Old age problems & solutions

On the occasion of World Elder-Abuse day -15th June.........
Sharing an article previously published in "Yoga Prasad" Shree Ambika Yoga Kutir, Thane, India Oct.-Dec.2015,
the magazine has Global circulation.
The article focuses on some old-age issues, sometimes overlapped with neurological conditions that are not so openly discussed in many cultures and contribute to family, social, emotional disturbances ultimately affecting human systems on the National and the Global level....
Most of the problems could be addressed if we all wish to do so......

1. WORLD ELDER ABUSE AWARENESS DAY-15
JUNE
SPECIAL FOCUS ON CURRENT INDIAN FAMILY
SYSTEM

2. INDIAN OLD POPULATION 65 YRS+ HAS SURPASSED 0-4 YEARS
POPULATION AND BY 2050 THE 80 YRS+ POPULATION WILL CROSS
YOUNGSTERS BELOW 15 YRS
DEMENTIA POPULATION WILL BE MORE THAN 100 LACS IN INDIA BY 2020

3. BECAUSE OF LACK KNOWLEDGE REGARDING FORGETFULNESS AND
COGNITIVE INCAPABILITY, MANY SYMPTOMS ARE TAKEN FOR GRANTED AS
PEOPLE GET OLDER ESPECIALLY AFTER THE AGE OF 60 PEOPLE THINK
THAT FORGETFULNESS IS NATURAL…
……BUT IT IS A VERY WRONG NOTION

4. THERE ARE MULTIPLE REASONS FOR DEMENTIA
ALZHEIMER’S, VASCULAR (STROKE), PARKINSON RELATED, FRONTO-
TEMPORAL,
(STRESS INDUCED HIGH BP & BLOOD SUGAR ARE PRIMARY REASONS FOR
VASCULAR DEMENTIA -THE ONLY ONE TYPE OF DEMENTIA WE CAN
PREVENT)

5. PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPULATION AFFECTED BY VARIOUS TYPES OF
DEMENTIA
ASIAN COUNTRIES AFFECTED MORE BECAUSE OF VAST/FAST AGING POPULATION
China and India is having
largest old population in
the world, but China has
taken steps quite earlier to
address their old and
Dementia population.

6. EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES FOR THE PERSONS HAVING DEMENTIA IS BUT
NATURAL AS THE BRAIN
HAS NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL OR NEUROBIOLOGICAL DEFICIT AND IT IS DIFFERENT
THAN PERSONS HAVING PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS WHERE THERE IS IMBALANCE
IN NEUROTRANSMITTERS WHICH CAN BE BALANCED WITH MEDICINES

7. IN OLD AGE OR FOR PEOPLE HAVING DEMENTIA MIGHT HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE
URINARY INCONTINENCE AND SOMETIMES THAT MIGHT CREATE AWKWARD
SITUATION FOR THEM….

8. THE REASONS FOR URINARY INCONTINENCE IN OLD AGE HAS TO BE ADDRESSED
EARLY AS IT MAY HAVE MULTIPLE REASONS…

for old women- the muscles might
become loose because of natural
delivery process while in young age
For some young females
the problem might start
due to heavy weight
lifting
One has to check for
any UTI (Urinary tract
infection) is present???

9. THE REASONS FOR URINARY INCONTINENCE IN OLD AGE HAS TO BE ADDRESSED
EARLY AS IT MAY HAVE MULTIPLE REASONS…

For old Males – there is
possibility of some problems
with the prostate glands….
If any 60 yrs+ Male having
alcohol abuse, that can be
a cause for urinary
incontinence…
For both male and female at
younger age - Trauma,
Parkinson’s, lower spine injuries,
can be the reason…

10. THE REASONS FOR URINARY INCONTINENCE IN OLD AGE HAS TO BE ADDRESSED
EARLY AS IT MAY HAVE MULTIPLE REASONS…

For old males and females –
Chronic diabetic condition,
other physical conditions might
create the problem…
If there is any
psychological condition
present it has to be
considered and the young
people should interact
with them and support
them….
For both male and female there
are various muscular contraction
and release exercises which can
help to strengthen the urinary
tract….

11. PERSONS HAVING DEMENTIA DO HAVE URINARY INCONTINENCE AND IT’S
NECESSARY TO TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS FOR THEM…

If there is any person having
dementia, a directional name
plate with highlighted “Toilet”
word can be positioned at
appropriate place, to be seen at
night time….or there is
possibility that the person will
open any door or go out of the
house…in search of the toilet…
We all must remember that …every human will become old
one day as It’s a biological process and cannot be
reverted…
Young people have to be grateful to the older generations
who have spent their time, energy…their invaluable
contribution for the upbringing of the younger generation…
it’s young people’s duty to care and support them…..

12. THE CARE GIVERS STRESS…..THE OLD GENERATION HAVE TO BE CONSIDERATE
ABOUT THE YOUNG GENERATION STRESSFUL LIFE….

Older generations are having pension schemes, and many have no financial worries…on the
contrary most of today’s care giver populations above 28 yrs. have to gather their own pension
money and work more, without any system support…..some understanding is expected from
the older generation…..

13. THE OLDER GENERATIONS CONTRIBUTION FOR THE SOCIETY…..

Today’s Older generations are healthier and live longer as compared to the previous. They
can contribute a lot towards building healthy future generations…
•They can control the traffic by helping school children at rush hours, which can minimize
accidents…
•They can impart their knowledge/expertise to upskill many needy persons (disabled etc.) to
uplift the portion of the society that is left behind…. Bridging the gap between two
generations….

14. IS THE OLD-AGE HOME A NECESSITY OF THE TIME ???? SPECIALLY FOR INDIA ????

* Hundreds of youngsters migrating from villages to metro cities, thousands of youngsters
migrating out of India for foreign countries…left no choice for the old people but to embrace
old-age homes…
* Some moved by own choices, but many had no choice and were rejected by their own sons
and daughters, many had no money and were on the road…handful are lucky to be loved and
cared…

15. ….LASTLY ONE QUESTION FOR THE YOUNG GENERATION…..

Imagine, you are living with your family past 40 years……One fine
day, if someone in the family gets up and says that ----this house
now has no space for you and this house no longer belongs to you
and you have to find another shelter and live rest of your life in old-
age home in a 8’X10’ room…….how would you feel ?????

16. •THIS ARTICLE IS SPECIAL FOR THE DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SUCH AS INDIA
WHERE IT HAS BECOME A ROUTINE OR FASHION TO KEEP THE OLD, ELDERLY
POPULATION IN OLD-AGE HOMES….
•FEW OLD PEOPLE ARE FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT IN INDIA…WHAT THEY NEED IS
JUST FAMILY LOVE/AFFECTION/RESPECT…
•OLD PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT TREATED THEIR SONS, DAUGHTERS OR DAUGHTERS-
IN-LAW WITH LOVE AND RESPECT AT THEIR YOUNG AGE CANNOT EXPECT THE
SAME IN RETURN……
•BILLIONS OF POPULATION HAVING 1/3 65+ OLD POPULATION IS A GREAT
CHALLENGE FOR THE NATIONAL SYSTEM, THERE IS NO COUNT YET FOR “DEMENTIA
POPULATION”
•IF EACH FAMILY DECIDES TO TAKE CARE OF THEIR OLD PERSON – MANY SOCIAL
PROBLEMS WILL BE ADDRESSED…ESPECIALLY THE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENT
BEHAVIOURAL PROBLEMS…..AND CARING FOR ALZHEIMER’S AND DEMENTIA…
• IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO HANDLE THE OLD-AGE PROBLEM BY CURRENT NATIONAL
SYSTEM
• BECAUSE THE WORLD IS AGEING CURRENTLY MANY COUNTRIES MIGHT BE FACING
SIMILAR PROBLEMS AROUND THE WORLD !!!

17. THANK YOU
•SPECIAL ARTICLE ON ELDER ABUSE IN INDIA PUBLISHED IN IPA CAMBRIDGE
CORE JOURNAL....
•HTTPS://WWW.CAMBRIDGE.ORG/CORE/JOURNALS/INTERNATIONAL-
PSYCHOGERIATRICS/ARTICLE/ELDER-ABUSE-BY-ABANDONMENT-IN-INDIA-A-
NOVEL-COMMUNITY-AWARENESS-AND-INTERVENTION
STRATEGY/0625672E08127B1502DA088CAEFA17B9