Adult population on the increase

L. S. Ananda WEDAARACHCHI

The adult population in Sri Lanka will increase by 27.6 percent of the total population in 2050. It is increasing rapidly due to the ageing process and decrease of fertility. That was revealed at a national symposium on senior elders held at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute, organized by the Ministry of Social Services and Social Welfare.

Former UN Social Development Regional Advisor for ESCAP Dr. Leel Gunasekera who is a member of Sri Lanka National Council of Elders (SLNCE) addressing the symposium said a person over 60 years of age is accepted as an elder. “Elders can be regrouped age-wise. The proportion of elders over 60 years to those of 70 years was about 56.4 percent and 70 years to 80 years 32.2 percent. The percentage of those who have reached 80 years or more is over 11 percent. As a developing country the population of Sri Lanka enjoys longevity,” he said.

“They are respected for their experience in life as repositories of virtue and wisdom based on religious values,” he said.

He said that the need of the hour is to implement the provisions of the Act No. 9 of 2000 to ensure the protection of elders rights so that the formation of rural elders committees approximately about 10,000 could be accelerated.SLNCE member N. W. E. Wijewantha said that non-communicable diseases like cancer, neurological diseases, cardiac failures, dementia and chronic disabilities are found to be on the increase-among the elders over 70 years. The life threatening health hazards are bound to make life miserable for the elders with the effects on their family members. New strategies need to be found to eliminate the scourge.

“It was unfortunate that our health system does not have adequate medical care facilities for older persons suffering from geriatric conditions,” he said.The Social Services and Social Welfare Secretary and the Chairman Sri Lanka National Council for Elders V. Jegarasasingam said that Sri Lanka is considered to be one of the countries experiencing rapid growth of elderly population.

She said that the category of “senior elders” fall into the fastest growing segment of the world population. The population of the aged is expected to rise from 688 million in 2006 to 1968 million in 2050, while that of those in the 80+ group are expected to rise from 89.4 million in 2006 to 394 million in 2050. In proportional terms the rise is 4.4 times, she said.She pointed out that senior elders are economically more dependent. They are socially more neglected and isolated from the active social network. Psychologically more depressed, they need better health and personal care.