Older persons are not an endangered species

Nov 06, 2016 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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(An address by His Excellency President David Granger on the occasion of International Day of Older Persons)

There are more than 700 million persons in the world who are sixty years of age and older. The population

of ‘older persons’ in the world is expected to triple to some two billion persons by the year 2050.
International Day of Older Persons was designated to be observed on 1st of October each year by the General Assembly of the United Nations via Resolution 45/106 of December 1990.
Guyana is committed to observing International Day of Older Persons, by ensuring that greater attention is paid to the needs and the worth of ‘older persons’ in society.
We have created a Ministry of Social Protection which is tasked, amongst other things, with the establishment of an improved architecture of social protection for ‘older persons’.
‘Older persons’ are not an endangered species. We are far from approaching extinction. United Nations statistics indicate that, on the contrary, the world’s population is aging as result of lower fertility and higher life expectancy rates. The statistics, in other words, are saying that people in the world are making fewer babies and are living longer.
International Day of Older Persons calls attention to the need for governments and civil society to take note of the needs of the ‘older persons’ and to develop policies that would allow for them to contribute to society, including through their vast experience and knowledge.
‘Older persons’ are repositories of a wealth of valuable education, expertise and experience. Every generation can tap into this well-spring of knowledge and insights. The productivity of the elderly should not be dismissed. The wisdom they have acquired through the passage of time should not be ignored.
‘Older persons’ are subject to a range of vulnerabilities. The end of a person’s working years can induce feelings of uncertainty about the future. The loss of a regular source of income may lead to financial insecurity and a loss of independence.
The elderly, in other instances, are forced to rely exclusively on family and relatives for their upkeep, engendering feelings of humiliation and a loss of dignity. The ‘silver’ years can mean, for some elderly persons, a period of sustained loneliness which can deteriorate into poor conditions of depression. The agility of mind, unmatched by the dexterity of the body can induce in the elderly a sense that their best years are over. It can result in a deterioration of their physical health.
We are committed to securing the good life for all, including the population considered as elderly – those above the age of 65 years.
The good life celebrates their contributions to our society. It does not, however, ignore the fact that the elderly in Guyana is considered a vulnerable group and thereby deserving of special attention from the state.
The good life which we profess is about making everyone happy. It is about attenuating the problems of vulnerable groups in our society. We are committed, in the case of the elderly, to working to ensure that their ‘silver’ years are productive, safe, happy, secure and rewarding.
We have our challenges and our constraints, in providing such protection. The financial resources at the disposal of the State cannot meet all the demands which we would like, ideally, to satisfy. We pledge, however, to respond to the needs of the elderly by implementing social protections based on:

Health: We will continue to ensure that access to free medical attention and care is provided to by all public hospitals. The elderly have special medical needs and we will ensure that all public hospitals have medical personnel trained and qualified to attend to the medical needs of the elderly.
We will like, in the future, and depending on the availability or resources, to assist the sick and disabled with the provision of some form of nursing care in their homes since we recognize that private home care is extremely costly for the elderly and their relatives.

Housing: The government’s preference is for the elderly to live in a caring and loving environment, preferably with family. We recognize, however, that there are many cases where the elderly have no such option. We accept that many of our elderly are homeless and indigent. We will continue to work to expand the provision of homes and homesteads for the elderly. We will continue to improve the conditions at public homes for the aged so as to ensure greater comfort, nutrition and privacy for elderly inmates.

Happiness: We are committed to ensuring that aging becomes a source of pride and happiness. Wisdom comes with aging. The pleasures of being grandparent or a mentor to the young can be a source of immense satisfaction for the elderly. We want the elderly to be happy and to enjoy their ‘silver’ years. We want those years to be productive. We will seek out greater opportunities for the elderly. We have increased old age pensions and social assistance. We will continue, within our means, to provide financial and material assistance to the elderly who are in need of such assistance.

The Cooperative Republic of Guyana will continue to observe October 1 as International Day of Older Persons.
We acknowledge the contributions of Guyana’s elderly to our country’s development. We respect their right to a dignified existence. We commit to working for the respect of the rights of the elderly. We will promote their access to improved and expanded social protections.

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