Almost half of the world's elderly people do not receive the necessary assistance
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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According to the WHO, about 600 million people live from the age of 60 on earth. It is expected that by 2025 the number of elderly people in the world will be twice as much. But already today all the needs of this category of citizens, related to health and a normal quality of life, are quite difficult to meet. In one of Michigan universities, as well as in the city's Washington Institute, a team of scientists conducted a study that showed that half of the elderly regularly encountered difficulties and did not receive the necessary assistance.
In the course of their work, specialists evaluated the performance of one of the health insurance programs. The scientists analyzed the data of elderly people, who in 2011 participated in the program of the national study of aging. As a result, it was found that 11 million elderly people in their daily lives received the assistance they needed. Slightly more than half of the study participants noted that the previous month had passed without any difficulties, but almost 30% needed help (for housework, for caring for themselves or for traveling). About 20% of the participants struggled, but managed their own efforts.
Among the elderly people who received assistance, one in four lived in a hospice (a special medical institution that provides decent care for people who are predicted to die) or in a nursing home.
In addition, among older citizens with low incomes, severe disabilities were often encountered. In hospices, such people needed daily help with three or more personal things.
Almost every elderly person had at least one relative or close friend who could provide care.
Elderly citizens from nursing homes received on average more than 150 hours of informal care per month, in hospice - about 50 hours.
About 70% of elderly people were assisted by relatives or friends, and 30% were forced to pay for the services provided. Among those people who paid for care, a large number of people dissatisfied with the services they received were identified.
About 5.5 million people in the world have faced adverse consequences, after receiving poor-quality care services. Among elderly people who received help from a specially hired person (nurse), the number of unfavorable outcomes increased almost twice.
In addition, at the University of Pristone, after analyzing the data of the 2004 survey, they came to the conclusion that elderly parents are more often cared for by daughters than sons.
Researchers noted that women spend on caring for their parents 12.3 hours per month, and men - 5.6 hours per month. Time for the care of parents for women is limited to other duties (work, children, household, etc.), while men help their parents only when there is no one else. If the family has children of both sexes, the guardianship of elderly parents is distributed according to gender. Sons often completely put on care for the care of parents for women's shoulders.
These experts believe that these findings are extremely important, since after such care, severe psychological and physical consequences for the health of people who care for elderly relatives are often caused, this leads to death. People caring for the elderly often balance between their daily duties (work, home, family, etc.) and caring for elderly parents, often people refuse a successful career, etc. In addition, caring for the elderly requires a significant cost, because often it is necessary to help in the purchase of medicines or paying bills.
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