Seniors in their 80s have different needs

While new India is obsessed with its youth, old India is growing rapidly. A large number of the country’s population is over 60 years of age, with the biggest increase in the 80-plus category. But, despite this, the needs and problems of senior citizens are still to be addressed.

For this purpose, the four-member committee appointed by minister of social justice and empowerment Mukul Vasnik to review the national policy for older persons (1999) is extensively analysing the needs of senior citizens, especially in theirs 80s.

The committee, chaired by Mohini Giri, comprises MM Sabharwal, chairperson, Helpage India; Sheilu Sreenivasan, founder chairperson of Dignity Foundation; and K Gangadharan from Heritage hospital, Hyderabad. The panel will review the policy and submit its recommendations in December.

With special emphasis on the needs of those in the 80-plus age group, the committee will analyse issues relating to health, safety, women and ageing. “The 80-plus age group is frail and is the fastest growing segment,” said Sreenivasan. “We need to have special facilities and benefits set up for them. People over 80 cannot be productive. They cannot be a part of the workforce — agriculture or urban employment sector. Those in their sixties and seventies can still contribute economically if they are in good health,”

The committee has also observed that women in their 80s live longer than men in the same age group. “There are more 80-plus women in our country. This is because there is a grand phenomenon on feminisation of ageing. It means, world over women live longer than men and it is sharply felt in the 80-plus age group,” said Sreenivasan.

Sreenivasan said that according to their findings, the nutritional supplementary requirement is also more intensive in case of octogenarians. “Requirements for vitamins, calcium, B12, beta carotene, etc, go up after crossing 80 years of age. Also, if the person is single and alone, they require extra care. They need assistance on the health front and many of them become dependent. Therefore, we decided to conduct extensive analysis on this age group,” explained Sreenivasan.