SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF LIVING ARRANGEMENTS OF THE ELDERLY IN COIMBATORE CITY
Journal Title: International Journal of Research in Social Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 4
Abstract
In the last century, with industrialisation and economic development, certain demographic changes have been observed in many parts of the world. In view of increasing medical advancements, mortality rates have declined rapidly in higher age groups leading to improved life expectancy. Combined with a comparatively lower birth rate, the old age dependency ratio has increased over the years. This phenomenon is commonly referred to as ageing, and it has certain economic implications for the country, like increase in social security and health expenditure, and the need for new financial instruments. Global population ageing is a by product of the demographic transition in which both mortality and fertility decline from higher to lower levels. Currently, the total fertility rate is below the replacement level in practically all industrialised countries. In the less developed regions, the fertility decline started later and has proceeded faster than in the more developed regions. Yet, in all regions people are increasingly likely to survive to older ages, and once there, they are tending to live longer, as the gains in life expectancy are relatively higher at older ages. The older population is growing at a considerably faster rate than that of the world‟s total population. In absolute terms, the number of older persons has tripled over the last 50 years and will more than triple again over the next 50 years. In relative terms, the percentage of older persons is projected to be more than double worldwide over the next half century. However, notable differences exist between regions in the numbers and proportions at higher ages. Although the highest proportions of older persons are found in the more developed regions, this age group is growing considerably more rapidly in the less developed regions. As a consequence, the older population will be increasingly concentrated in the less developed regions. The young old balance is shifting throughout the world. In the more developed regions, the proportion of older persons already exceeds that of children, and by 2050, it is expected to be double that of children. In the less developed regions, age distribution changes have been slow but will accelerate over the next 50 years. Currently, the median age in the more developed regions is more than 13 years higher than in the less developed regions and almost 20 years higher than in the least developed countries. (United Nations 2009). Worldwide 901 million people aged 60 or over is, projected to rise to 1.4 billion in 2030 and to 2.1 billion by 2050. About 67% of older persons currently live in developing countries. (World Population Ageing, 2015). The global demographic trend, however, tells us that, with the passage oftime, the countries have experienced ageing of population. The proportion of olderpersons in the population of a country has increased. Due to economic well-being, better health care system, good medicines, etc. there is a substantial reduction in the mortality in the society. Reduced mortality has led to reduction in fertility too. These factors together have resulted in increasing number of elderly persons in the population. The population ageing, started in the last century with developed countries, is now encompassing developing countries too. India, by no means, is an exception to this phenomenon. Over the years, the structure of population has changed and will further change in the time to come. The proportion of older persons in the population will increase. Population ageing has profound social, economic and political implications for a country. The increasing number of older persons put a strain on health care and social care systems in the country. Old age comes with lot of ailment and diseases. In case of large number of elderly persons in the population, the country needs more and more health and medical services, facilities and resources. More and more number of hospitals, doctors, nurses is required. Government spending on health care is increased with the increase of average age of population.Very old people, due to their reduced mobility and debilitating disabilities need other people to do things for them. With the increasing trend of nuclear families in the society and with fewer children in the family, the care of older persons in the families gets increasingly difficult. To fulfil caring needs of aged persons more and more nursing people with appropriate skills are required. Social security spending of Government also increases with the increase of old age population. (Government of India, 2016). One such programme to assist the elderly is the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP), a welfare programme being administered by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) to look into the basic needs of the old aged who lives below poverty line. This programme is implemented in rural areas as well as urban areas. The National Old Age Pension Scheme was renamed as Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme (IGNOAPS) and was formally launched on 19th November, 2007. (NSAP, 2016). The present study is rather a comprehensive inquiry into the economic and living aspects of the beneficiaries of IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme). A number of studies have been made at the national and state level to measure the efficiency of IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme) but a few detailed and comprehensive studies have so far been conducted on the impact of IGNOAPS. A few empirical studies conducted on the evaluation of IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme) provide broad and general information about the target achieved and performance of IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme) in general;specifically no detailed economic study has so far been conducted of the beneficiaries of IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme). Keeping in view of the above facts the present study aims at understanding the socioeconomic and living arrangements of old aged beneficiaries who had availed IGNOAPS (Indira Gandhi National Old Age Pension Scheme) and compares it with that of non beneficiaries. As no such study has been carried out in Coimbatore city this research will be of great value to the officials, planners and policy makers in identifying the crucial areas of development of aged old. The main objectives of the study are To analyse the socio economic background of the sample respondents and To analyse the living arrangements of the sample respondents.
Authors and Affiliations
Dr. K. Shobha And C. Parameshwari
Keywords
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