Protection of the Rights of Older People Needed More Than Ever
There will be twice as many older persons aged 65 and older as there are now outnumbering young people aged 15 to 24 by the year 2050. Addressing the 'Working Group on Ageing' at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Michelle Bachelet, the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the UN, said that more than ever, older people need stronger protection to enjoy their human rights fully.
"But the reality is that international legal frameworks – which should protect everybody, without discrimination – still render older persons invisible," said Bachelet.
Bachelet called for action to end violence, neglect, and abuse of older persons, where the quality of health services, including long-term health care, are easily accessible.
"We should ask ourselves: what kind of world do we want to live in by then? I would like to imagine a world where older persons everywhere are guaranteed to live a life of dignity with economic security," Bachelet explained.
Older People Still Contribute to Society
Bachelet says we live in a world where older people can continue working and contributing to society for as long as they wish and are able to. She says older people can live independently and make their own decisions.
However, she noted that a majority of the six million lives lost to COVID-19, were older people.
"The crisis has exposed and deepened critical human rights protection gaps for older persons," she said.
Bachelet says that age-related discrimination creates and exacerbates poverty and marginalization and amplifies human rights risks.
"Older persons have been left at the edges of society at the time when they are most in need of our support," said Bachelet.
Elderly in Ukraine and Other War-Torn Regions at High Risk
She took aim at Russia's invasion of Ukraine, where older people face a particularly appalling humanitarian situation.
"Long-term care facilities are suffering a lack of food, heating, electricity, water, and medication. Many residents who have chronic health conditions rely on others for care and are struggling to access bomb shelters or safe areas," she explained.
Bachelet pointed out that violence against older women and the lack of access to medical care and mental health and psychosocial support services had severely impacted health in Ethiopia's war-wracked Tigray region.
"And in Syria, older persons continue to suffer the consequences of destroyed and damaged health infrastructure," she said.
Strengthening the human rights of older people is an urgent imperative that she says we must strive towards. She said that their rights have suffered from inadequate protection for too long, and they continue to be overlooked and neglected in national policies.
Ageism
Ageism is "woven into the very fabric of life" of older persons, said Ms. Bachelet, and is all-pervasive.
"The stereotypes resulting from ageism and discrimination are counterproductive and can even be dangerous. They significantly contribute to the vulnerability of older persons and are one of the main obstacles to their enjoyment of human rights," Bachelet said.
Currently, she said, none of the UN human rights treaties contain any specific provision on age discrimination or ageism.
World Getting Older
The UN says that virtually every country in the world will experience a substantial increase in the size of the population aged 60 years or over between 2015 and 2030.
With increasing longevity, the risk of chronic disease rises along with age-related disabilities. These disabilities include chronic diseases such as pulmonary disease and diabetes, age-related loss of hearing, sight, and movement (arthritis), cognitive illnesses such as dementia and Alzheimer's, and injuries from falls.
The UN says that as the number of older persons grows along with their longevity, the need for long-term health care will increase significantly for those aged 80 and over, especially for older women who live longer.
The number of people aged 80 and above is estimated to grow to 434 million in 2050. As people get older, their risk of needing basic help with daily living activities and supervision due to dementia increases dramatically.
Dementia and Alzheimer's Increasing Worldwide
The number of people with dementia and Alzheimer's continues to grow, leading to an additional demand for long-term health care. The incidence of dementia worldwide is projected to grow to 75 million in 2030.
In the United States, nearly 40 percent of the population aged 85 years and older suffer from Alzheimer's and dementia.
Forty-eight percent of older people are not covered by any type of formal benefits; 46% are excluded from any coverage that does exist by some form of means-testing, and only 5.6% of older people worldwide are covered by legislation that provides coverage for all.
Medicaid Biggest Payor of Long-Term Care in the U.S.
In the United States, Medicaid will pay for long-term health care, but only the care recipient has little or no income and assets. Traditional health insurance and Medicare, including supplements, pay for a very limited amount of skilled care services.
Long-Term Care Insurance is available in the U.S.; however, some people decide not to look into obtaining coverage until it's too late as these policies are medically underwritten and require reasonably good health to get coverage. As a result, many families find themselves in a crisis, and the consequences of family and finances dramatically impact the entire family.
Long-Term Health Care Costs Skyrocketing
Plus, long-term health care costs are rising worldwide because of greater demand for services and higher labor costs. For example, labor shortages have curtailed services in long-term care facilities in the U.S. and Canada, and home health agencies have difficulty finding staff for everyone who needs care.
The cost of long-term health care services depends on location and the required type of services. The LTC NEWS Cost of Care Calculator shows the current and future costs of care based on where a person lives - Cost of Care Calculator - Choose Your State | LTC News.
Longevity and the problem of aging and declining health are global problems that impact families in many ways. Many people ignore the problem when they could plan for it making it easier on their pocketbooks and reducing the stress and burdens otherwise placed on their families.
In the U.S., more people are aware of the consequences of long-term health care, and while an increasing number of people are planning, most still do not. Most people who obtain Long-Term Care Insurance are in their 50s, but insurance companies offer policies for those younger and older, as long as they have relatively good health. Every insurance company has its own underwriting rules and pricing.