Implications of demographic and socioeconomic transition for elderly: An illustration from India

Abstract

Aging is a biological process, experienced by the mankind in all times. However, due to decline in the mortality and fertility levels, in the 20th century, population of elderly in all tile major regions of world, except Africa is growing at a much faster rate than ever in the past. It is further projected that in the coming decades, the proportion and number of elderly in the world population, will grow at a still more rapid pace. In 1990, ahnost half a billion people, slightly more than 9 per cent of the world's population were over 60 years. By 2030 that number will triple to 1.4 billion (World Bank,1994). This phenomenon once associated with the developed countries alone, is becoming apparent in the developing countries as well. Further, due to a more rapid decline in the fertility and mortality levels, the pace of aging of population in the developing countries is likely to be faster than it has been in the developed countries. For example, in Belgium, it took more than 100 years for the share of population over 60 years to double from 9 to 18 percent. In China, this transition will take only 34 years, and in Venezuela, 22 years (World Bank, 1994). For India, it is estimated that the proportion of the elderly (65+) will grow by 242 percent between 1990 and 2025 (Kinsella, 1993). Developing countries will thus have an old demographic profile at a much lower level of socio-economic development than the developed countries. It will have important implications for the policy makers and planners of socio-economic development. The demand for health services and welfare measures for the elderly will increase, as the number of elderly grow. The pressure on resources and transformation of economics have also diluted the economic strength of the elderly. In association with decline in the ability and willingness of the families (under the pressure of modernization and urbanization) to support the elderly, it may further compound the problem of support provision for them. This paper will examine the inter-relationship between the demographic ~ransition and the process of population aging in India. It will also delineate on the socio-economic and demographic implications of the survival of more and more people up to tile elderly ages.

Regional Variation and Determinants of Well-being of the Elderly in India

“…Generally, elderly workers irrespective of gender are found to be concentrated in the primary sector where the retirement age limits are not well defined (Martin, 1990). Participation of elderly men in economic activities is also found to be higher compared to women, a suggested reason for which is shrink in employment opportunities or active involvement in family affairs (Das, 2017;Goyal, 2000).…”

A Future Journey to the Elderly Support in Bangladesh

“…It is the ratio of persons aged 60 or older per 100 males or females aged between 35 and 59 years. This type of support burden of elderly was studied in India [2]. In calculating the support burden of elderly, it is believed that this support will be required when a person reaches 60 or 65 years of age.…”

“…Decline in fertility has not only increased the proportion of people surviving to the old age but has also eroded the traditional support base in old age, that is, the family. The reduction in the size of successive birth cohort not only signifies the diminishing availability of youngster to support the older people but the shrinking of family size itself [2]. Measures of societal dependency in the form of age ratios tend largely to be used as surrogates for measures of economic support even though they should be seen merely as representing the contribution of age composition of the population to the economic support problem.…”

“…The pressure on resources and transformation of economics has also diluted the economic strength of the elderly. In association with decline in the ability and willingness of the families (under the pressure of modernization and urbanization) to support the elderly, it may further compound the problem of support provision for them [2]. The future number of elderly tells us something about how many hospital beds, geriatricians, home health aides, and nursing home beds will be needed.…”