Add life to silver age not merely years
Sri Lanka is on par with the highly developed Western countries in the world in terms of healthy life expectancy and longevity of its population. So much so it has been named the fastest ageing country in the region. Our older population is around 13% currently and is expected to hit a high figure of 20% by 2031. What has ushered in these dominant changes in the demographic profile of our country? As a nation we can be proud of our efficient and far-reaching health service. In 1946, our life expectancy for a man was 43 years and in 2014 it had risen to 78 years – on par with the European figures and far exceeding that of most developing countries.
Pensioners at a recent protest meeting: An elder-friendly society the need of the hour
There is however an urgent need to explore the profound implications behind this giant achievement.
The obligations towards older members of society needs an attitudinal change as well as a pragmatic approach in the current social structure. We need to identify the special needs of the older adult and not shrug it off as part and parcel of growing old, the “inevitable curse of old age doom”. The health needs of the older person are not only confined to treatment of acute medical illness but also entail provision of ade quate facilities for rehabilitation, convalescence and proper environment devoid of risk factors for old age vulnerabilities.
According to Global Age Watch Index, Sri Lanka has been ranked 43rd and is performing well in the domain of enabling environments and capability. However in the health domain it is below the regional average especially in relation to psychological wellbeing in old age. Sri Lanka is also low in pension coverage and income security in old age.
Health is wealth at any age and old age is no exception. The silent conditions that perpetuate the sufferings of older members are mostly preventable, easily remediable factors like falls, osteoporosis, visual impairment, incontinence, memory loss and major non communicable diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, heart attacks and the highly prevalent diabetes. Although these conditions are not totally reversible, they can be effectively controlled by proper medication, appropriate medical advice and lifestyle modifications.
The branch of medicine that deals with older age ailments is called “Geriatric Medicine”. This specialty is a well developed in all developed countries and also an emerging field in many of the developing nations including India, Thailand and Indonesia. The specialist doctors treating older people are called Geriatricians. At the moment in Sri Lanka we do not have Consultant Geriatricians but measures are being taken to introduce Geriatrics into the postgraduate curriculum from next year.
Medicine in old age is essentially different from that of General Medicine in that it focuses on the special needs of the older adult and is sensitive to the social environments of the older person as well as addressing their acute medical conditions.
Training of doctors and other medical staff caring for older people is of vital importance to our country in the face of the rising older population.
Moreover, caring for the older person requires a multi-disciplinary approach and cannot be achieved only by doctors. Many old-age ailments need the assistance of allied health care workers like physiotherapists, occupational therapists and social workers.
While Sri Lankans enjoy long life similar to highly developed nations in the world it is our responsibility to make this silver age a pleasant and burden-free, disability-free active stage of life as opposed to a secluded deprived life that many of our older adults are deemed to accept due to unavailability of proper services, equipment and trained personnel to look after their needs. Every attempt should be made to add life to the years we gain as opposed to adding merely years to life we receive.
An elder-friendly society eliminates the social isolation and emotional deprivation of old age and enhances older participation in developmental activities and social engagements.
(The writer is Consultant Physician, Teaching Hospital Ragama and Secretary, Sri Lanka Association of Geriatric Medicine)
| New chapter in Geriatric Medicine in SL
In order to provide a common platform for education, research, welfare and necessary policy guidance in the field of Geriatric Medicine, a portal was opened on February 2014 by the establishment of the Sri Lanka Association of Geriatric Medicine (SLAGM). SLAGM inaugural academic sessions  Left to right seated: Dr. Lalith S. Wijayarathne (Council Member), Dr. Achala Balasuriya (Secretary), Dr. Selvie Perera (Patron), Dr. Dilhar Samaraweera (President), Prof. Antoinette Perera (Council Member) Standing: Dr. Dilanka Thilakaratne (Assistant Secretary), Dr. Barana Millawithana (Council Member), Dr. Shiromi Maduwage (Council Member), Dr. Priyankara Jayawardana (Vice President), Dr. Aindralal Balasuriya (Treasurer) Absent: Prof. Sarath Lekamwasam (Council Member) The Sri Lanka Association of Geriatric Medicine (SLAGM) will hold its Inaugural academic sessions on November 12 and 13 at the Sri Lanka Foundation, 100,Sri Lanka Padanama Mawatha, Independence Square, Colombo 7. The theme of the sessions is “Towards Achieving a Healthier and Brighter Silver Age’. The international faculty represented at the inaugural sessions are: Prof Prasad Mathews (India); Dr Rajah Salgado (Australia); Prof. A.B. Dey (India) and Dr Varsha (India). The inauguration ceremony will be on Wednesday, November 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. |