Scant assistance for the elderly as age gap widens
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The rise in the number of elderly persons between the ages of 80 and 100 has increased four times in the last decade, according the Mingala Bjuha Charity Association.
The charity holds a yearly ceremony to pay respect to elders above the age of 100 but say that there is little government assistance to help support the elderly who do not have family support.
"There are more aged people in Myanmar now. That's why we need to do more to take care of older persons. We also have to recount the rate of older people as it is true that the elderly persons are more than previous times,"said an official from Mingala Bjuha Charity Association.
In Myanmar there are more than 5.4 million above the age of 60. Among them, over 500,000 are now requiring medical assistance, according to the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.
"Currently, 90 percent of aged people are living together with their families and helpers and 10 percent need assistance. Among these 10 percent we can only support one percent," said Aung Tun Khaing, deputy director at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement.
He added that the ministry plans to extend medical services to cover the entire nation with basic health care services. They are also building homes for the elderly and have volunteers carrying out the home care services in 154 townships.
Released in 2013, a report by HelpAge International, completed in collaboration with Myanmar’s Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement and with support from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), showed that by 2050, one quarter of the population will be aged 60 or older against 9 per cent at present.
“How to respond to the challenges of a rapidly ageing population is a big question facing many countries in Southeast Asia today. The report puts forward some evidence to inform policies and practices in the country,” said Tapan Barman, Country Director, HelpAge International, while launching the report.
These findings highlight the critical need for government and society to plan ahead. This is to anticipate decreased family support and increased isolation, especially among older women, the majority of whom are widowed because they live longer than men.
Aung Tun Khaing, Chairman of the Elderly Project Advisory Committee, Union Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement, said then that the information would help the government develop informed policies and implement plans for elderly care services to fill in the gaps.
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