In many cultures, older persons play critical societal roles, serving as community leaders and caregivers and sharing their wisdom and ancestral knowledge with younger generations. Persons aged 50 and over – who account for a quarter of the global population – also substantially drive global economic growth.
Each year, we commemorate “International Day of Older Persons” on 1 October to raise public awareness about the opportunities and challenges presented to the ageing populations and to mobilize families, community groups and stakeholders to address the difficulties faced by older people
History
International Day of Older Persons is a special day for senior citizens all over the world. On December 14, 1990, the UN General Assembly made October 1 as the International Day of Older Persons. The International Day of Older Persons was observed for the first time on October 1, 1991.
Ageing explained
At the biological level, ageing results from the impact of the accumulation of a wide variety of molecular and cellular damage over time. This leads to a gradual decrease in physical and mental capacity, a growing risk of disease and ultimately death. These changes are neither linear nor consistent, and they are only loosely associated with a person’s age in years. Beyond biological changes, ageing is often associated with other life transitions such as retirement, relocation to more appropriate housing and the death of friends and partners. The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide. Older people need respect, and it's important to treat them with dignity and consideration.
Facts and Figures
The number of people aged 65 years or older worldwide is projected to more than double, rising from 761 million in 2021 to 1.6 billion in 2050. The number of people aged 80 years or older is growing even faster.
Today, life expectancy at birth exceeds 75 years in half of the world's countries or areas, 25 years longer than those born in 1950. Individuals reaching the age of 65 are now expected to live an additional 16.8 years on average.
In 2018, a historic milestone was reached when the number of older persons outnumbered children under five for the first time globally.
By 2030, the global population of older persons is projected to exceed the number of youth and double the number of children under five.
Women, who comprise most care recipients and caregivers, contribute roughly 70% of global informal care hours. This is especially true in low- and middle-income countries with limited care services, making women more vulnerable to poverty in old age.
As populations age, the demand for healthcare and social support has surged, especially for those with conditions like dementia, a major cause of dependency and disability in older adults. Specialized care is now essential to meet these growing needs.
Between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world's population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%.
Common health conditions associated with ageing
Common conditions in older age include hearing loss, cataracts and refractive errors, back and neck pain and osteoarthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, depression and dementia. As people age, they are more likely to experience several conditions at the same time. Older age is also characterized by the emergence of several complex health states commonly called geriatric syndromes. They are often the consequence of multiple underlying factors and include frailty, urinary incontinence, falls, delirium and pressure ulcers.
India's elderly population (India Ageing Report 2023)
The percentage of the elderly in India has been increasing swiftly in recent years, and the trend is likely to continue in the coming decades. The share of population over the age of 60 years is projected to increase from 10.5 percent in 2022 to 20.8 percent in 2050 By the end of the century, the elderly will constitute over 36 percent of the total population of the country. Sharp growth in the elderly population is observed from 2010 onwards along with a decline in the age group of below 15 years, indicating rapidity of ageing in India.
Four years before 2050, the population size of the elderly in India will be higher than the population size of children aged 0–14 years. By that time, the population share of 15–59 years will also see a dip. Undoubtedly, the relatively young India today will turn into a rapidly ageing society in the coming decades.
Most of the states in the southern region and northern states such as Himachal Pradesh and Punjab reported a higher share of the elderly population than the national average in 2021, a gap that is expected to widen by 2036. While states reporting higher fertility rates and lagging in demographic transition, such as Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, expect to see an increase in the share of the elderly population between 2021 and 2036, the level will remain lower than the Indian average. (Source: Ministry of Health and Family Welfare)
Over 40% poorest in India
The level of poverty among the elderly may affect their quality of life and healthcare utilization. Overall, more than two-fifth of the elderly in India are in the poorest wealth quintile—ranging from 4.2 per cent in Jammu and Kashmir and 5 per cent in Punjab to 40.2 per cent in Lakshadweep and 47 per cent in Chhattisgarh. Further analysis of work, pension and income indicates that 18.7 per cent elderly did not have any income. This proportion was above the national level among 17 states, which ranged from 19.3 per cent in Uttarakhand to 42.4 per cent in Lakshadweep.
Life expectancy
The data showed that women, on average, had higher life expectancy at the age of 60 and at the 80, when compared to men — with variations across States and Union Territories. For instance, in Himachal Pradesh (in northern India) and Kerala (in southern India), women at 60 years have a life expectancy of 23 and 22 years respectively which is 4 years greater than men at 60 years in these states (as compared to the national average differential of only 1.5 years) . Life expectancy of women at 60 years is greater than 20 years in states such as Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh and the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, raising concerns about their social and economic well-being.
Male- Female Sex Ratio
Further, the sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) among the elderly has been climbing steadily since 1991, with the ratio in the general population stagnating. Between 2011 and 2021, the ratio increased in India as a whole and across all regions, barring the Union Territories and western India.
Crime against Senior Citizens _NCRB Report 2022
A total of 28,545 cases were registered for committing crime against Senior Citizens (aged above 60 years), showing an increase of 9.3% in registration over 2021 (26,110 cases). MP was on top in crimes against senior citizens in the entire country, with 6187 cases reported in 2022, as per NCRB report 2022 Maharashtra was not behind with 5059 crimes reported against senior citizens, the second highest in the nation followed by Tamil Nadu (2376), Telangana (2181), Andhra Pradesh (2114) are the top five states of India with highest crimes against elderly citizens.
Senior Citizens: Problems and Welfare
Decline in health status, income insecurity and compulsion to work: Loss of spouse and consequent living arrangements increases dependency, and the inability to access social welfare benefits meant for them are some of the key problems faced by the elderly in India.
Over the years, the Government of India has initiated several programmes to assist the elderly and mitigate their problems. Some of those initiatives are discussed in the next section.
Social Security and Welfare Schemes
Atal Vayo Abhyudaya Yojana: The main objective of the Scheme is to improve the quality of life of the Senior Citizens by providing basic amenities like shelter, food, medical care and entertainment opportunities and by encouraging productive and active ageing through providing support for capacity building of State/ UT Governments/Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)/Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) / local bodies and the community at large.
Antodaya Anna Yojana: The scheme provides food grains at a highly subsidized rate (`2 per kg for wheat and `3 per kg for rice) to widows/terminally ill persons/ PwDs/persons aged 60 years and above.
Annapurna Scheme: Persons aged 65 years and above, who are not receiving pension under the National Old Age Pension Scheme, get 10 kg foodgrains per person per month, free of cost.
Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana: It provides pensioners aged 60 years and above survival (pension), death or maturity benefits during the policy term of 10 years with the assured return rate of 7.4 per cent per annum for 2020/21, to be reset every year to the senior citizen subscriber
Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana: The scheme provides pension to senior citizens through LIC of India in the form of immediate annuity during the pensioner's lifetime with the return of purchase price to the family/nominee on his/her death
Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme :(IGNOAPS) : IGNOAPS is the extension of the National Old Age Pension Scheme, 1995. It is a noncontributory scheme that aims to benefit below-poverty-line (BPL) senior citizens, widows and those with disabilities through central government assistance of `200 per month to people in the 60–79 years age group and `500 to people above 80 years of age.
Indira Gandhi National Widow Pension Scheme: The central government provides a monthly pension of ₹200 per beneficiary to BPL widows and state governments are also urged to provide the matching amount or more.
Jeevan Pramaan: The scheme allows senior citizens to digitally provide proof of his/her existence to authorities for continuity of pension every year instead of requiring to present himself/herself physically or through a Life Certificate issued by specified authorities
Scheme for Financial Assistance for Veteran Artists: Central government assistance of `6,000 as monthly allowance is given to artistes aged
60 years and above under this scheme, which was launched in 1961.
Atal Pension Yojana: Provides a guaranteed pension to all citizens, especially poor and unorganized sector workers, upon reaching 60 years of age.
Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana This scheme is a government-backed accident insurance scheme and is available to people in the age group 18–70 years with a bank account, who consent to enable an auto-debit (₹12 per annum per member) on or before 31 May for the coverage period 1 June to 31 May on an annual renewal basis. A sum of ₹200,000 will be paid to the nominee in case of death.
