In 1950, according to United Nations estimates, the number of persons 60 years of age and above in the world was 200 million.
That number increased to 350 million in 1975 and 890 million in 2000. In 2025, the number of persons 60 years and above is expected to go up to 1,100 million.
Of the total number of the world’s population, older persons represent 13.7 per cent.
Ageing and the increasing problems of the aged have, for several years, engaged the attention of the global community as the population of older persons increases.
Problems of ageing have been found to be more pronounced in developing countries where 52 per cent of the world’s elderly lived in 1975.
In 2000, the number of older persons living in the developing world increased to 50 per cent. That number is expected to go up in 2025 to 72 per cent.
In April 2002, a gathering of world leaders in Madrid, Spain, known as the World Assembly, deliberated on and approved the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and the Political Declaration.
It was the second time that the World Assembly on Ageing convened and deliberated on the problems of ageing and how to make life more meaningful for older persons.
The first took place in Vienna, Austria, in 1982 where the Vienna International Plan of Action on Ageing was adopted.
The Madrid Plan is seen as an important turning point as to how the modern world should deal with the problems of ageing and endeavour to build “a society for all ages.”
The goal is to include and not exclude older persons in national and global economic, social and political development plans.
By adopting the plan, governments have decided in concert for the first time to connect ageing problems with national development.
The Madrid Plan presents guidelines to governments, non-governmental organisations and other bodies of countries on how to deal with issues of ageing and problems of the aged in the 21st Century.
Three major areas where the Madrid Plan put special emphasis are: older persons and national development, advancing health and wellbeing into old age and ensuring enabling and supportive environments for older persons.
According to the plan, participants at the World Assembly reaffirmed that “they believe that the fundamental and inalienable rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights apply fully and undiminishedly to the ageing.”
It said the participants “do solemnly recognise that the quality of life is no less important than longevity and that the ageing should, therefore, as far as possible, be enabled to enjoy in their own families and communities a life of fulfilment, health, security and contentment appreciated as an integral part of society.”
The plan makes some recommendations which include those on goals and policies and the effect of ageing on national development.
Specific recommendations have been embodied in the plan to deal with problems that concern older persons.
Recommendations one to 17 are about health and nutrition needs of the aged.
Recommendation 18 is concerned with protection of consumer goods for the elderly and recommendation 19 to 24 deal with housing and environment for the aged.
Recommendations 28 and 29; 30 to 38; 39 to 43 and 44 to 51 – are about the family of the aged; social welfare; income security and employment and education.
On health, the plan recommended that “early diagnosis and appropriate treatment is required, as well as preventive measures to reduce disabilities and diseases of the ageing.”
On nutrition, the plan suggested that “adequate, appropriate and sufficient nutrition, particularly the intake of proteins, minerals and vitamins is essential to the wellbeing of the elderly.”
“Poor nutrition is exacerbated by poverty, isolation, malnutrition of food and poor eating habits, including those due to dental problems.”
The plan recommended that special attention should be paid to improvement of the availability of foodstuffs for the elderly through appropriate schemes and encouraging the aged in rural areas to play an active role in food production.
On consumer items for the elderly, the plan urged governments to ensure, among others, that “food and household products, installations and equipment conform to standards of safety that take into account the vulnerability of the aged”.
On family, the plan asked governments “to adopt an age/family integrated approach to planning and development which would recognise the special needs and characteristics of the elderly persons and their families.”
“Older persons should be included in governmental and other decision-making processes in the political, social, cultural and education areas among others and children should be encouraged to support their parents.”
For income security and employment, the plan urged governments to “take appropriate action to ensure to all older persons, an appropriate income, and to develop their economies to benefit all the population.”
“To this end, governments should create or develop social security schemes based on the principle of universal coverage for older persons,” the plan stated.
It added: “Where this is not feasible, other approaches should be tried, such as payment of benefits in kind or direct assistance to families and local cooperative institutions.”
On education, the plan recommended that the elderly be involved in educational programmes as “teachers and transmitters of knowledge, culture and spiritual values.”
“As a basic human right, education must be made available without discrimination against the elderly. Educational policies should reflect the principle of right to education of the ageing through appropriate allocation of resources in suitable educational programmes.”
Ghana, as a party to the International Plan of Action on Ageing, has responded in various ways to the recommendations.
The responses reflect in the establishment of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) and pension schemes, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and its free medical care for the aged.
This month, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, launched what she called the Eban Elderly Welfare Identity Card.
The card is part of a scheme to lessen the financial burden of the elderly and enable them to jump queues at public-facility points, such as a hospital.
A holder of the card can board a Metro Mass Transport (MMT) bus by paying half of the fare.
According to the Minister, her ministry was in the final stages of negotiations with the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) to enable older persons to travel on GPRTU vehicles paying half the fare.
“I call on individuals and organisations to come on board so that together we can improve the lives of all our beloved elderly people across Ghana,” she added.
The Eban Elderly Welfare Identity Card must not be treated or regarded as a vote-catching device. It is part of recommendations adopted under the Madrid International Plan on Ageing.
It is hoped that the Ghana Government will endeavour to implement more of the Madrid Plan of Action’s recommendations to improve the wellbeing of the aged in Ghana.
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