Melon, on behalf of her
Government, Argentina, is committed to bringing immediate awareness to global aging issues.
GAA BLOG
Art for Refugees in Transition: an International Example of Intergenerational Solidarity (February 3, 2010)
GAA Program Coordinator, Magali Girod, met with Sara Green, Executive Director of Art for Refugees in Transition
(A.R.T.) to discuss the situation of older Burmese men and women in refugee camps in Thailand. Humanitarian organizations give priority to food, water and shelter when refugees arrive in camps. Preserving culture is not a priority. Nevertheless, rebuilding community in the camps helps when refugees must return to their homes or adapt to a completely new environment.
A.R.T. provides the framework for cultural activities to link generations together so they can learn from each other.
Blog Series by Aukje de Vries' Diary (February 2, 2010)
GAA's blogger Aukje de Vries' Diary looks at three different topics this week:
local elections in the Hague and involvement of older persons' organizations; how
neighbors relate to each other in offering -or not- help when needed; and how
questionnaires
poorly designed can be a waste of money and time. If you too have experienced such
situations, let us know and react to Aukje de Vries' Diary by writing a
comment at the end of the blog post.
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