According to Mint’s article “Demographic explosion in the greying population” India’s elderly population is growing,
- Population of people aged 60-80 to increase by 326% between 2000 and 2050 and those over 80 years by 700%
- The overall population, it estimates, will increase by 55% in the period (2000-2050).
- Elderly poor will have a tough time supporting themselves.
- Tax incentives to families caring for older members. But this must be given to families whose income levels are not very high, the rich can easily financially afford to take care of their parents.
- India has 200,000 centenarians (aged 100+).
- India has 9 crore (90 million) elderly, only 12 other countries have a TOTAL population higher than 90 million.
- 60+ aged in India: 7.6% (77 million in 2000), 20.6% (324 million in 2050).
- 80+ aged in India: 0.61% (6.1 million in 2000), 3.06% (48.2 million in 2050).
- By 2013 India will be the country with most aged population.
- By 2025, one in every five Indians will be a senior citizen.
- Elderly pie: 48.2% are women, 58% are widowed/divorced, 75% live in rural areas, 33% live below the poverty line.
- 5.5 crore (55 million) elderly go to sleep empty stomach EVERY NIGHT (depressing).
- 50 lakh (0.5 million) elderly live alone.
Our Elderly Not Very Healthy
According to Outlook (23 April, 2012 edition),
- 1 in every 4 aged persons suffers from depression. Depressing indeed.
- 1 in every 3 has arthritis.
- 1 in every 5 cannot hear.
- 1 in every 3 suffers from high BP and related complications.
- 1 in every 2 has poor vision.
- 1 in every 5 is diabetic.
India needs to worry about not just how but ‘who’ will take care of the elderly. While old age homes are coming up it is not that easy to find good ones. Many old people are helpless as their children are not in the country anymore.
Today’s Times of India (April 8) did not have very encouraging numbers about our kids either.
- Indian kids can’t run or hop.
- 61% school children do not possess adequate skills to engage in sport (how many schools are lucky enough to have a sports ground?)
- 48% not fully proficient in running.
- 64% not proficient in hopping.
- 71% unable to throw or catch effectively.
Looks like as a country we need to think of the elderly and the kids else we will be in trouble.
Shyama…thanks for the reference…it is really an account for which are accounted for…especially the children…!!!! shocking… never even imagine children cant run,cant catch..!!!!! where are we evolving even biologically..are we creating a spatic society? jagdish…reaction apt…