back
Want
to support Global Action on Aging?
Click
below:
Thanks!
|
 |
Population
Getting Older but Healthier
Scott
Capper, Swissinfo
July 7, 2003
The
Swiss population is getting older but its healthcare needs in years to
come will be lower than expected.
A
new study shows that the share of elderly people requiring medical care
should drop thanks to better prevention and medical treatments.
Currently,
up to 126,000 people - or 11.4 per cent of the population over the age of
64 – are not able to care for themselves in Switzerland.
Previous demographic studies suggested that the number could soar to
172,000 by 2020.
But the latest survey by the Swiss Health Observatory in Neuchâtel shows
the figure should not rise above 150,000, thanks to medical advances and
preventative measures.
“People are also benefiting from better living conditions, social
protection and a less strenuous working environment,” Valérie
Hugentobler, one of report’s authors, told swissinfo.
Improved treatment for senile dementia, for instance, could lead to 20,000
fewer people a year requiring medical care by 2030.
Hugentobler added that early detection and prevention could also delay the
onset and development of this type of disease.
Prevention
The
study’s authors add that prevention is key to keeping numbers of elderly
patients down.
Simple measures such as visiting the elderly in their homes mean that
problems involving hygiene and nutrition can be picked up quickly.
But Christian Lalive d’Epinay, a sociologist and the founder of Geneva
University’s gerontology institute, warns that better health among the
elderly does not necessarily mean good health.
“It’s a myth to believe that you can live a long, healthy life and
suddenly die,” he told swissinfo. “The older you get, the more fragile
you are.”
Lalive d’Epinay says nearly half of all people over the age of 80 are
dependent on fulltime healthcare in Switzerland. Around a quarter of the
population between 60 and 65 suffers from fragile health., he adds.
Healthcare costs
The aim of the study was to
consider the impact of an aging population on Switzerland’s healthcare
structure.
The cost of healthcare is among the thorniest issues faced by
Switzerland’s politicians.
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development,
Switzerland is the country that spends the biggest share of its gross
domestic product – nearly 11 per cent - on healthcare after the United
States.
Peter Meyer, the head of the Observatory, points out that fewer elderly
people receiving medical care will not automatically lead to lower
insurance premiums for Swiss households.
“The demographic effect on health costs has been overstated,” he told
swissinfo. “Personnel costs have by far the biggest influence.”
However, the Swiss healthcare system will have to tackle to increased
demands in years to come, according to the report.
“Switzerland’s healthcare structure will have to adapt,” says François
Höpflinger, one of the study’s authors. “Current medical practices
will have to give way to long-term, out-patient healthcare.”
The Observatory says authorities will have to review the financing of
healthcare for the aged. It is due to publish its own proposals early next
year.
Copyright
© 2002 Global Action on Aging
Terms of Use | Privacy
Policy | Contact Us
|
