The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka convened a high-level panel discussion at the International Conference on Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine 2019, also known as the ‘Silver Age Conference’, on the topic ‘Feminization of Ageing and its Impact on Long-term Care’ in Colombo recently.
Women above the age of 80 years constitute two thirds of the population in Sri Lanka. This phenomenon called ‘feminization of ageing’, occurs when women make up a larger share of the older population. Feminization of ageing leads to a number of socioeconomic issues, particularly relating to long-term care, as most women are caregivers even as they age and transition from providers to dependents due to the deterioration of their health.
While men and women face challenges during the ageing process, women in particular face discrimination related to healthcare amongst other services in the long term due to their dependency and role as a caregiver. This restricts the rights and choices of elderly women at a stage of vulnerability. Therefore, there is a greater need to focus on gender when developing and implementing effective interventions concerning long-term care for the elderly.
The panel of an international expert and policy leaders was moderated by Ritsu Nacken, UNFPA Representative in Sri Lanka. Nacken said that long-term care for elderly women is a very relevant topic for Sri Lanka particularly because of women’s economic vulnerability in society. “Many Sri Lankan women do not engage in formal employment, which leaves them without pension or saving in old age. We need to address this issue taking a life-cycle approach to ensure the rights and dignity of elderly women,” she said.
Prof. Lakshman Dissanayake, Former Vice-Chancellor, Senior Professor of Demography (Chair), University of Colombo said that while population data shows that women tend to live longer than men in Sri Lanka, it is evident that women spend more years in bad health in comparison with men. “This means that women spend most of their old age in a state of vulnerability,” he said.
Dr. Shiromi Maduwage, Consultant Community Physician, Sri Lanka said Sri Lanka must address issues relating to the health of older persons. “This is why we are hosting this conference in Sri Lanka, to learn from other countries and to share knowledge. When considering the health of older persons, we must understand the gender perspective as well,” she said.
Add new comment