Healthy Ageing

2. Life Expetancy at birth-In the early 1950's average expetancy at birth worldwise was 47 years and in several countries it was almost 80. 3. In India life expetancy in 1995 was 62. It has currently a population of 60 millions elderly persons i.e. 6% of its total population. It is expected to be 150 million by the year 2025 i.e. about 12% population. 4. Table (attached) gives this information in a tabular form. (World Health Report 1998)-Statistics. 5. Longevity also brings with it a higher prevelence of diseases which are more common in older age groups like cancer, coronary vascular disease, gynaeological diseases of elderly women, senile and presenile dementias, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimers disease, late onset depressive disorder with a greater propensity to suicidal acts. 6. Functional impairments such as diminished muscle power, decreasing eyesight, senile cataract, impaired hearing, loss of some or all the teeth in old age, are well known. But once the remediable diseases and handicaps have been dealt with surgically or by artificial aids, the elderly person should be persuaded to learn to live with the residual impairment in the function with the prescribed medication advised by a competent doctor. 7. Main support groups for our elderly friends are the joint families and social and religious groups, NGO's and social welfare groups. Unfortunately the joint family system is rapidly crumbling. 8. Having a useful occupation or hobby, involvement in the family and in social affairs of the community, moderate exercise including yoga are some of the desirable steps for a healthy and active ageing. Regular visits to a place of worship or mediation group or joining a group of peers in a park or other suitable place for discussing religious or moral issues or even current local affairs, is likely to promote mental health of our senior citizens. For persons having a professional qualification and experience like our doctors, devoting a couple of hours in free community service will be amply rewarding. Other educated senior citizens could also give free service in a charitable clinic under the guidance of the medical team. 9. NGO's supporting the elderly like the Helpage (India) Age Care (India), Retired Persons Associations, should have contact with the Central and State Social Welfare Ministeries & Boards and readily available information about charitable organisations giving financial aid to the needy elderly persons e.g. needy widows, with them, so that a needy person …