ageing societies key transformation in the 21 st century economic security and social protection for...
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Ageing Societieskey transformation in the 21st Century
Economic Security and Social Protection for Older Persons
Jeffrey JamesHelpAge International
Rapid ageingtime taken to increase the proportion of older people from 7% to 20%
RoK Japan China England Germany Italy USA0
20
40
60
80
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2636 35
80 80
92 96
Rapid Ageing
• There are more people over 60 than children under 5
• By 2030 people aged 60 and over will outnumber children under 10
• 12% of Caribbean population 60+• Ageing well is a universal concern that is
relevant for all ages• Ageing is a key driver of non-communicable
diseases
Ageing impacts all spheres of life
No other force is likely to shape the social and economic policies in the 21st Century as ageing societies
Economic Security
• Social insurance programmes in place• Coverage varies across the region• Significant sections of the older population do
not receive a contributory pension• People in the informal sector largely excluded
Inadequate Income
• Many older people do not have a reliable source of income
• Only few countries have social/old age pensions in place
• Family is the main source of income security for older people in the Caribbean
• Many older people still work to support themselves, but are denied access to micro-credit
Public Assistance and Social Pension in Select Countries
Country Public Assistance
Old Age Pension
Monthly Figure US$
Antigua √ 95Barbados √ 276BelizeDominica
√√
√ 5037
Grenada √ 74
Guyana √ 50
Jamaica √ 15
St Vincent √ √ 66Suriname √ 151Trinidad and Tobago
√ 325
Inadequate Income
Anxiety
Stress
Low self-
esteem
Lack of nutritious food
Inability to
access health care
Health systems and ageing
Transition from infectious diseases
to
Non-communicable diseases (Chronic)
Health
– Main Chronic illnesses common to OP– Hypertension,– Diabetes,– Arthritis
– Other illnesses:– - Alzheimer’s disease– - Cancer– - Hearing loss– -Heart disease and heart attack– - Vision loss
In short
• We are living the success of Cairo 1994• Population challenges in 2014 are different • All countries are ageing as an irreversible
trend• These changes affect the core of each society
Actions Going Forward
• The Cairo vision must acknowledge the demographic transition from young to old
• Uphold the rights based approach to development, thus ensuring the enjoyment of rights throughout the life course
• Sexual and reproductive health rights must be affirmed through the life cycle, hence including older women in all reproductive health programmes
Actions Going Forward
• Ensure secure and dignified lives in old age through social protection floors across the life cycle and deliver universal and equitable health care.
• Ensure data disaggregation by age and gender in the Cairo monitoring framework