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)
Six
of the estimated 34 Jews remaining in Iraq have arrived
in Israel. Among the six that arrived over the weekend
was a 99-year-old woman and her 70-year-old daughter,
another 70 year-old woman who was the last Jew in the
southern Iraqi city of Basra, and a blind 90-year old
Baghdad resident. The names of the six were not
released, and the Jewish Agency kept the mission a
secret until they landed in Israel. The effort to take
them out of Iraq was considered a humanitarian mission,
said Giora Rom, director general of the Jewish Agency,
the organization responsible for bringing Jews to
Israel.
India: The
Courtyard Of Earthly Justice (July 26, 2003)
For nearly five years now, Laba, a
journalist-turned-human rights activist, has struggled
against all odds to keep the Manipur
Human Rights Commission (MHRC) flag flying by
pronouncing judgements, passing orders and sending
show-cause notices to every arm of the government.
Everyone, from rickshaw-pullers to former chief
ministers, makes a beeline to his house to get justice,
pure and simple. Whether the MHRC gets a new lease of
life or not, one thing is sure: Laba will continue to
fight for people’s rights.
Massacre of civillians continues in Ituri (Congo)
(July 22, 2003)
The journalist of Agence France reports the
massacre of about 20 civilians in the district of Ituri,
located North-East of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The majority of victims are elderly, women and children.
The conflict between Hemas and Lendus, the ethnic groups
in the area, resulted in more than 50 000 deaths since
1999 and forced more than one half-million of civil flee
the settlements. Apparently neither the presence of French soldiers nor
Union military forces interfered to protect vulnerable
groups. (original text in French)
Growing old disgracefully (July
22, 2003)
Chrissie
Hynde (52), who was arrested in Paris
last week at an animal rights protest, says she's "too
old to be a rock chick". Her band, the
Pretenders, has been going for a quarter of a century -
but she is by no means its tamest. Hynde
might be less recognisable if she did not look almost
exactly the same as she did 25 years ago when she burst
onto the British pop scene with her now legendary hit Brass
in Pocket.
Elderly
Stage Protest Over Threat of Closure (July 21, 2003)
Decision of
Bristol City Council to close Rushlands Elderly Home has
provoked mass resentment and protests. Officers say
Rushlands and the sheltered housing complex next door in
Kirkby Road is the most suitable site to build 55 one
and two-bedroom flats as part of a £9 million sheltered
housing scheme. Rushlands’ residents and relatives have
formed Relatives' Action Group for the Elderly (RAGE) to
fight the closure.
Transport ordered to install
facilities for handicapped, elderly (July 21, 2003)
Philippines Department of
Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has begun
implementing the law that requires all transportation
system to provide persons with disabilities and older
persons with special facilities on-board sea-, air- and
water-transport systems. Transportation Secretary
Leandro Mendoza said that in implementing the Philippine
Plan for Action for Older Persons and the promotion of
the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities, the
efficiency, safety and reliability of transport systems
should also be ensured.
Canada: Top court to rule on
veterans' pensions (July 17, 2003)
Canadian
federal government has long been managing disabled war
veterans’ pensions, allowances and personal monies because
they were unable to do so themselves. However, no interest
was paid and often when the veterans died, the principal
in the account reverted to the government. The Supreme
Court of Canada rules on this class-action suit for
compensation on July 17.
Taiwan: Age disparity on the rise,
MOI reports (July 16, 2003)
The
latest statistics show that the percentage of Taiwan
people aged 65 or over has increased from 8.9% last year
to 9.1 percent this year. The increase indicates further
aging of the Taiwan population and the trend is even more
evident in the countryside and outlying islands.
UK: Elderly in deprived areas
'at risk' (July16, 2003)
The
research, published on July 16, was carried out for the
UK’s Economic and Social Research Council and looked at
some of the most deprived areas of Liverpool, Manchester
and Newham, in east London. It found that seven out of
10 elderly people in deprived areas are victims of
social exclusion. In addition, the researchers found
that 45% of the elderly in the areas were living in
poverty and just 7% felt safe leaving their homes at
night.
Australia: Retirement may soon be a
word of the past (July 15, 2003)
Australia's
trend to early retirement is slowly grinding to a halt
as more elderly are considering later retirement. Driven
by a desire for a more satisfying balance between work
and life, and a need to top up inadequate retirement
savings, Australia's baby boomers are rethinking the
dream of retiring in their 50s. Statistics show that
half those in the 55 to 64 age group are in the
workforce and that the big increase has been in
employment of older women.
New Zealand: Elderly angry over
driver retesting (July 14, 2003)
New
Zealand requires drivers aged 80 or over will retake
their practical test every two years. Many elderly say
that the tests are nerve-wracking and feel that are
being discriminated against due to their old age.
Statistics show that 71% of those 80 and over fail their
two yearly tests nationwide. However, OECD figures show
there is no need for mandatory testing. The New
Zealand’s Human Rights Commission is being asked to
investigate claims of "gestapo-style" behaviour by those
who retest elderly drivers.
Anti-Aging Middle East
launched in Dubai (July 13, 2003)
Streamline Marketing, one of the region's premier
event management companies, joined forces with the
American Association of Anti-Aging Medicine to
launch an innovative new event - the Middle East's
first annual 'Anti-Aging Conference and
Exhibition' that was held in 2004 in Dubai. This
description details the program
Australia: Our
elderly go hungry (July 13, 2003)
Despite
Australia’s global reputation for healthy elderly
citizens, a researcher at the University of Newcastle
warned the
inadequacy of nutrition among Australian older
population. Statistics show that
one in three older people admitted to hospital are
under-nourished in Australia. Experts say that the
government “should not be complacent about its
good record looking after the elderly”.
China
becomes an aging society (July 11, 2003) (in Chinese)
According
to China National Statistics Bureau, China has 130
million older people aged 60 or over, consisting of 10%
of total population. This represents the advent of an
aging society in China according to the UN’s standard.
Statistics show that China has about 10 million older
people aged 80 or older, who need caring. However, China
currently only has 40,000 caring homes with over 1
million beds for caring the elderly. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
China:
Elderly bearers of love (July 9, 2003)
Every Tuesday
afternoon, a team of volunteers, seven women aged
between 56 and 73 years, brings bliss and happiness to a
special ward in Linfen Hospital in Shanghai, China. Patients in
that ward, most of whom are the elderly, suffer from
cancer, with a life expectancy of only up to three
months. Volunteers comfort patients and make patients
always look forward to Tuesdays.
Fewer
young, more elderly in South Africa (July 9, 2003)
The
elderly population (65 years old or over) in South
Africa increased from 4.8 percent in 1996’s to 4.9
percent in 2001. In contrast, South Africa’s population
younger than 15 were 34.3 percent in 1996’s and in 2001
it decreased to 32.1.
UN:
Committee experts, noting important progress in
Japan’s legal framework, welcome new legislation to
foster gender equality (July 8, 2003)
The Committee on
Elimination of Discrimination against Women of the UN’s
General Assembly held a meeting on July 8, 2003,
discussing the progress in Japan’s legal framework. The
meeting raised the “need for adequate measures to care
for Japan’s elderly female population given the
extremely long life expectancy rate”. A Japanese
representative claimed, with an average lifespan of 85
for women, the current social security system provides
sufficient insurance for elderly women in Japan.
Malta:
Elderly urged to report drivers who overcharge (July
8, 2003)
The Malta
government has advised the elderly to report any bus
drivers who charge higher rates than those established
by law. To claim higher subsidies, bus owners have been
directed by their association to suspend the discounted
rates that retirees enjoy on bus travel. Instead of
paying a flat 10-cent rate, elderly people will be
charged at the normal rate of between 15 and 20 cents.
The government has pledged legal action against drivers
who overcharge the elderly.
UK: Over 60s reach for the mouse
(July 8, 2003)
A study shows that
a growing number of the over 60s in UK are online and
using the internet on a regular basis. Favourite
activities of these so-called silver surfers, who
represent 12% of internet users in UK, are sending
emails and collecting information. The research also
found that the number of internet users decreases with
age, from 29% of 65 to 69-year-olds falling to 21% of 70
to 74-year-olds. Overall, a quarter of those aged 60 or
older use the net.
UK: Making up for lost time (July 8,
2003)
Peter Preston,
guest editor of the Guardian and a senior citizen of UK,
opens a discussion of the power of the internet: it's
supposed to be for kids, but is it actually more
powerful in the hands of those old enough to be
grandparents?
UK: Pensioned off (July 8, 2003)
An angry guest
editor of the Guardian and also a UK senior citizen
wonders why life as a pensioner should be defined by a
set of cliché. He writes anonymously for fear of being
set upon by Saga.
China: Shanghai people have
harmonious relationships among generations (July 3,
2003) (in Chinese)
A new study suggests that more and more
families in Shanghai, China are three-person nuclear
families. According to the survey, more than 80% of
families have harmonious relationships between the young
and the elderly. More Shanghai people are willing to
provide economic assistance to their elder parents;
however, fewer choose to live with the elderly. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
Singapore Airline managers
compensated for earlier retirement (July 3, 2003) (in
Chinese)
Singapore Airline will grant compensation to
managers who work at the company for over 25 years and
who opt for earlier retirement. Voluntary retirees will
receive one-month salary for every year of service at
the company and four free airline tickets. Singapore
Airlines laid off 414 employers in early June. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
Brazil: The “passe
livre” law is unconstitutional (July 2, 2003) (in
Portuguese)
The Tribunal Justice Court of
Rio de Janeiro decided that the “passe livre” law was
unconstitutional in July 1, 2003. The law 3.339/99 gives
free metro and bus tickets to public school students,
elderly over 65 years old and people with physical
disabilities. The decision, however, will be effective
in August, after the judiciary recess, when the new
decision will have been posted in the “Diario Oficial”.
Consequently, this will be a set back to elderly people. (The
text is in Portuguese.)
UK: Age discrimination to
be outlawed (July 2, 2003)
Government proposals
that could see millions of people working until they are
70 have been unveiled.
Under the new proposals employers would not be
allowed to stipulate the required ages for a job or to
tell older employees they did not qualify for training
schemes. Furthermore, employers would not set compulsory
retirement ages for staff, allowing people to work until
they were 70.
Malawi: Group walks 50 km to raise
funds for elderly (June 30, 2003)
A Malawi group for elderly
people organized a record-breaking distance walk of 50
kilometres from Namadidi Turn Off (Seveni Mailosi) in
Zomba to Limbe in an effort to raise funds to buy blankets
for over 210 elderly people being cared for by the group.
The group’s financial adviser said that they had one
elderly person who died of exposure to cold weather. The group was
short of financial resources to provide better care for
them and turned to fund-raising for the elder cause.
China: Grandpa admitted to college
( June 29, 2003) (in Chinese)
A 63 year old grandpa from Zhejiang Province,
China passed the college entrance examination. Never
having married, Weimin Zhou waited forty years and
finally fulfilled his dream of higher education. He was not
able to take the entrance examination due to age limit
until 2001 when the age limit was lifted by China Higher
Education Department. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
Philippines: QC dads eye free movies
for elderly (June 28, 2003)
In Quezon City, Philippines,
seniors will soon be able to watch movies for free. A
landmark ordinance seeking to increase the privileges
Quezon City gives to senior citizens “to make life more
livable in their sunset years.” The proposal will give old
residents of Quezon City a 100-percent discount in all
local moviehouses filed at the city council.
Singapore: Call for council setup to
help the handicapped, elderly and young (June 26,
2003)
The Singapore government will
set up a National Council on Accessibility to help the less mobile in
Singapore get around more easily. Their focus is on the
elderly, the handicapped and those with young children.
They intend to secure accessibility from home to
destination and back.
India:
Television fails to address the concerns of the elderly
(June 25, 2003)
Aging people in
India increasingly are being left alone, prompting them to
seek refuge in their TV sets. However, a study shows that
TV programmes rarely present solutions for how the elderly
could cope with this loneliness and the problems they
face.
Africa: Meeting
Notes Increasing Abuse of Rights of the Elderly (June
24, 2003)
A three-day
meeting regarding the elderly in Africa noted rising
violations of rights of older people, and recommended
formulation of country policies to effectively address
their concerns. The meeting, organised by HelpAge
International (HelpAge) from June 10 to 12, brought
together a technical working group of various
organisations working with older people in 10 African
countries. According to HelpAge International, "the
pervading attitude among many people is that older persons
have outlived their usefulness, are unproductive and
over-dependent, and have not rights to claim."
Northern
China Province Adopts Rules for Seniors (June 23, 2003)
Shanxi, a northern
province of China, established new rules to better
protect the rights of senior citizens. According to the
rules passed in late May, senior citizens in the
province will enjoy various privileges, including free
visits to local parks and museums, priority to buy
public transportation tickets and to see a doctor, free
legal assistance for the poor elderly. The new rules
will take effect on July 1.
Cuba:
A second home for the elderly (June 23, 2003)
In Cuba, most of
the elderly live with their children or other relatives
who may be spending the entire day outside the home,
working or studying. Rehabilitation and recreation day
care centers called Casas del Abuelo (literally
Grandparent’s Houses) is one option to help these isolated
older people. Throughout the country, at least one such
center exists in every municipality, and all of them
provide socially relevant support to the hundreds of
thousands of people who go there. Despite low incomes,
Cuba’s population lives longer than most Western
Hemisphere countries, thanks to excellent social programs.
Japanese Group seeks to prevent
abuse of elderly (June 23, 2003)
Unable to cope with
the burden of looking after the elderly, many Japanese
families physically abuse them or cease caring for them.
To study the state of abuse and consider preventative
measures, a Japanese association for the prevention of
abuse of the elderly will be established in August. The
first such organization in this country, it aims to
protect the human rights of elderly people who have been
abused and promote measures to assist families and
nursing-care service providers.
Colombia's
elderly targeted increasingly in kidnappings (June 22,
2003)
Lacking younger
victims, abductors in Colombia turn to seniors to extract
more ransoms. For the past two years, at least 55 people
older than age 65 have been held by rebels. The oldest
known victim in captivity is an 84-year-old man. They are
among those least able to cope with the rigors of being
held in the jungles and freezing mountains of Colombia.
Hidden abuse of elderly emerging
problem for Japan (June 21, 2003)
The
stresses of modern life, compounded by a 13-year
economic slump, appear to be contributing to a growing
number of abuse cases in Japan. It is a problem that has
been largely hidden, partly because of the shame it
brings on families. The government has commissioned a
national survey on abuse of the elderly at home and the
findings are expected to help the government decide an
“appropriate system of intervention”.
Two thirds of Latin American elderly
has no pension (June 21, 2003) (in Chinese)
In Latin America and Caribbean areas, only one
in three people of 60 years and older is covered by
pension, according to the Conference on Aging Issues in
Latin America and Caribbean Areas held in Santiago,
Chile on June 18-20. Most of the elderly without
pensions are women. The region has over 45 million older
people, 44 percent of whom are living below the poverty
line. (The
text is in Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please
install the Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or
NJ star communicator.)
Taiwan: Stipend for the disabled
elderly reduced (June 20, 2003) (in Chinese)
An organization for the welfare of the
disabled in Jinmen County, Taiwan criticized that the
government reduced the stipend for the disabled elderly.
The government reduced the monthly stipend from
2,000-3,000 Taiwan dollars to 1,800 Taiwan dollars if
the elderly has other form of welfare stipend. This new
regulation affects the disabled elderly most. The Social
Department says that it will search for possibility to
make improvements for the disabled elderly. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
Japan: 10 percent consumption
tax eyed to cover costs for elderly (June 17, 2003)
To cover the rising
costs of Japan’s aging population, the government’s Tax
Commission advised to double the 5-percent consumption
tax and trim tax breaks for the elderly. The commission
believed that the “consumption tax should be hiked to 10
percent or more in the future because the government
needed to construct stable revenue structures to
smoothly provide public services such as welfare
programs.”
Japanese peak in old age (June
16, 2003)
With the longest life
expectancy in the world and one of the lowest
birthrates, Japan is aging faster than any country on
earth. Government figures released last week showed that
the number of people aged over 75 exceeded 10 million
for the first time last year. The total population is
expected to start shrinking within the next three years
due to low birth rate. Luckily, the elderly have never
been healthier or more energetic, and surveys suggest
that two out of three elderly people are happy to keep
working.
Japanese Government to study
abuse of elderly (June 16, 2003)
The Japanese
Health, Labor, and Welfare Ministry will conduct the first
nationwide survey on negligence and abuse of the elderly
who require home nursing care. The Institute for Health
Economics and Policy will conduct the survey with a sample
of 20,000 abuse cases. The ministry will issue the result
and establish preventative measures later this year.
New Zealand: Elderly want
politicians to listen (June 14, 2003)
The increased
cost of power in Timaru, New Zealand concerns the elderly.
Although they cannot strike to get a fair deal,
withdrawing their voluntary community services could be a
way to make the Government deal with their concerns over
increasing power costs and the uncertainty of supply.
Japan continues fast aging process
with 10 million elderly over 75 (June 11, 2003) (in
Chinese)
The
aging population in Japan continues to grow, with more
than 10 million older people over 75. Japan now has 23
million elderly over 65, consisting of 18.5% of the total
population. The government estimates that by 2020 one in
four Japanese will be over 65 years old. (The text is in
Chinese. To read the Chinese article, please install the
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
Ireland: Call for new laws to
protect elderly (June 10, 2003)
According
to the Law Reform Commission in Ireland, an
outdated and expensive legal system designed to protect
vulnerable elderly people should be scrapped and
replaced with a new, more flexible public guardian's
office. The current ward of court system allows
a ward of court order to be made to the elderly who are
mentally incapable. A new guardian system should offer
greater protection against abuse of the elderly, whether
physical, financial or as a result of neglect.
New Zealand: Taranaki's elderly have
support to stay home (June 10, 2003)
The
New Zealand Minister for Senior Citizens said that the
nation’s over-65s were not offered services that provided
them with the essential link between their homes and their
communities. In response to this comment, a New
Plymouth-based non-profit private organisation established
Access Ability program in Taranaki. With this program,
Taranaki's elderly have extensive support systems in place
to ensure they can choose to stay in their homes rather
than go into rest home care.
Taiwan elderly calls for stipend
(June 10, 2003) (in Chinese)
As Taiwan legislature
passed a bill to allow some government pensioners extra
stipend without deducting it from their pensions,
thousands of the elderly called the government to ask
when they will be allowed to do so. Local governments
are expected to implement this bill no later than late
July. However, local officials said that it would take
some time to implement this bill since many
administrators are still not clear about the details of
the bills. (The text is in Chinese. To read the
Chinese article, please install the Internet Explorer
Chinese language pack or NJ star communicator.)
UK: Inquiry 'to lift lid' on
elderly care crisis (June 9, 2003)
The
Bloucestershire County Council in UK ordered a public
inquiry into the death of an 88-year-old woman five days
after she was forced to move from her care home due to a
fee increase. The old lady’s GP said she died from “a
chest infection and acute stress and reaction brought by
the move.” Opening today, the inquiry, the first of its
kind, is expected to “lift the lid” on the crisis in
long-term care of the elderly in UK.
Australia: Elderly soon to outstrip children
(June 6, 2003)
A population expert in the University
of Tasmania, Australia, said that Tasmania would have more elderly people than
children within a decade. She also said that Tasmania
would experience more deaths than births from about 2020
and this natural population decline could not be
overcome through "replacement" migration.
Supporting
Intergenerational Relationships: Implications for
policy development (June 5, 2003)
Robert
Huber, a UN official, spoke about intergenerational issues
on June 5, 2003 in a meeting of the NGO Committee on
Ageing in New York City. He said that UN is seeking to
“combine a traditional ‘advocacy-based’ support for social
groups with a new ‘intergenerational’ perspective that
promotes communication and common agendas.” Mr. Huber is UN
Chief of Generational Issues and Integration Section in
the Division for Social Policy and Development.
China National
Committee on Ageing established “Silver Age Action”
for well-educated elderly (June 5, 2003) (in Chinese)
China National
Committee on Ageing established the Silver Age Action
program to organize well-educated elderly to assist the
development in the western China. This program mainly
aims to provide retired educated elderly in Eastern
China a chance to help the Western development with
their knowledge and intellectual capabilities.
(The text is in Chinese. To read the Chinese article,
please install the Internet Explorer Chinese language pack
or NJ star communicator.)
Norway: Elderly drivers face
tougher standards (June 4, 2003)
The Public
Roads Directorate wants to remove elderly drivers that
really shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car and will
now tighten medical demands for drivers over the age of
70. Only doctors who have completed a special course
will be able to clear aged drivers for a new license.
As Japan grays, it looks to its
elderly for inspiration (June 3, 2003)
With an estimated one
in four citizens to be aged 65 or older in the country
by 2020, aging stars are playing a greater role in
Japanese society. The society is getting a
morale boost from elderly stars including a centenarian
bar hostess, a prominent doctor in his 90s and a
70-year-old who became the oldest person to conquer Mount
Everest.
Taiwan:
Parties agree to loosen the eligibility for elderly
stipend (June 2,
2003) (in Chinese)
Taiwan legislature is considering a bill to
loosen the eligibility for welfare stipends for the
elderly, which all parties reached agreement on. The
Democratic Progress Party has yet to sign on the bill
because it doesn’t agree the source of the budget.
Representatives of Kuo Ming Tang (National Party) said
that the legislature would vote on the bill this Friday
if DPP still refuse to sign. (The text is in Chinese. To
read the Chinese article, please install the Internet
Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star communicator.)
UK:
Isolated elderly are invited to step out (June 2, 2003)
Research shows that a million people in the UK
feel trapped in their own home. Many older people become
confined to their homes due to low income, poor health,
and fear of crime. One fifth of older people are so
concerned about their finances that they will rarely use
the telephone or go out on social occasions. The
"Stepping Out" initiative offers discounted travel and
activities to isolated, lonely older people to promote
"active aging".
The Old Boys (and Girls) from
Brazil (May 2003)
The proportion of
Brazil's elderly is increasing more rapidly than that of
children. In 1980 there were 16 elderly for every 100
children. In 2000, there were 30 elderly for every 100
children. The Catholic Church in Brazil is focusing its
attention on them, this year.
Canada:
Tories introduce bill on forced retirement would let seniors
work past 65 (May 30, 2003)
The Ontario government took steps to
end mandatory retirement at age 65. The government was
announced the move in its April 30 throne speech. It is
welcomed by seniors groups but has met opposition from
employers and unions.
Phone
fraudsters swindle elderly with 'It's me' ruse (May
30, 2003)
Japan - Police are on the hunt for a
group of about 10 people who are duping elderly people
out of millions of yen by pretending to be relatives,
and then telling them they have caused accidents they
need to pay for.
Taiwan: Taipei Congressman
criticizes city reducing elder welfare (May 29, 2003)
(in Chinese)
Jiaqing, Xu, a Taipei City
Congressman, criticized the city government reducing the
elder welfare illegally. Xu said that the government
reduced the monthly welfare stipend by 10,000 to 15,000
Taiwan dollars by converting nursing stipends into the
housing stipend. City officials explained that stipend is
designed to assist nursing institutions, not the elderly
directly. (The text is in Chinese. To read the Chinese
article, please install the Internet Explorer Chinese
language pack or NJ star communicator.)
Singapore: College
graduates design special mechanics for elderly (May
30, 2003) (in Chinese)
To improve the life quality of the elderly,
graduates of Singapore University of Technology and
Science have designed 15 special mechanical devices for
their daily use. These devices help the elderly with
some simple housework as well as daily exercises so that
they don’t have to rely on family members or nursing
homes for help. (The text is in Chinese. Please install
Internet Explorer Chinese language pack or NJ star
communicator.)
UK: Village for elderly gets green
light (May 28, 2003)
In Litchfield, UK, a
£15 million "pensioners' village" will be built to
provide 150 sheltered homes for frail or elderly people.
The village will allow residents to live independently,
but care workers will be available to provide 24-hour
assistance. It will include a gym, Jacuzzi and steam
room as well as a bar, restaurant, village hall, general
store and hairdressing salon.
UK: Fear of crime 'trapping elderly' (M ay 23,
2003)
A survey by Age
Concern, a leading British charity, indicates that
almost 50 percent of the elderly aged over 75 were
afraid of leaving their homes after dark. Two thirds of
them believed that they would inevitably become victims
of crime, as they got older. Although a study showed
that people aged over 60 are less likely to become
victims of crime than those in other age groups, the
elderly were found to be worried about crime and
personal safety. How can we help the elderly overcome
their fears while improving the safety for the elderly?
Elderly
anti-logging protester stays in jail (May 22, 2003)
In an emotional statement
to B.C. Supreme Court Thursday, the 74-year-old great
grandmother refused to sign an RCMP undertaking
promising not to block loggers in the Walbran Valley on
Vancouver Island. "I don't think this court has ever
heard the complaints of the people of British Columbia,"
Krawczyk, who represented herself, "The way our forests
are being trashed ... the court colludes in that."
Special chairs for the
elderly (May 21, 2003)
Bahrain - The American Women's
Association (AWA) presented two reclining chairs,
specially designed for the elderly, to the American
Mission Hospital (AMH) yesterday. The presentation was
made at a special ceremony at the hospital.The event
coincided with the hospital's celebration of
International Nurses Week.
Health Care Eludes
Veterans (May 21, 2003)
Two and a
half years ago, World War II veteran Ernesto Tafoya
decided to enroll as a new patient in the Veterans
Health Administration system. His hearing was failing
and his back was giving him trouble. Many of his friends
who were VA patients were getting drug prescriptions
filled at dirt-cheap prices. It seemed like a good deal.
Tafoya, 77, is still waiting for the VA to give him a
doctor's appointment.
Lack of aid affects N.K. children,
elderly (May 21, 2003)
Shortage of foreign aid has resulted in mass
starvation of elderly and children in North Korea. As
reported by U.N high ranking official the situation is
highly critical. "I believe that only South Korea's
assumption of a leading role in helping the starving North
Korean people will galvanize other countries to
subsequently extend aid to them," she said.
Asia’s ageing population
stretching resources (May 20, 2003)
Asia is
described as the world’s most rapidly ageing region. One
estimate is that by the year 2050, Asia will be home to
almost two-thirds of the world’s population of people
over 60 and many will age in poverty. Due to longer life
expectancies and falling birth rates, Asia is rapidly
getting older. In many parts of the region the concepts
of retirement and pensions barely exist.
Making Ends Meet Not an
Easy Task for Elderly (May 19, 2003)
These are not the best of times
for Russian pensioners, especially those who have been
retired for some time. Older pensioners can't help
comparing their current plight with the Soviet era, when
a full pension of 132 rubles paid the bills with enough
left over to help supplement their grandchildren's
student stipends.
Advocates for elderly see care
bills as a success (May 19, 2003)
Hawaii
- When advocates for the elderly talk about this year's
legislative session, their words are laden with relief. They got what they wanted —
bills that protect Hawai'i's seniors and punish those
who abuse and neglect them — but it took weeks of packed
hearings, heated debate and last-minute compromises.
UK: Racism and quality of life of
older people (May 19, 2003)
The
impact of racism should be properly considered when
attempts are made to measure the quality of life of older
people among Britain's ethnic minorities, according to a
report on new research sponsored by the Economic &
Social Research Council. Experience of racism was one of
the clearest differences to emerge from a study of more
than 200 older people led by Jabeer Butt of the REU,
Britain's leading charity aimed at promoting race equality
in social work and social care services for black and
minority ethnic communities.
Korean lawmaker champions
elderly (May 19, 2003)
A Korean
reformist lawmaker yesterday submitted a proposal to the
National Assembly aimed at preventing widespread abuses of
elderly people's rights. Representative Kim Hong-shin of
the opposition Grand National Party said he aims to
increase the number of state-run nursing centers for
senior citizens and encourage them to report any rights
violations to law enforcement authorities.
UK: Don't force us to work beyond
60, say senior officials (May 16, 2003)
Britain’S
top civil servants stepped up their opposition yesterday
to government proposals to raise their retirement age
from 60 to 65. The First Division Association,
which represents the 3,000 senior civil servants, backed a
motion opposing a common retirement age of 65 for all
public sector workers. It also supported proposals to work
with other public sector unions to stop the implementation
of the new pension age.
Malawi: for the poorest,
food is still a problem (May 15, 2003)
In Malawi, life
is precarious among the poorest and many people are still
short of food for certain season. The Elderly People’s
Association of Malawi (EPA) develops day care centers to
encourage older people to help themselves and to find
alternative ways for income. EPA also provides food
assistance for the elderly through day care centers.
Budget
disappoints nurses, farmers, students (May 14, 2003)
Australia - NSW
Health Minister Morris Iemma today vowed to help elderly
people languishing in the state's hospitals who should be
in federal government-funded nursing home beds. Mr Iemma
said there was nothing in the federal budget for aged care
and he would take the matter into his own hands.
At home on a tip site (May 14,
2003)
Western Australia - They have few rights. They are not
allowed to eat vegetables grown in their gardens or sink
a bore. They have to pay much more for power than the
rest of the community, pets and public meetings are
frowned on and the earth under their mobile homes is
sinking. They are Fremantle's dump dwellers, a mostly
elderly community of retired public servants, nurses,
teachers, engineers, authors and painters living on one
of the State's forgotten and badly polluted tip sites in
South Fremantle.
Chinese
in Japan increase rapidly, mitigating Japan's aging
problem (May 14, 2003)
In Japan, the population of
Chinese youth has increased rapidly in recent years,
mitigating the aging problem that the Japanese society
is facing. Statistics
shows that there are 71,807 Chinese decedents under the
age of 15 in Japan.
Youth with Chinese passport in Japan has also
doubled from 17,109 to 32,880 in the past 10 years. (The
text is in Chinese.)
Australia: Growth in Commonwealth
Funding for Aged Care (May 13, 2003)
In
Australia, total Commonwealth Government funding for aged
and community care has grown from some $3.0 billion in
1995-96 to a projected $6.0 billion next year (2003-04) –
an increase of around 100 per cent. The 2003-04 Budget
represents an increase of $330 million over the 2002-03
Budget outlay of $5.7 billion.
Too old for a nurse (May 13,
2003)
The
British government is under pressure to clarify who
should finance long-term nursing care amid mounting
criticism that chronically sick and frail elderly
people have been forced to pay for care that should be
free. Since the community care reforms of the early
1990s, there has been confusion about the financing
responsibility of nursing care for the elderly.
Increasingly, health authorities are refusing to fund
the long-term care of elderly and chronically sick
people. It saves money, but is it legal?
Elderly get a taste of
the net (May 13, 2003)
At 75
locations around the U.K., Age Concern is offering free
net taster sessions in a bid to help older people
overcome any worries they have about using web browsers
and e-mail. Net-savvy older folks will be on hand during
the sessions to help novices and offer advice.
Consulting Africa's Elders On
Conflict Issues (May 12, 2003)
Civil wars in West Africa and Africa, apart from
destroying human lives and property, have painted a bad
image for the continent worldwide. Gone are the days
when kids use to get up in buses in order for adults to
sit down. In this day and age where poverty has led to
child delinquency and many children under the influence
of drugs and even participating in civil wars, one may
ask if asking for adults to mediate in conflicts will
make an impact. Even in Ghana where respect for elderly
counsel is still highly upheld in many areas, the
concept of Council of Elders has failed to even solve
internal political wrangling.
Russia celebrates Victory Day
(May 11, 2003)
Moscow - World War II veterans
donned their medals Friday for parades and parties
celebrating the victory over Nazi Germany 58 years ago,
while today's servicemen marched on Red Square's
cobblestones in the centerpiece of a holiday President
Vladimir Putin called "great and sacred" for Russia.
Putin said the "priceless unity" that enabled the allies
to defeat Hitler is needed again for the fight against
terrorism. In Chechnya, an explosion that killed a
Russian police officer and wounded two others served as
a grim reminder that war is as much a part of the
country's present as its past.
Pensioner from
Kazan has been sponsoring Mausoleum of Lenin for four
years (May 6, 2003) (in Russian)
In Russia, 89-year old
Hero of the Soviet Union, Michael Simonov has been
transferring money to scientists responsible for the
preservation of Lenin’s body. The termination of
government funds to maintain the Mausoleum of Lenin has
prompted alternative suggestions of burial of Lenin’s
body and closure of this historical monument. Mr.
Simonov, protests to that “I completely disagree with
those who suggest to bury Lenin! Mausoleum and Lenin
himself are integrating part of our history! In hundreds
of years, people will be coming to look at the leader!”
Mr. Simonov, as said by his family, is fond of
sponsorship, from his pension of the veteran; he often
sends donations to local orphanages and recently
invested 1000 rubles in a children’s library. (Full text
is in Russian.)
Help stop care home from closing
(May 6, 2003)
Norfolk County Council
in U.K. has earmarked a care home for closure, with its
elderly residents set to be moved into a housing with
care scheme in Sprowston. The authority is set to make a
decision on whether to close it as part of a cost
cutting measure on May 19. But John Philp, who heads the
Save our Springdale campaign (SOS), believes doing so
would cause unnecessary disruption to frail pensioners.
Pensioners unite in bus pass
fight (May 06,
2003)
Hartfordshire, UK - Pensioners' pressure groups in
Borehamwood are stepping up the campaign for free bus
travel and they have Tony Blair's Government in their
sights. Several groups from the town are joining forces to
form the Hertsmere Elderly People's Forum, and yesterday
sent a letter of complaint to Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Park Closure Tough on
Retirees (May 06, 2003)
Australia -
Where do
you go if your home is a "permanent” caravan, you live
on a pension and rely on public transport...but your
park is being closed down? Ocean Pines is one of around
30 caravan parks throughout the area which are currently
in the process of closing down, or being converted from
residential parks to tourism usage.
Reliving Nightmares of Another
Baghdad War (May 05, 2003)
Ms. Nuha al-Radi's shares her
experience of Iraq during the Gulf War in her book
"Baghdad Diaries”. "Anyone over 50 years old is told
that there are no medicines," Ms. Radi writes. "Doctors
want to keep what little there is for younger patients."
Burglaries, kidnappings and thefts snowball in the wake
of the war, and it becomes increasingly hard for many
people to make a living…Is the current situation any
better?
Elderly in Japan (May 2,
2003) (in Russian)
They have initiated an interesting experiment
in Japan. The elderly people are invited to work at
schools in order to keep them active in the community.
Children who have been living surrounded by computers
since a young age, enjoy talking and doing things with
the elderly. Older people teach them ancient arts,
martial arts, cooking and other interesting activities.
Elderly share their life experience and knowledge with
kids. They are not paid for the lessons, but according
to their words, they get
an opportunity to interact with children. (Full
text is in Russian.)
Elderly unionists arrested for
holding meeting in Negros (April 30, 2003)
A militant sugar-cane workers’ union
slammed the alleged illegal arrest and detention of two
of its elderly members in northern Negros, one of whom
hosted a meeting to discuss their problems and to plan
for the annual Labor Day commemorations. Adelina
Paglinawan, 70, and Dalmacio Castro, 55, both members of
the National Federation of Sugar Workers (NFSW), were
“forcibly arrested” in hacienda Amparo, barangay Mabini,
Escalante City, around 5:30 a.m. on April 27 by 14
members of the city police.
Care home closures 'akin to abuse
of the elderly' (April 29, 2003)
UK - Nurses told yesterday of the trauma faced by
elderly residents of care homes that are being forced to
close because the government and local authorities have
failed to pay enough for their upkeep. The Royal College
of Nursing voted overwhelmingly to lobby the government to
increase the level of fees paid to local authorities and
care homes, after hearing evidence that the eviction of
people in their 80s and 90s was "tantamount to a policy of
abuse of the elderly".
BEST bows to demands of elderly,
disabled (April
29, 2003)
Acknowledging the special needs of the
disabled and elderly, a new designer bus just stepped off
its pedestal, shedding all of 185 mm, to assist these
passengers.Called a ‘low-floor bus’ by the Brihanmumbai
Electric Supply and Transport undertaking (BEST), it will
hit the road on Wednesday.
Power savings slammed Elderly
‘already frugal’(April 29, 2003)
New Zealand - Grey Power chairman George
Groombridge said elderly people were already frugal power
users, and asking for further savings could lead to health
problems. “ Why is the Government imposing this on the
elderly? We’re quite concerned because it’s a blanket
cover and that’s disturbing. “You can have people who are
trying to stay warm by not using electricity and that of
course causes all sorts of problems.”
Ukrainians honour Chernobyl dead,
but veterans complain (April 26, 2003)
Hundreds of Ukrainians
gathered Saturday to pay tribute to the victims of the
Chernobyl disaster, the world's worst nuclear accident
which took place exactly 17 years ago, but many veteran
firefighters complained bitterly they had been
forgotten. Their pensions "have lost 16 percent
of their value since the mid-1990s, and they now receive
on average just 220 hryvnias (37 euros, 41 dollars) a
month.
Call to ban
doorstep salesmen (April 23, 2003)
The announcement was made by the
Trading Standards Institute (ITS) that door-to-door
sales must be banned. ITS chief executive, Ron
Gainsford, said pensioners are particularly vulnerable
to criminals passing themselves off as roofers,
gardeners, or plumbers; who often leave false names and
addresses so that they cannot be traced. "With the
rising aged population and increased home ownership,
this is an area long overdue for strict legal control,"
said Gainsford.
Across the Former
Soviet Union (April 21, 2003)
Feeding the elderly has been the core of Jewish
welfare activities in many post-Soviet countries. Now, in
Moldova at least, it’s time to feed the children. Among
those who have benefited is Yulia Litivinova, age 12. She
lives with her grandmother, who has taken care of her
since she was born. Her mother left Yulia at the maternity
ward when the infant was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at
birth. The grandmother and granddaughter — who is
homebound — live on state pensions that total $23. More
than half of the money goes for medicine.
Queen pays her Maundy dues to elderly (April 18, 2003)
In an
annual ceremony that has its origins in Christ’s washing
of the disciples’ feet at the Last Supper, the Queen
distributed purses of money yesterday to 154 pensioners
in Gloucester Cathedral.
Elderly women in village fight (April 16, 2003)
Two frail, elderly women are locked in a bitter battle
with the retirement village they have lived in for 16
years. The feud has made the women's health deteriorate
and has almost forced them out of their homes.
Elderly abuse growing as quickly as aging population,
experts warn (April 15, 2003)
The
world's population is aging faster than before, and so
are abuse and neglect of the elderly, the head of the
World Health Organization's Aging and Health Program
told a Montreal conference on elder abuse yesterday. "There are more old people in
the world, and fewer and fewer younger people to
provide care for them. So, rich or poor, we are
experiencing growing world-wide intolerance,
discrimination, neglect, and verbal and physical abuse
of the elderly."
Elderly become "muti" targets (April 15, 2003)
Help Age, a global NGO focusing on the rights
of the aged, says it will send a team to Malawi to
investigate elderly slaughter cases and conduct a survey
into the welfare of old people in the country.
Elderly start Songkran early (April 11, 2003)
Today, about 200 elderly
people and 14 retired officers joined in traditional
Songkran activities at Wachira Hospital this
afternoon. Songkran is officially celebrated
this year on April
12, but the festival actually takes
place over a period of four days. Each year, the
four-day celebration of Songkran consists of many
activities and The
Pouring of Water ritual is one of them.
Elderly NHS 'charges' scrapped
(April 09, 2003)
Benefit cuts imposed on British pensioners,
disabled and other people who stay long-term in NHS
hospitals are to be scrapped, Gordon Brown has announced.
"It's a hotel charge imposed on one of the most vulnerable
groups in our society. For everyone else in
our country, other than those on pensions and benefits,
hospital care is entirely free of charge.”
Elderly prove they
still have what it takes (April 07, 2003)
Elderly
Thai people in Krabi have shown that age is no bar to
business ability by first accepting a challenge and then
investing in an oil palm plantation which now makes a
profit. ``We are old, yet we can still serve our
motherland,'' says Mr Winij , a 76 year old former
chairman of the Krabi Network of the Elderly.
Money can talk faster than
reforms. Homes for seniors not all
created equal (April 2nd, 2003)
This article reflects
diverse problems that the homes for seniors in Japan
face today. The introduction of the nursing-care
insurance system in April 2000 was a big plus for both
homes and their residents. Financed by taxes and
premiums from people over age 40, the system gives
financial backing to both private and public
institutions to provide care-related services. The
article also mentions cases of abuse and rights
violation and how competent authorities addressed them.
Report from New York Nonprofit
Organization No.5: Global Action on Aging " http://www2.osk.3web.ne.jp/~osakanpo/musubi6.htm
There
are thousands of nonprofit organizations in New York.
Among those organizations, Global Action on
Aging has a small office in the UN building
but plays significant role of advocacy on global aging. Former GAA
intern, Hiromi M. Wimalasiri, wrote about our organization in a
Japanese article of the Osaka Nonprofit Center. (full
text in Japanese)
Sweden: Promoting
Excellence in Elderly Care for Deaf Signers (March
2003)
Sweden is one of the leading European countries in
promoting awareness for accessibility rights for Deaf
people. Gertrud Högström wrote a report, “Signing
Elderly Deaf People in Norrland,” for the Swedish
National Association of the Deaf. This website is an
English summary of the report, written in Swedish. The
report talks about the special needs of elderly Deaf
people and what the government has done to respond to
their needs as well as what remains to be done.
Dar Es
Salaam Tells African Americans: Come and Retire Here
(March 31, 2003)
Dar
Es Salaam Tells African Americans: Come and Retire Here.
Tanzania hopes to attract foreign investment from the
African diaspora in the United States by promoting
Florida-style retirement homes around Lake Victoria. The
US-based organization Africa United Against AIDS
Globally led a group of wealthy African Americans to
East Africa to discuss this and other investment
opportunities. (East African (Nairobi))
WFP hopes Iraq war
lasts no more than 6 weeks (March 31, 2003)
The World Food Program expressed concern that food in Iraq
would run out if the US-led war lasted more than five or
six weeks, leaving most vulnerable groups, particular
elderly and children, without humanitarian aid.
Latest UN population
figures in interactive database online
The latest United
Nations population figures (World Population Prospects:
The 2002 Revision) are now available online as an
interactive database.
A
Mai-Décembre Romance, Rekindled Onscreen (March 30,
2003)
French actress Jeanne Moreau, born in 1928,
continues to play great movie roles. In the recent "Cet
Amour-Là," which is based on a true story of one of
France's greatest 20th-century writers, Marguerite Duras,
she portrays a woman in her mid-60's having an affair with
a man in his 20's.
Banks deny older
people credit (March 29, 2003)
Age Concern, the
British charity for the elderly, says that there is
evidence of discrimination by financial services
companies. It says older people are often refused
finance after a certain age, in part because the
Consumer Credit Act 1974 does not prevent lenders from
discriminating on the basis of age.
Is this the next
scandal? (March 29, 2003)
The home reversion schemes allow seniors to get cash from
their assets, supplementing their income. But poor
regulation of this market from the Financial Service
Authority, UK, creates possibilities for the elderly being
cheated, and prevents providers from entering the market.
Elderly
reflect on China's transformation (March 28, 2003)
In a
high-rise apartment, near a street where Shanghai's
young people shop for European fashions while chatting
on cell phones, Zheng Jinlian summons memories of a time
when an emperor still ruled China. Her fine silver hair
is neatly combed atop a face furrowed by 103 years of
life.
As Japan's Women
Move Up, Many Are Moving Out (March 25, 2003)
In Japan, divorces among older couples have been
increasing in recent years. Tomoko Masunaga, of Tama City,
now 60 and an English teacher, wrote a book about divorce
when her marriage ended after 20 years.
Silver learners
(March 25, 2003)
The recent UK study says
that about one in nine in the group ‘over 55’ is
currently enrolled in learning. Studying modern
languages and computers rank higher among their courses.
The main point of the research is that politicians,
probably, underestimate the benefits of educating older
people.
Without walls
(March 19, 2003)
A project in Dorset, UK,
resulting from the collaboration between primary care
and social service agencies, provides a new type of care
assistance for seniors, best described as "homecare with a rehab
attitude." Providing care in patients’ homes helps to
unblock hospital beds and prevents avoidable hospital
admissions of older people.
'Panic person' gives peace of
mind (March 17, 2003)
If you live far away from your older parents, that
doesn't mean that there isn't a way to care for them. A
geriatric-care consultant offers unique services in
Montreal: she assesses the needs of her clients' elderly
parents and secures services for them, acting as their
patient advocate.
Work longer, says
EU (March 17, 2003)
The European Union is to issue a stark warning to Britons
that they should be prepared to forget early retirement
and work longer. The most comprehensive look at member
states pensions will be presented at a key EU summit this
week. Its main conclusion: workers should not be
encouraged to take up early retirement.
Elderly getting
“inadequate” primary care (March 14, 2003)
According to the primary care study, many elderly patients
in the UK may be receiving inadequate medical care,
particularly those in nursing homes.
Germany,
Japan add jobs for elderly care (March 4, 2003)
Rising numbers of old
people may become a drag on economic growth. For
example, over the past four years, employment in
health-care services has increased 7.9 percent in
Germany. Farms, factories and stores in Japan, Germany
and the US pared workforces last year. However,
service jobs can stimulate the economy as employees
use their earnings to make purchases.
La
grand-mère moderne : question de distance !
(February 28, 2003)
Grandmothers' next generation will be strongly
determined by the specific link which the women tie up
around the children management. If was needed a word to define
the grandmother, it would be the "distance", the one
that she observes in the relation with her
grandchildren.
Time
for Marketers to Grow Up? (February 27, 2003)
Multinational companies
are forced to define new strategies to face the
aging of the population worldwide but some still
prefer to concentrate on the high potential of youth
market in the developing countries.
Leveraging
the Age Gap (February 27, 2003)
The Federal
Reserve chairman appears before a Senate committee
to explore the impact of global aging on the
economy. The major issue is the wide gap between the
older population of the West and the vast
working-age population of the developing countries.
With their younger populations, developing countries
might be in the position to take advantage of the
so-called “demographic dividend”: falling labor
costs, a healthier and more educated population, and
the entry of millions of women into the work force. But
the picture isn't all rosy.
Court Puts
Value At 175 Million Yen (February 25, 2003)
Retired wrestlers need
to hold "oyakata-kabu" (literally elder rights) if
they wish to remain active in the Japan Sumo
Association. The Tokyo District Court ordered
the current head of the
Tatsunami sumo stable (former "sekiwake" Haguroyama, 69)
to pay 175 million yen to his predecessor in return for
receiving his rights to operate the stable.
We
have nationalized the elderly, as we are too busy to
care for them (February 21, 2003)
"When Westerners
get old and can't look after themselves, their
families send them off to live in big buildings.
They visit them once a week, if that, and let nurses
do the rest. Sometimes, they forget them all
together, and old people die alone and crying for
their families." That is what a Middle East aged man
told his children. The British author of this
article proves how much individualism has let us
forget about our duties toward the elderly in our
western rich countries.
National
and International Cooperation for
Social Development (February 12, 2003)
John Langmore, head of the International Labour Office
Liaison Office in New York, addressed how employment
strategy in times of an economic downturn can be used to
revive the economy and meet the service needs of the aged,
youth and the disabled.
Statement
of Mrs. Faith D. Innerarity (February 12, 2003)
This is the statement of Mrs.
Faith D. Innerarity, Director of Social Security,
Ministry of Labour and Social Security, for the country
of Jamaica, addressed at the 41st Session of
the UN Commission for Social Development on “National
and International Cooperation for Social Development, at
the UN in New York.
Making Global Trade Work for People
A recent UNDP report
appeals to multilateral trade organizations to shift
their focus away from promoting trade liberalization and
towards fostering development instead. The report cites
a lack of correlation between liberalization and high
growth. This document recommends adding four basic
principles to the World Trade Organizations’s agenda in
order to achieve this objective. Poor working conditions
mean chronic poverty in old age.
National and International Cooperation
for
Social Development (February 12, 2003)
John
Langmore, head of the International Labour Office
Liaison Office in New York, addressed how employment
strategy in times of an economic downturn can be used to
revive the economy and meet the service needs of the
aged, youth and the disabled.
Strikes are not included into job
experience? (February 10, 2003) (in Russian)
Ukrainian
miners-pensioners are going to start a lawsuit against
the Pension Fund because it did not count the time they
were on strikes into the total duration of their work
experience. The peak of strikes was in 1997-98, and
recently some miners discovered, that they lack a few
months of work to receive pension benefits after years
of dangerous and heavy physical work conditions. None of
those strikes was found illegal. But Pension Fund
authorities say that legislation does not reflect their
service for these periods and their benefit is thereby
lowered.
"Troppo
filo-americani" (February 9, 2003)
The Pope is worried
about the possible consequences that a war in Iraq
could have on the Iraqi population and on the
political equilibrium in the region. He doesn't seem
satisfied with the argument recently presented by
the US Secretary of State Colin Powell on the
demonstrated existence of a link between the Iraqi
government and the international terrorist
organization or the availability of weapons of mass
destruction. The Pope believes that a US military
intervention without the approval of the UN Security
Council would mean the "end of the United Nation
system," a vital system that has guaranteed the
world stability in the last fifty years. He has also
expressed criticism toward the Italian government
and its strong, unconditional support to the US. War
imposes terrible consequences on unarmed civilians,
including older persons.
Victims of
Nazism have received 406 millions EUR (February 7,
2003) (in Russian)
Senior
Ukrainians, who suffered during World War Two, continue
to receive compensation from Germany and Austria. So, by
the January 1, 2003, some 326,796 victims have received
406 millions EUR. The official from the Ukrainian
Parliament points out that some victims, because of the
different circumstances, cannot prove their right to the
compensation.
233,000 seniors in limbo on nurse
care (February 6, 2003)
At least 233,000 elderly
are on waiting lists to enter special nursing-care homes
in Japan. Ironically, the introduction in 2000 of the
nursing-care insurance system could be behind the
dramatic rise in the number of seniors. Potential
residents deal directly with the nursing home.
Hospitals accused of
neglect in feeding elderly (February 3, 2003)
Age Concern
Scotland, an English charity organization, noticed
that “uneaten meals
were re-moved
from elderly patients' bedsides without checks on why
they had not had the food.” Scotland is
working to find a way to increase the number of nurses
to promote better care.
British pensioners got SMS-mania
(February 3, 2003) (in Russian)
Senior ladies and gentlemen
in Great Britain are keen on mobile technologies no less
than teenagers. Grandmothers and grandfathers assert that
SMS is no longer a prerogative of only the young
generation.
Participatory
research with older people: a sourcebook
“The importance of older people’s direct involvement in
conducting their own analysis and using their knowledge
in advocacy and decision-making is increasingly
recognized.” Here are some case studies drawn from the
experience of HelpAge International’s partners and the
older people working with them.
Population Aging in 2002
Here is the Population Ageing 2002 data in form of wall
chart from the United Nations Population Division.” It
covers key indicators, such as the number and percentage
of older persons, life expectancy at age 60, statutory
retirement age, the percentage of older people in the
labour force, the potential support ratio, and the
percentage of the older population currently married.”
Gender and transport for
older people
This is an Help Age International Paper highlighting
findings of consultations with older women and men in
over 30 countries. “Transport was repeatedly referred to
as a principal concern. Transport problems are often
related to older people’s lack of finances to pay for
transport to health centers, markets, pension collection
points, meetings and social activities, leading to
increased feelings of
isolation. As this population group generally includes
more women than men, these problems are inevitably
gendered.”
'Our Loss Has Brought Us
Together' ( January 30, 2003
)
As AIDS takes a heavy toll on the adult
generations in Africa ,
grandparents and especially grandmothers are left in
charge of their orphan grandchildren, who sometimes suffer
from AIDS themselves. These families face intense social
stigma and criticism, and often the grandmother’s pension
is the family’s only support for basic needs, not to
mention expensive treatment. To help grandmothers cope
with the pain and struggles of raising orphaned
grandchildren, Sister Rose Letwaba of the Alex-Tara
Children's Clinic in
South Africa
started the “go-go support group.” Thirty grandmothers
come to the group to share experiences, support each
other, and work on creative projects.
Life expectancy
growth causes problems in Spain (January 27, 2003)
(in Russian)
There are more than 5
thousands people aged above 100 years currently in
Spain. Scientists predict that by the year 2020
there will be about 2 million aged from 80 to 85 who
need care and assistance.
Drug licensing is an
expensive pleasure (January 23, 2003) (in Russian)
Starting December 2002,
Ministry of Health Care of Russian Federation introduced
mandatory drugs licensing to reduce circulation of fake
imported drugs, whose share had grown recently from 7 to
12-13%. Experts from the pharmaceutical industry
predict that this will result in price increases of
5-30%, and pensioners will suffer most, as the prices
for the cheapest drugs will increase most.
Scandal of elderly mugged by post
(January 22, 2003)
Elderly
can suffer from legalised muggings like lotteries as
well as commission chasing life insurance agents. Some lonely
elderly suffer from addiction to illegal lotteries and
phony prize schemes. But legal protection and
restrictions have to be balanced against civil liberties
of the elderly, including “the freedom to spend their
money in ways others might think unwise.”
Komi. About 40
senior citizens of Syktyvkar gave up there apartments
to mayor’s office in exchange on material help
(January 21, 2003) (in Russian)
In 2002, 38 senior
citizens of Syktyvrar, Komi Republic, Russia, signed
an agreement with city administration for lifetime
material support. In exchange they gave up the
property rights to their apartments for the benefit of
the city. Each pensioner receives additional 500-700
rubles a month, and the sum increases to 800 for those
who reach 75 years of age. Pensioners also can get
free food and drugs, be
transported to the hospitals if needed, and receive some
other support. Officials say this service emerged in
1997, and the demand currently exceeds city’s capacity
to meet it.
Englishmen struggle for their
right to die (January 21, 2003) (in Russian)
A scandal has inflamed Great Britain around
euthanasia, after it became known that Swiss doctors
helped 74 years old Englishmen to voluntarily die. The
last four years he suffered from progressing
paralysis, and left for Switzerland shortly before his
death, where legislation regarding the euthanasia is more lenient than in
Britain.
Older Europeans are the biggest
fans of travel (January 19, 2003) (in Russian)
Milan, Italy, hosts the
second international exhibition “The Third Age in
Tourism.” The growth of the number of pensioners
reflects on the travel business: the number of older
people make up 33% of tourists in Europe, they take 300
millions of tours a year, and spend €13,5 billions for these
purposes.
Elderly and disabled will still get
postal service (January 8, 2003)
Irish
seniors and handicapped persons will continue
to receive their mail delivered at home even if outside
mailboxes are soon installed. The Irish Post office, to save
about 35 million euros a year, contracted for a supply
of 500 000 mailboxes. Several political
parties asked the Government to give up this project
because it would be a hard blow for seniors with a
risk of increasing isolation.
Wanted:
People over 60 (January 6, 2003)
In Nakatsugawa-city, Japan, a local company
manufacturing parts for home
electronic appliances, was recruiting part-time workers
but only motivated
people aged 60 or over.
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