Prabesh Ghimire

Valley College of Technical Sciences

Bachelor of Public Health

Applied Family & Reproductive Health

Unit: Gerontology

Ageing in Nepal and National Plans & Policies to

address the issues

Presented ByPrabesh Ghimire

BPH 3rd YearValley College of Technical Sciences

A power-point presentation on:

Unit: GerontologyApplied Family Health

Valley College of Technical SciencesPrabesh Ghimire

Prabesh Ghimire

Ageing: It begins at the moment of conception, involves the differentiations and maturation of the organism and its cells at some variable point in time, leads to the progressive loss of functional capacity characteristic of senescence, and ends in death (Robbins 1998)

ageing is actually growing old or maturing, progressive changes related to the passage of time

Introduction to Ageing

Ageing in Nepalese context

S.No Categories Ageing Criteria

1 Civil Servants (govt. levels) 58 yrs +

2 Universities 63 yrs +

3 General mass (legal & pension benefits)

75 yrs +

1995/96 2003/04

Percent of population (60 years

& over)

6.8% 7.6%

Ageing Scenario

Prabesh Ghimire

Ageing Problems in Nepal

Ageing Problem

s

Heart Problems:

AtherosclerosisStroke

Immune:CancerCSF/

Fibromyalgia

Mental Problems:AlzheimersDepression

Metabolic disorders:Diabetes

Social Problems:NeglectAbandonInsecurityEconomic Burden

Sexual Problems:ImpotenceOrgasmic

dysfunction

Bones: & others

Osteoarthritis

Hearing lossCataract

Physical Health

Problems

Psychological Problems

Social Problems

Prabesh Ghimire

‘In Nepal, the problems arising from ageing is partly economic, partly social and partly cultural’

with economic pressure increasing resulting in migration of youth across the border in search of works, the elderly population are left at home in rural hills, and the in-laws consider them "inactive", "burdensome" and " passive recipients of support".

‘the elderly citizens from the poorest of the poor are largely abandoned, those from the well-off suffer from loneliness and isolation’

Speech by Mrs. Sushila Swar

State Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare

Second World Assembly on Ageing

Madrid, Spain

April 9, 2002

The increasing aged population in this country has been affecting several areas of our life. Such areas include problems of health and health care facilities, family composition, income and spending, living arrangements, housing and migration to name a few, owing to the changing value system of Nepalese society in recent years.

Problems of increasing aged people have not only been caused by the increasing figures but also raise the uncertainty over the way such aged people are being taken care of by the members of a family

The World Assembly on Ageing

By Prem Lal Chitrakar,

The Kathmandu Post

April 23, 2002Prabesh Ghimire

Prabesh Ghimire

Prabesh Ghimire

Government plans and policies on ageing issues

Prabesh Ghimire

The Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2006

Article 35, section 17: the state shall pursue the policy of providing allowances to elder, incapacitated women and unemployed.

Article 13: Right to equality for the senior citizens and others.

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Policies on three year interim plan (2007-2010)

Develop legal and institutional mechanism to ensure welfare and rights of senior citizens.

Expand old age homes, allowances and other economic social security programmes.

Provide special facilities to elderly people in hospitals and public transports.

Formulate policies to respect and utilize the knowledge, skills and experiences of senior citizen in national development and social transformation

Motivate local government, private sectors and civil society organizations to provide appropriate services and facilities to senior citizens.

Prabesh Ghimire

Programs on three year interim plan (2007-2010)

Heath treatment for senior citizen program

Senior citizen central fund mobilization

Studies on senior citizen

Institutional strengthening program

Social security, insurance and livelihood program

Inclusion of subjects related to senior citizens in non-formal and formal education.

Program to encourage private sector, local bodies, NGOs and community organizations

Provision of Geriatric Home for senior citizen

Prabesh Ghimire

Sec.10B states that:if the parents (mother/father) want to live

with a particular son or daughter, it has to be clearly stated in the Bandapatra (the legal note on property distribution) and this son or daughter should take care of the parents.

if the older parents cannot survive on their income and if the son/daughter with whom they are living have no son/daughter, the other son/daughter with whom they are not living should take care of, feed, and clothe them as per their earnings.

Civil Code, 1963

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Local Self Governance Act, 1998

Makes provision for the protection and development of orphan children, helpless women, elderly people and disabled.

The guidelines of the Ministry of Local Development includes following points as the pre-requisite for being able to obtain old age allowance:

Men/women above the age of 75 years will be eligible for monthly allowance of Rs.200.

People above 60 years of age who have no income source, who are not taken care by their families, have no personal assets and/or properties or widows who do not get their husband's pension are eligible for monthly allowance of Rs.150.

Prabesh Ghimire

National Plan of Action, 2062 for senior citizens

Divided into different aspectsEconomic aspect:

Allowances shall be provided in an appropriate way to the senior citizen economically weak and socially insecured.

National pension scheme shall be prepared and implemented in the context of extensive economic security and social insurance.

Prabesh Ghimire

National Plan of Action, 2062 for senior citizens

Social Security:To protect those olders who are neglected from

family a "senior citizens consultation service center" shall be established.

Act, Regulation relating to the right and interest of the senior citizens shall be studied and amended.

The property earned by the olders shall be protected and a system shall be developed in which the son and daughter shall compulsorily earmark some percent of their income to the father and mother.

A "Social Security Fund" shall be created in national level to carry out the works relating to appropriate social security and services to the olders.

Prabesh Ghimire

National Plan of Action, 2062 for senior citizens

Health ServicesFree medical treatment and services shall be provided

to those olders who want to have medical treatment in government hospitals and health centers.

Arrangements for concessional medical treatment for olders shall be made in private hospital and nursing homes.

Geriatric Ward shall be gradually established in every hospital except in the children's and maternity hospital.

Exemption and concession on behalf of government shall be given to an institution which makes arrangements for ambulance for the medical treatment of the olders and provides medical treatment to the olders.

Prabesh Ghimire

National Plan of Action, 2062 for senior citizens

Facility and HonourPractices of social honoring of the olders shall be

developed and such act shall be done extensivelySeat shall be reserved for and exemption in charges

shall be given to the olders in the means of transportation and communications.

Participation and EngagementAn arrangement shall be made in which the olders

retired from service because of age can, remain in the same service up to the involvement age (if they desire so).

The olders' skill, experience and knowledge shall be optimally used.

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Education & Entertainment aspectSpecial exemption shall be given to the senior

citizens in entertainment and other prescribed sectors.

Subject matters that help learn to provide services, respect and security to the olders shall be introduced in the curriculum of school and higher secondary school.

MiscellaneousConsideration shall be given to the percentage of

ageing population while formulating a plan in every sector.

The olders living in various prisons shall be provided with special facility of prison management.

National Plan of Action, 2062 for senior citizens

Social Security and Protection of Senior Citizen Act, 2006

This is the first law of Nepal specially promulgated in regard to provide social security to the senior citizens.

Sec. 2 (a) defines the senior citizen as those people who are 60 years and above.

Sec. 3 of the act has provisions that there would be the duty of all citizens to respects to the senior citizens.

Prabesh Ghimire

Prabesh Ghimire

Social Security and Protection of Senior Citizen Act, 2006

Sec. 4 provides that there will be the duty of each of the family members to take care and maintain the senior citizen in accordance with their capacity of economic and reputation.

No one should separate or compel to live separately to the senior citizens from the family against his/her will.

Sec. 9 of the Act has provisioned that the government, by publishing a public notice

May reserve at least two seats for senior citizens in the prescribed vehicles.

Also provides 50% discount in rent. The health centers have to provide health service by giving

priority and those health centers, prescribed by the government, have to provide service in 50% discount.

The services of drinking water and electricity are to be provided with giving priority to them.

Prabesh Ghimire

Social Security and Protection of Senior Citizen Act, 2006

The Act has provisioned the there should be established

District Senior Citizens Welfare Committee (DSCWC)

Senior Citizens Welfare Fund (SCWF)Care Centers and Day Service Centers for

the senior citizens and also provisions to provide allowance.

Prabesh Ghimire

Any Queries???

Prabesh Ghimire

References

Nepal Country Report “ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMISSION FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC” 9-11 October 2007,Macao, China

‘Ageing and Social Security System in Nepal: Scope andChallenges’, Chuda Raj Uprety

Senior Citizens Policy and Working Policy The Interim Constitution of Nepal, 2006 Three Year Interim Plan (2007-2010)

Prabesh Ghimire