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WHO
Collaborative Programme
Health
of the Elderly
Back
Situation analysis:
The Lebanese population has witnessed a clear demographic transition in the past few decades. The decline in fertility rates has led to a lower proportion in the younger age groups and consequently to a narrowing down of the population pyramid's base.
In contrast, the proportion of the elderly Lebanese population over 60 years has increased from a value of 7.7% in 1970 (8.2% for females and 7.3% for males) to a value of 8.3% in 1984 (8.1% for females and 8.6% for males).
The proportion of those over 60 years is now around 10.4% in Lebanon. The Government has been aware of the need to strengthen and expand health programmes to meet the specific health needs of the elderly population. Many institutions in the country deal with the problems of the elderly particularly those relating to the social aspect. Non-governmental organizations play an important role by maintaining long-term homes for them. A National Inter-ministerial Committee for caring for the elderly was created.
WHO provided support to the elderly department at the Ain Wa Zein Hospital. Accordingly, training of the head of the department has taken place and appropriate documentation on care of the elderly was provided. This effort aimed at creating a centre dealing with community-based activities, that will be the center of excellence for training other teams.
Outside the private health insurance purchased individually, no other scheme on health insurance for retired and elderly population exists in Lebanon. Data analysis of information on the elderly is required based on the results of the Household Health Expenditure and Utilization Survey implemented in 1999. Accordingly, new pension plans and health insurance should be introduced in order to establish a sustainable health insurance policy for retired and elderly population.
Recently, the Government initiated the revision of the Laws and Social Security Regulations to address the health needs of the growing elderly population. For that a parliamentary commission was formed to revise criteria for entitlement for elderly health care coverage, as well as retirement eligibility.
Meanwhile, WHO will continue its active support to focus on creating mass awareness of the needs of the elderly among governments, non-governmental organizations, religious bodies and community leaders.
WHO and International Network for the prevention of elderly abuse are thrusting elder abuse studies in the context of global response against elder abuse. Such studies are planned to be carried out in five countries, that is, Brazil, Argentina, India, Lebanon and Kenya. WHO is in the process of developing a strategy concerning the abuse of older people, which will be reviewed and refined during a meeting expected to be held in WHO/HQ in Geneva, October 2001.
Two participants from each of the five countries mentioned above will attend. The strategy drawn up by the meeting will thereafter be applied in the research studies to be implemented in the five selected countries including Lebanon. A final document about all the studies will be presented at the UN Assembly on Ageing, Madrid, April 2002.
Achievements:
Epidemiological surveys providing the health and social conditions of the elderly population have been conducted. A large number of health personnel have received training in different aspects of health care for the elderly. The training of community health workers in caring for the elders is on-going.
Constraints:
- The Health Care of the elderly is not fully integrated within the national PHC programme.
- Information system on the health needs of the elderly population is inadequate.
Priority Areas:
1. Training community health workers to provide health care to the elderly.
2. Integration of elderly health care into the national primary health care programme.
3. Promotion of physical activity programme for the elderly population.
4. Empowerment of families and communities caring for their older persons
5. Development of Information system on the social and health conditions of the elderly population.
6. Development of a national policy on the health of the elderly.
Objectives:
- To improve the health and social welfare of the elderly people with particular focus on their specific needs.
- To improve geriatric elderly care in the country
- To identify and solve common problem facing the elderly
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