Polish elderly – who are they, how do they live, what do they need? How can young people help? What should be done to improve the life of the elderly? The aging of our population is no exception in the European Union. Already one fifth of us are old people, and according to the forecast of the Central Statistical Office, in 2060, every third inhabitant of Poland will be elderly. How does this fact change the economy, health care or the labor market?
It pays to be an old man, we hear. – We do not work. What else? Maybe we have a little more time for ourselves, for our children and grandchildren, says Mrs. Lydia.
– You have a chance, get more money, go somewhere, take a walk, take care of yourself – says Mrs. Olga. “Freedom: when do you sleep, when do you get up,” says Mr. Tadeusz.
Unfortunately, in addition to benefits, there are also concerns. “When I'm 80 years old, it's really difficult,” Mrs. Bozena admits. – I am alone, I am alone in the world, so, well, it is difficult – says Mrs. Janina. – If you have some security, you can somehow survive, and there are many poor people who cannot live with anything, says Mr. Tadeusz.
The voice of people over 65 is the voice of most of us
– UN recommendations indicate a limit of six percent for the participation of people of this age. We can consider that society is an old society. Poland crossed this border in the mid-1960s, that is, 60 years ago, – says Katarzyna Goral-Radziszewska, deputy director of the demographic research department of the Central Statistical Office.
In 2003, the elderly made up almost thirteen percent of the population, after ten years this indicator increased to less than two percent, and after another ten years it became clear that one fifth of us are already elderly. There are several reasons for this demographic situation.
– Life expectancy is increasing and births are becoming fewer and fewer, but we must remember that now the age of 65 and above includes many age groups that were born during the boom in the 1950s, – he noted. by Katarzyn Goral-Radziszewska.
Population of Poland aged 65 and over Central Statistical Office
Every third inhabitant of Poland will be elderly
It is not surprising that our aging society is no exception in the European Union. According to the forecast of the Central Statistical Office, in 2060 every third inhabitant of Poland will become elderly.
– Taking into account this demographic trend, activities aimed at countering negative demographic effects are important within the framework of economic and social policy, – says Voyseh Dabrovka, spokesperson of the Social Insurance Institution.
– The increase in the number of people aged 65 and over will definitely affect the Polish labor market and the health sector, perhaps more people will need medical care, (…) there will be fewer people in the labor market – points from Katarzyn Goral- Radzishevska.
Needs for the elderly in 100 specifications of the Civil Alliance
Among the demands for the elderly, which were included in the 100 specifications of the Civil Alliance for the first 100 days of the government, one person – the freezing of gas prices – was achieved. Work continues on the rest. These include the provision of the second indexation of pensions and pensions at a rate of more than five percent, the abolition of the National Health Fund limits for hospital treatment and the expansion of access to the elderly and long-term care.
– Long-term care and investing as soon as possible, investing in care at home, says Marzena Okla-Drunovic, Senior Policy Minister of the Civil Alliance.
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According to the ministry of higher policy, this is the urgent activity of the ministry that should be given attention. The draft act on large permits is being discussed.
– The project is aimed at an active professional family, which, due to work, has difficulties in organizing the care of a close, elderly person, – reports Marzena Okla-Dryunovic.
“Neurology must become a priority field”
Geriatrician Professor Tomasz Kostka says that hundreds of geriatric beds intended for the elderly in Polish hospitals are ten times less.
– The establishment of care centers for the elderly, which has been in the political plans of all options for many years, should finally take place – says prof. Tomasz Kostka, head of the Geriatrics Clinic of the Medical University of Lodz. – At present, most of the elderly are really deprived of comprehensive and coordinated care, – he adds.
The President of the Polish Neurological Society raises the alarm. – Neurology should become a priority field next to cardiology and oncology, – says prof. Candidate of sciences. n. Alina Kulakowski, President of the Polish Neurological Society.
Now, the average Polish neurologist is 55 years old, and more than half of the patients in the neurology departments are older people – we hear.
The elderly are more inclined to take care of themselves
– We have about half a million people in the country with memory and mental disorders, most of them suffer from Alzheimer's disease, we have about 90,000 people with Parkinson's disease and about 90,000 people suffer from stroke every year, these numbers are increasing – he warns. Prof. Candidate of sciences. n. Alina Kulakovska.
More adults are taking matters into their own hands. Mrs. Irena Vielocha, who runs the profile “Woman Forever Young” on Instagram, went to the gym for the first time fifteen years ago, at the age of 57, when at least officially she was not old.
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“I was big physically, I was big mentally, I didn't like myself,” admits Irena Vielocha. Today, Mrs. Irena is not considered old, and there are more such people over 65.
– Society has definitely changed and the desire to improve its condition, that is, health, because it is what everything is about, is completely different, and at the same time, the appearance, everything is changing, and even the mind is changing – points out Irena Vielocha.
The value of the old age index is also increasing
As for the changes, they can also be seen in the aging index, which shows the ratio between the old and young generations. Last year, this number was 133 people, that is, for every 100 people from 0 to 14 years old, there are 133 people over 65 years old.
– Demographic projections show that this value will increase. By 2060, it will reach about 255, – reports Katarzyn Goral-Radziszewska.
– For example, in residential houses, when we are alone, well, there is one person alone between these four walls, so that these young people can see that one day they will be our age, if they live to see us. , reminds Mrs. Yanina.
Main photo source: TVN24
