Page 32 - The Insurance Times September 2024

Marginalisation of older women in Urban areas problems are the common problems of the elderly in our
In rural India, Joint family system still exist and is the major country. The situation is more adverse for the elderly females
support of the elderly women in villages. They could sail as they neglect their own health due to their mindset, or
through the financial and emotional crisis in their grey years they lack awareness about these health issues or even if
with the support of the other earning members of the family. aware of they lack financial support from the family. Many
women usually ignore the symptoms of disease and do not
Whereas in urban India due to disintegration of joint family
system, women often face emotional and financial hardship share their pain and sufferings as there is no one to pay
in old age if they are neglected by their own children during attention to their problems. Thus they are marginalized and
their widowhood or after the retirement of their husbands feel neglected in their own family.
or their own retirement. This affects both the mental and
physical health of elderly females in the urban area. Income Insecurity and Financial dependence- a
concern for elderly female
According to the LASI survey 2.5 percent of the elderly men It is normal in India for the families to take care of the needs
and 8.6 percent of the elderly women were living alone in of older members of the family. But in the recent years with
India. Many live a neglected life in isolation.
the change in socio-economic and demographic structure
of the country, financial security from the assets owned by
Health problems associated with elderly females the elderly and personal income are the only support system
Elderly in India often have mental health issues like cognitive in old age. Due to lack of any such security, they become
decline, depression and dementia. They usually ignore many financially dependent on their children or relatives. Most of
of these health conditions, and moreover their families also these senior citizens are also uninsured and are not covered
neglect them and their health issues. As per a recent report by any Government health schemes. Lack of health insurance
of the Longitudinal Ageing Study of India (LASI) nearly 30 and rising healthcare inflation cripples the finances of the
percent of elderly persons have depressive symptoms, 15 caretakers who in most of the cases are young.
percent of the elderly aged 60 years and above are in the
lowest 10th percentile of composite cognition score as The Old-age dependency ratio which indicates the number
compared to 6 percent of older adults aged 45-59 years. of elderly people above the age of 60 years per 100 persons
in the age group of 15-59 years i.e. it is the ratio of elderly
Besides the mental health issues chronic disease, arthritis, people (who are generally economically inactive) compared
hypertension, heart ailments, fracture, poor vision, impaired to the number of people of working age is on the rise in our
hearing, anaemia, bowl disorders, diabetes, locomotor country.

The Insurance Times September 2024 29