0 65% Elder respondents in India said their livelihood got affected by COVID-19 lockdown.
0 60% respondents say Social pension is their top need. 50% say Medicines & health facilities is their major concern.
Prakash Kamat,
Panaji, June 15-The HelpAge India, Goa on Monday June 15, 2020 released it's all India survey report on the ground realities of elderly peoples'awareness and situation regarding present COVID-19 crisis.
Towards the abuse of elderly,HelpAge India conducting survey from last 6 years to find out what type of abuse Elderly are facing.
"This year we thought of to shed light on the struggles and suffering of Elders (national level)in their fight against COVID 19,"Dattaprasad Pawaskar, Regional Manager,Goa told this blogger on Monday.
To know how COVID 19 impacted the lives of Older Persons in India, a dip-stick survey was undertaken by HelpAge India in June, 2020.The survey covered 17 states & 4 Union Territories.The survey was designed to assess the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic & lockdown on the Elderly vis a vis healthcare,livelihood, access to goods & services and assistance provided by various stakeholders.
SALIENT FINDINGS:
HelpAge India report (June 2020)
PARAMETERS:
O Sample Size: 5099 elder respondents (Urban: 2639, Rural: 2460).
Age Groups: 60 - 69 years (Young Old), 70 – 79 years (Old Old) and 80 years & above (Oldest Old).
Gender: 57% Males and 43% Females.
FINDINGS:
91% of the respondents were aware of the signs and symptoms of COVID 19, while 9% were unaware.
The hard reality that most elderly in India still have to work in order to survive, is brought out by the fact that 65% elder respondents stated that COVID 19 lockdown impacted their livelihood, and they had no Work or faced a drastic loss in their wages. Of these, 60% were from rural areas, while 40% was from urban areas.
Of those elders whose livelihoods had been impacted, 67% were in the age group of 60-69 years, a stark 28% in the old-old category (70 – 79 years) and 5% in the oldest-old age group (80 plus). That’s more than 30% of elders over the age of 70 years whose livelihoods were impacted.
71% elder respondents stated that the livelihood of the breadwinner of their family was impacted (loss of work /wages) by the lockdown. Of these, 61% were from the rural areas, while 39% were from urban areas.
A disturbing 62% of the elder respondents reported suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer etc. Of these, 53% were from rural, and 47% from urban areas.
42% elders reported worsening of health condition during the lockdown. Of these, 64% respondents were from the rural areas as compared to 36% from urban areas. 61% were young-old, 31% old-old and 8% oldest old.
78% elders faced difficulty in accessing essential goods and services due to the lockdown nationally. Amongst the total rural respondents, 84% elders faced difficulty in accessing essential good & services and amongst the total urban elderly it was 71%.
The top 3 essential goods & services elders had difficulty in accessing during the lockdown, were in clusters of the following common responses: Access to Food, Groceries & Medicines, followed by Access to Domestic Help/ Household Maid and the third being Access to Banking / ATM services.
61% respondents felt confined & socially isolated in their homes during the lockdown. Here the rural-urban distribution was equal. Interesting to note, was that 62% of those who felt confined were the Young Old between 60-69 years, where the feeling of frustration & confinement might have been higher, as this section of the aged are more able bodied and active, as compared to the Old Old, those between 70-79 years (31%) and Oldest Old, those above 80 years (7%).
The top 3 major Fears elders had during the lockdown were in a cluster of 3 categories: 38 % had the Fear of getting infected by Covid 19, Fear of its spread through Socializing & Loss of Income, 34% feared Economic loss, fear of Starvation & No Work, and 12% had fear of Travelling, fear of Community Spread and their Low Immunity level.
In major Suggestions for the Government, more than 60% elder respondents mentioned Social Pension as their top need, while 50% wanted Medicines & Healthcare needs to be addressed.(eom)
0 60% respondents say Social pension is their top need. 50% say Medicines & health facilities is their major concern.
Prakash Kamat,
Panaji, June 15-The HelpAge India, Goa on Monday June 15, 2020 released it's all India survey report on the ground realities of elderly peoples'awareness and situation regarding present COVID-19 crisis.
Towards the abuse of elderly,HelpAge India conducting survey from last 6 years to find out what type of abuse Elderly are facing.
"This year we thought of to shed light on the struggles and suffering of Elders (national level)in their fight against COVID 19,"Dattaprasad Pawaskar, Regional Manager,Goa told this blogger on Monday.
To know how COVID 19 impacted the lives of Older Persons in India, a dip-stick survey was undertaken by HelpAge India in June, 2020.The survey covered 17 states & 4 Union Territories.The survey was designed to assess the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic & lockdown on the Elderly vis a vis healthcare,livelihood, access to goods & services and assistance provided by various stakeholders.
SALIENT FINDINGS:
HelpAge India report (June 2020)
PARAMETERS:
O Sample Size: 5099 elder respondents (Urban: 2639, Rural: 2460).
Age Groups: 60 - 69 years (Young Old), 70 – 79 years (Old Old) and 80 years & above (Oldest Old).
Gender: 57% Males and 43% Females.
FINDINGS:
91% of the respondents were aware of the signs and symptoms of COVID 19, while 9% were unaware.
The hard reality that most elderly in India still have to work in order to survive, is brought out by the fact that 65% elder respondents stated that COVID 19 lockdown impacted their livelihood, and they had no Work or faced a drastic loss in their wages. Of these, 60% were from rural areas, while 40% was from urban areas.
Of those elders whose livelihoods had been impacted, 67% were in the age group of 60-69 years, a stark 28% in the old-old category (70 – 79 years) and 5% in the oldest-old age group (80 plus). That’s more than 30% of elders over the age of 70 years whose livelihoods were impacted.
71% elder respondents stated that the livelihood of the breadwinner of their family was impacted (loss of work /wages) by the lockdown. Of these, 61% were from the rural areas, while 39% were from urban areas.
A disturbing 62% of the elder respondents reported suffering from chronic diseases such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, cancer etc. Of these, 53% were from rural, and 47% from urban areas.
42% elders reported worsening of health condition during the lockdown. Of these, 64% respondents were from the rural areas as compared to 36% from urban areas. 61% were young-old, 31% old-old and 8% oldest old.
78% elders faced difficulty in accessing essential goods and services due to the lockdown nationally. Amongst the total rural respondents, 84% elders faced difficulty in accessing essential good & services and amongst the total urban elderly it was 71%.
The top 3 essential goods & services elders had difficulty in accessing during the lockdown, were in clusters of the following common responses: Access to Food, Groceries & Medicines, followed by Access to Domestic Help/ Household Maid and the third being Access to Banking / ATM services.
61% respondents felt confined & socially isolated in their homes during the lockdown. Here the rural-urban distribution was equal. Interesting to note, was that 62% of those who felt confined were the Young Old between 60-69 years, where the feeling of frustration & confinement might have been higher, as this section of the aged are more able bodied and active, as compared to the Old Old, those between 70-79 years (31%) and Oldest Old, those above 80 years (7%).
The top 3 major Fears elders had during the lockdown were in a cluster of 3 categories: 38 % had the Fear of getting infected by Covid 19, Fear of its spread through Socializing & Loss of Income, 34% feared Economic loss, fear of Starvation & No Work, and 12% had fear of Travelling, fear of Community Spread and their Low Immunity level.
In major Suggestions for the Government, more than 60% elder respondents mentioned Social Pension as their top need, while 50% wanted Medicines & Healthcare needs to be addressed.(eom)
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