The National Health Policy (NHP), 2017 is not sensitive to the needs of the elderly.
It overlooks the rapid rise in the percentage of the old people in the population and associated health issues.
How does the health of the elderly fare in India?
“India Human Development Survey” finds that the proportions of those suffering from ‘Non-Communicable Diseases’ - NCDs nearly doubled during 2005-12 among the elderly.
It accounted for about a third of the above 60 populations in 2012.
More females than males suffered from these diseases and the percentage increases with age.
Numerous physiological changes also occur and the risk of chronic diseases rises.
What are the systemic issues?
Systemic issues - The health system is ill-equipped to deal with surging NCDs.
Our medical personals are also not well trained to treat/advise the aged suffering from dementia or frailty.
There aren’t enough facilities for early diagnosis and management of conditions such as hypertension.
Costs - Hospitalisation costs are exorbitant and the challenge is compounded by the fact that earning potential of the elderly is less.
While private insurance is prohibitive due to costs, access to government health insurance nearly doubled in recent years.
But its coverage too remained low due age related barriers.
How can these issues be dealt with?
Loneliness - It manifests in the distressing feeling due to divergences between one’s desired and actual social relationships.
Research shows that loneliness increases vascular resistance and diminishes immunity.
Alcoholism - Whether related to or unrelated to loneliness - a high risk factor for NCDs is daily consumption of alcohol.
Daily consumption of alcohol among the aged with NCDs rose more than twice over the period 2005.
Networking - Children play an important role in elderly support.
Women are increasingly taking up jobs that provide them with greater security in older age.
But this limits the capacity of women & families to provide care for the older people in their families due to work related pressures.
What is the way forward?
Many of these chronic conditions such as hypertension can be prevented or delayed by engaging in healthy behaviours.
The World Report on Ageing and Health 2015 (WHO) speaks about the concept of graceful aging within communities.
This reinforces the case that solutions to the crisis of aging also outside health systems.
From a policy perspective, health systems have to be configured to deal with not one NCD but multiple NCDs to manage them better.
Above all, family ties and social networks need to be strengthened.
