Year of Elderly people in the RF

Irina Bondarenko

     Irina Nikolayevna Bondarenko, Deputy Director of War Veterans’ and Dismissed Citizens’ Affairs Department, Ministry of Labor and Social Development
      Nowadays elderly people constitute over 20 percent of the population and people over 65 years - more than 17 percent of the population. Thinking over the problems of the elderly, I have come to the conclusion that they are connected, in the first place, with functional limitations and to a lesser degree – with the economical situation.
      In 1995 the Ministry of Social Welfare of the Russian Federation conducted a large-scale analysis of the situation of the elderly groups of Russians for the first time. In this study we ranged the problems according to their importance for the elderly people themselves. The polls showed that senior citizens are mostly worried by their state of health. The second position is taken by low income, the third most serious problem is loneliness.
      The state of health in advanced age is indeed a very serious problem. There are virtually 70 percent pensioners who have 3-4 chronic diseases, while some of them have more than that. Previously elderly people had fewer difficulties with getting medical assistance. They always got the help they were seeking for, even if it was rather modest. Over the last years the situation with getting prophylactic medical services, as well as senior people healthcare and medicine supplies has worsened. As for low-income, retired citizens were always related to a social group called «traditionally poor». But still income differentiation has never been so acute as today, as the elderly used to get substantial support from social funds of enterprises and institutions.
      The problem of loneliness in the advanced age is closely connected with different life expectancy of men and women. Regrettably most of elderly women are divorced or widowed. According to the results of sociology research held in Moscow, 35 percent of single men have a close female friend with whom they share their life, while single women do not usually have such a male friend. Only 4 percent of the elderly women admitted that they had a male friend. The feeling of loneliness is a disturbing factor in the life of elderly women which is harmful to maintaining their state of health and taking care of themselves.
      Generally speaking, the «third age» problems – decline in health, poverty and loneliness – are universal. These problems can be traced in every era, country or social system. The fact that 1999 was declared the International Year of Elderly People testifies to the serious problems of the elderly and their need for protection and help worldwide – both in the developed countries and the Third World, as well as the countries with transitional economy.
      The mission of the state and society is getting its elderly citizens from under the pressure of economical, social and psychological problems in order to make the «third age» life more wholesome. The UN Principles concerning elderly people, which were enacted in early 90-s, are aiming at achieving these goals.
      The Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated December 2nd 1998 added our country to the list of participants in the organization of the International Year of Elderly People. The UN documents concerning the conceptual and operative framework of holding the Year tell that each state is free to chose its own strategy. States and other subjects of the national level can direct their major effort to the improvement of financial situation of elderly citizens. Such an approach demands high expenses that the majority of the states cannot afford at the moment. For that reason we have chosen another approach which can be defined as «information and propaganda». Its essence is organizing a series of events which should stress the role of the elderly in our society, change the attitude to the old age, improve the connections between generations. To my mind, the most important evens belonging to the Year program held on the Federal level include the following:
- survey of the elderly people’s living conditions that resulted in more than 2 million 800 thousand people getting specific help in their everyday problems;
- a large-scale humanitarian action to help elderly low-income single citizens and couples named «Winter 98/99» providing them with hot meals, footwear and clothes (held by initiative of the Russian Red Cross Society together with the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation, International Red Cross and Red Crescent Association and a group of foreign Red Cross societies);
- the First Russian Congress of gerontologists and geriatrists held in the town of Samara in July, which united over 500 people from many regions of Russia and foreign countries. The Congress demonstrated a high level of development of geriatrics and gerontology in Russia. The discussion included a number of crucial questions of interaction of healthcare and social service structures;
- the function of war veterans held in Moscow on the occasion of the International Day of Elderly People (October 1st).
      Of course, this list is far from complete. The events included in the program of the International Year of Elderly People are not limited just by conferences, congresses and the like. Much is done in the subjects of the Russian Federation to improve the superannuation system, social service and healthcare organizations’ work for the elderly. For example, there are so-called «charity trains» in Krasnoyarsk region that go to rural areas to provide elderly people with complex medical help.
      It is on the regional level that help and services happen to be most effective. Specific problems of the elderly are solved according to the priorities of social development of this or that given region. For that aim budgets of the Russian Federation subjects are used, as well as the funds of municipal institutions and money coming from sponsors and various charity actions.
      In general the budget of the Year actions is rather limited on the federal level. We try to use the funds provided for current financing and pull in additional money where it is possible. At the same time it is important to understand that the International Year of Elderly People is not simply the year of handing out privileges and material comforts but the serious action aimed at attracting the public’s attention to the life situation of elderly people. This action calls on to everybody to give a thought to achieving well-being in senior age.
      To my point of view, the realization of the federal program «Senior Generation» ratified in August 1997 by the government is one of the utterly important steps. This program is innovational in many aspects. It consists of 5 major blocks, and the actions included in each block are specifically aimed at overcoming the most prevailing problems of the elderly – low income, unsatisfactory state of health, loneliness. 16 federal Ministries and departments are responsible for fulfilling the program. Considerable stress is set on improving coordination of functioning of all structures responsible for social well-being of our elderly citizens.
      The volume of budgetary allotments for the program in 1999 is about 88 million rubles. Most of this money is used for the improvement of logistical support of social service institutions, including geriatric centers, and buying necessary equipment for hospital departments for the elderly in the country regions where specialized hospitals for war veterans are missing.
      The pilot project of optimization of the elderly people social service system realized in six regions is undoubtedly very important. In the course of the project the level of social service is estimated and its most promising forms are found. There are also suggestions discussed on introducing the best ways of social care to other regions of the country.
      In September the Government of the Russian Federation made a decision to prolong the time limit of the program till next year, 2000.
      I have no doubt that holding the International Year of Elderly People in our country will improve their situation in the areas of legal guarantees, healthcare, social service, education in the «third age», cultural services. It can’t be expected that all problems will be solved at once. But still it matters very much what the progress in improving the elderly people’s situation is, and what is done to make their old age respectable, healthy and safe. The reports coming from the regions show that there is such progress already.

Written down by Anna Sevortyan