Forgotten and Ignored: The Need for the Wellbeing of the Elderly
~ An informative blog on International Day for Older Persons by Amogh Ansh.
Life is like a road. A road which has its twists and turns, ups and downs, rough patches and obstacles. An undefined road, which is determined by the individuals commuting on it. As we traverse along the journey of life, we are faced by its many stages and time’s inevitability gradually becomes more and more apparent. As time progresses and age catches up, the days become shorter, effortless tasks turn into chores, ambition becomes exhaustion, health deteriorates and the feeling of alienation starts to occur. It is a natural truth that the ramifications of ageing are bound to affect us all, but its tendency to severely impact the wellbeing of elders often goes unnoticed and is left unaddressed by society.
What is Wellbeing?
Wellbeing literally refers to the state of being mentally content and physically healthy. As human beings, it is our right to be happy and healthy and our entire life essentially becomes an act of endeavouring to constantly maintain this state of harmony. But as old age sets in, the state of wellbeing of elders is threatened by several factors and challenges ranging from mental to physical issues.
Challenges to the Wellbeing of the Elderly:
As we age, our physical capabilities gradually regress and difficulties in carrying out simple day- to-day activities begin to surface. As a result of the reduced mobility, the fitness of elders is heavily impacted, and due to this declining health, they become much more susceptible to catching diseases and suffering from ailments. According to the National Council on Aging, close to 92% of elderly have at least one chronic disease and 77% have at least two. Some of the afflictions which are prevalent among older people are heart related issues, diabetes, skin problems, digestive issues and Arthritis. Due to the onset of such health complications among seniors, their daily bodily functioning is negatively impacted and they are forced to become more reclusive which is detrimental to their overall physical wellbeing.
The significant repercussions of aging on mental health are often sidelined. According to the World Health Organization, over 20% of adults aged 60 and over suffer from some kind of mental or neurological disorder and 6.6% of all disability among people over 60 years is attributed to mental and neurological disorders. Due to the decline in their capabilities and capacities and their growing need for dependency, a feeling of being incompetent can start to develop among older people and they might start to lose out on their sense of purpose and become ambitionless. Retirement and frailty can lead to a reduction in social circles and interactions which can lead to feeling lonely and alienated. Old age can also bring along financial stress and instability as elders are unable to maintain stable jobs and work. All of these issues can also give rise to severe depression and anxiety disorders among the elderly. Senior citizens can
also suffer from some form of cognitive decline or impairment, such as Dementia, which gravely affects their memory and basic functioning ability. Hence, the mental wellbeing of elders is critically endangered.
International Day for Older Persons:
It is predicted that between 2015 and 2050, the proportion of the world’s population over 60 years will nearly double, from 12% to 22%. Yet, this demographic remains largely ignored and the problems they face are rarely recognized. On this International Day for Older Persons, it is imperative that we draw our attention towards the several underlying issues faced by our elders and make efforts to address it.
Established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 14, the International Day for Older Persons is observed annually on October 1 and it aims to honour the contributions of the elderly generations and shed light on the problems they face. This year, the official Objectives of UNIDOP are as follows:
1) To increase global knowledge and awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and generate commitments among all stakeholders to strengthen the protection of the human rights of current and future generations of older persons around the world.
2) To share and learn from intergenerational models for the protection of human rights around the world.
3) To call on Governments and UN entities to review their current practices with a view to better integrate a life course approach to human rights in their work, and to ensure the active and meaningful participation of all stakeholders, including civil society, national human rights institutions and older persons themselves, in the work on strengthening solidarity among generations and intergenerational partnerships.
Improving the Wellbeing of the Elderly:
There are several ways in which we can contribute towards improving the plight of the elderly. Too many households and families misunderstand their seniors and often inadvertently leave them feeling excluded and isolated. We can bring in a change by being more inclusive and giving them more company. This would successfully help in eradicating their loneliness and it would reward them with a sense of worth and confidence in themselves. We can involve them in different tasks in order to keep them engaged and make them feel more capable. We should ensure that they acquire the adequate amount of exercise and activity in order to maintain their fitness. They should also be provided with regular medical examinations to constantly keep track of their health and reduce the chances of a disease from occurring or worsening. Lastly, we should always remember that these are individuals with a lifetime of experience and they should be provided with the utmost respect and care.
By making such simple but effective efforts, we can work towards achieving a better future for our elderly where the need for their wellbeing is taken cognizance of and is encouraged.
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