Ageing Elder people in the European Community
Geography Assignment
Ageing - Elder people in the European Community
Introduction
Old age has been described to be one of the largest problems facing modern day society. Improved healthcare, education and lifestyle have all been significant factors in this seeming surge of people who are living to the age of 60+ and far beyond. As can be seen, this influx of older people are having a dramatic effect on the way countries are organising their economic structures, or in most cases they way they are not.
When considering the aspects of older people in the community, the term 'old age' must be understood, although presently it cannot be seen that there is a definitive term that can describe it. It could be said that old age is very much a state of mind rather than a set number of years designated by a particular government or organisation. "You are only as old as you feel" would be an excellent phrase to describe this, with most people who according to social rule have been designated as old, do not feel particularly old. Although retirement age is generally seen as the entry point into old age, this differs from country to country, so again this cannot be definitive.
For this document, the exact entry point to old age is insignificant, what is important to reaslise is that the numbers of old people are increasing, and they are doing so at an alarming rate.
What regions of the world is experiencing increase in old age?
Old age or ageing is a recurring problem that is starting to become evident in countries not just confined to the developed countries of Europe, but to countries over the whole world. Massive changes are happening to population structures that are showing huge increases in old age in most developed countries, but even larger ones are being seen in the undeveloped countries. This is a process that has been occurring most prolifically in the last 30 or so years but has been happening for over 100 years in some countries such as the UK, with different countries at different stages in their increasing old aged population.
Notably, It can be seen that many of the EC countries are experiencing growth in percentages of old age in both absolute and the proportionate numbers of older people. This means that the percentage of older people is increasing when in direct comparison with younger age groups and also the actual quantities of older people are increasing in these countries. In the European Community alone, it was estimated that there were about 64 million people aged 60 and over representing about a fifth of the total population. By 2020, this figure is expected to rise very sharply so that one quarter of the E.C.'s population will be 60+ within the next two decades.
Although as pointed out, this reference to an increase in old age varies, and there is no uniformed definition of when old age begins, so very accurate comparisons between countries are made difficult due to this fact.
In the EC, and can be seen in general that most countries in the North and the West excluding Ireland have the oldest populations. This would include well known developed countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany. The younger populations in Europe can be seen towards the South in countries such as Spain and Italy. Younger populations can also be seen in the East in former communist countries such as Yugoslavia. This being said, all members of the EC are expecting huge increases in the percentages of older people.
Germany predicts that its population will soon be one of the oldest in the world with one in ten being over the age of 60, where as Italy is expecting a 50% increase. It has been said that ageing is the number one problem in the world. And if it is not addressed now, there will be serious consequences, but it could be said that some governments have been reluctant to face some of these problems. It is the 'number one problem' firstly because the numbers of people over 60 - and particularly those over 80 - are growing fast. In 1959 there were 200 million people over 60 in the world, who accounted for eight per cent of the total population. By 2025 there will be 1.2 billion - 14 per cent of the total. Contrary to popular myth, by early next century three-quarters of these will live in the Third World.
It can be seen that the developing countries are facing the greatest problems and the problems there will be the most poignant. The elderly populations in these countries are growing at many times of those of developed countries .For example, over the next 50 years the numbers of those over 60 in Britain will increase by 23 per cent and by 100 per cent in the US - but by 201 per cent in Bangladesh and 300 per cent in Brazil.
Britain and the US, Australia and Canada have had 100 years to deal with increased longevity, ...
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It can be seen that the developing countries are facing the greatest problems and the problems there will be the most poignant. The elderly populations in these countries are growing at many times of those of developed countries .For example, over the next 50 years the numbers of those over 60 in Britain will increase by 23 per cent and by 100 per cent in the US - but by 201 per cent in Bangladesh and 300 per cent in Brazil.
Britain and the US, Australia and Canada have had 100 years to deal with increased longevity, China or Brazil have only 20 or 30 years to deal with the same rate of growth - and all of this in a country that did not have the same economic stability of these longer developed countries. Even countries who have had the time and the money to deal with this problem are finding it very difficulty to respond to this problem.
What are the general attitudes towards those that are growing old?
People in society today have a certain tendency to stereotype all old people based upon preconceived misconceptions that have been developed over generations, or based upon the stereotyped perceptions as presented in today's media. It seems that any media coverage that concerns the older generations currently is there to simply outline their frailties or as victims of crime, poverty or neglect in modern society, rarely can positive images of the older generations be seen.
Currently, the human race has a distinct error in it thinking and practices, as in the most, people are actually scared of ageing and ultimately they are afraid of death. There is a distinct taboo surrounding this subject in most modern societies with most people choosing not to actually talk about this most basic of human life processes. Still, generations and generations have stereotyped the older generations as the weaker and less useful members of the society, out of a fear of ageing themselves.
They have been led into thinking that old age is a time in a person's life where their usefulness to the operation of the country ceases, and it is a time of loss and withdrawal from life. A survey revealed that a very significant proportion of middle aged people asked stated that there would be nothing for them to look forward to when they reached old age, and that they disliked the idea of being dependant with a reduced sense of freedom. This has led to many prejudices being faced by older members of the community, where discrimination against them has been placed on them solely upon the fact of their age. People see older people as not having any practical use due to images presented in the media and as stated, their own preconceived misconceptions so in many cases the old become unemployable due to their reputation alone.
So, in Britain today, as soon as you reach an age where you might be drawing a pension for example, such discriminative attitudes that can be seen are very much widespread in this a society that values youthful exuberance and the physical strength and beauty associated with it. And many people, both young and old, feed this feeling of uselessness and oldness by saying, 'I've done my bit, I deserve a rest'. So they 'rest'. And the myth of old people as 'past it' is perpetuated from generation to generation. This problem is emphasized by the fact that many companies hold their corporate image as one of their most important attributed. In today's modern society, most companies only want to be associated with youth and vitality, as it presents a strong image for the country. This discrimination that can be seen against older generations is commonly referred to as ageism.
Ageism is a severe problem facing modern day society, and can be comparable to other more recognised prejudices such as racism and sexism with the same regard. The younger generations that hold negative attitudes towards older people based on false generations must be challenged, and the reasons will be explained further in this document.
Outline the problems/opportunities provided by large percentages of older people to society:
Under current conditions and in the light of today's population predictions, it must be said to a certain extent that there is currently an: 'ageing crisis'. As more and more people live longer and their numbers increase both in actual numbers and relative to the general population, there will be fewer people to care for them if and when they need it. The dependency ratio, as it is called, is also affected by the increasing financial pressures put on families, particularly in the Third World who as stated are currently facing the largest problems associated with an ageing population.
This dependency ratio is present as when most people reach their pension able age, they retire from work, and are therefore no longer providing for the economy for the country. The simply become reliant on the work of others and the money they have put into the country themselves to ensure that they have a comfortable retired life. They feel that they have served their country, and now it is time for them country to give back to them.
With the fact that people are living longer, this in turn means that the dependency ratio of countries is likely to increase. This will place huge burdens on the economies of those countries involved, with the government having to spend more money on pensions and alike that would take money away from what might be considered to be more recognised issues such as healthcare and education. But even presently, the people relying on the basic UK pension as their sole supply of income find that providing for themselves with the meagre amount of money issued is difficult. Cutting the size of the pension might be an alternative, but already the pension represents only 18% of the average adult earnings and any further cuts might make it impossible for people to survive. This seems to contradict the popular belief that pensioners have ample money for long holidays and all their everyday needs. The sad fact is that this represents the minority of pensioners, with the majority striving to 'get by' and a state pension alone.
There will be very obvious effects that a growth in the amounts of older people would bring, many of which are already associated with the older generations. As people grow older, it is an acknowledged fact that they are more likely to experience illness or disease or multitude of many other medical problems. An increase in the amount of old people may place very serious strain upon the healthcare any a particular country with the NHS being a good example in the UK's case. There simply may not be the resources to provide the high standard of care that as a modern civilisation we have come to expect from our health service. Another long-term financial burden placed upon the economy of an ageing population is the fact that at some point, many will have to retire into state run homes for the elderly. In effect, that massive surge of old people has left the local councils providing fewer and fewer people with intensified care. The care that many pensioners need so much.
It could be said that in light of current population structural change, the meaning or lack of meaning that old age takes on in any given society puts that whole society to the test.
If so, governments and international agencies have failed that test - neither seriously addressing the issue nor seeing the need to invest major resources in it. For example, one of the main reasons that people in Africa or Asia or South America cites for having large numbers of children is to 'provide security' in old age. If people knew that they could remain independent and yet be supported in their old age, then they would not feel the need to have so many children. Nor would they fear the isolation from society that arises from not having children. And yet, time after time, support for old people is ignored in discussions on population. As it is 'old' people have been increasingly isolated from the rest of society in retirement homes which were seen as the model of how to deal with old age. As said people's need for health care increases as they grow older, and the seriously-disabled minority need special care and attention. But it can be seen that many people who do not have serious physical or mental disabilities have nonetheless been shut away in unsuitable homes, cut off from the rest of the world.
A larger population of older people does not come complete without any advantages whatsoever. With age come experience, and this is a very useful asset in modern day society. Old people have historically played important role within their families and communities, and with this have demanded and received respect from the younger generations. Although the influence of older people has been undermined, they still have a very important role to play. They have years of wisdom and experience that has been accumulated over a lifetime. A lifetime of mistakes and triumphs that can be shared with the next generation.
Older people are the guardians of tradition within a community; they hold the spiritual and religious routes of a population. They can ensure that the culture is upheld of a particular community. With the amount of spare time on the retiree's hands, they can ensure that tradition lives in the community.
What challenges are placed upon the older members of society?
The biggest challenges placed upon older members of the society is simply not live up to the stereotyped reputation that they have received as being, useless, sexless individuals with no hope and cannot contribute to the welfare of the country in any way at all.
It is the older persons responsibility that wherever possible, they do not sink into the monotony of a worthwhile existence that revolves around the weekly collection of their state pension. A greater challenge still is ensuring that they can survive on their state pension alone. In almost every culture, financial independence gives older people more respect from others and consequently more dignity. Yet 'old' people are not considered to be officially productive because they are not usually earning an official wage.
It is important that older people do not feel that their period of usefulness is over. Although it would be impossible for the most to return to their original jobs, due to the fact that their body would not allow them to do so. So, hard labour or working long office shift would definitely not be able to be considered. There are other useful things that can be done without the need for long and strenuous work. Older people can help in the community with voluntary work, a good example being the helping of teaching to read in local schools. The dynamic ness of older people is endless, if only the incentives and motivation was there. It goes without saying that most retired people have plentiful spare time, and most would be more than willing to help out where they can.
All over the world older people, particularly women, are looking after grandchildren so that their daughters or sons can work. In parts of Africa particularly stricken by the aids epidemic, the young and sexually active have nearly all died, leaving the oldest generation to care for the youngest. And in Asia migration to the cities produces the same result.
Unpaid childcare, housework and people-maintenance is the work that makes the world go round. But in a world increasingly based on a cash economy this kind of work is not regarded as 'real work' and the size of their pay packet has become the only measure of a person's worth.
The main aim is to ensure that older people become introduced back into the society and community that they live, rather than just being seen as dependant statistics. In time, the expect that they deserve would be reintroduced, and they would be considered to be much more valuable members of a community rather than the burden that they have been led to believe they are in recent years.
In what ways are these needs being met? Are there organisations to help?
To a great extent, these needs and challenges are not being met, although the recognition that older people have valuable contributions to make is slowly permeating the thinking of development activists. It can be recognised that in recent years there has been a growing focus on the involvement of older people as active participants in development, but there has not being anything that would make any huge change to the predicament that many countries are finding themselves in.
In Britain there has been many organisations set up to help, in a multitude of ways. Examples of this might be Help The Aged and Age Concern. Help The Aged is an organisation designed to help older people in many ways such as community transport and research on ageing. It also campaigns on behalf of old people, to fight for their rights and try to alleviate the prejudices placed upon them by our modern day society. Age Concern acts in a very similar ways to this.
Examples of organisations to help abroad might be in Colombia, older people who are part of Pro Vida (For Life) have set up the city's first recycling scheme. In Kenya, a group of middle-aged women got together to tackle the problem of earning income in their later years. They set up schemes for clean water and a successful poultry-keeping project. They called themselves Itambya Yaa Aka Kichakasimba (women of Kichakasimba take a step ahead)