HEALTH PROBLEMS - GAPS IN CARE AND POVERTY ARE RECORDED FOR CYPRUS BY THE WHO - Filenews 29/10 by Marilena Panayi
Health problems that limit the daily lives of the elderly, gaps in the organization of their care and high rates of risk of poverty in older ages. This is what the World Health Organization (WHO) records for Cyprus, in a new report published at the beginning of the month.
The data reflect a reality that already concerns a significant part of the population and is becoming increasingly important, as Cyprus, as it turns out, is aging demographically.
At the same time, the report highlights not only the needs of the elderly but also specific gaps in policies and available data on long-term care.
According to the country's four-page profile, entitled "Cyprus: Country profile for healthy ageing and care", 56.5% of people aged 65 and over report health problems that limit their activities.
In other words, more than one in two elderly people face difficulties that affect, to a greater or lesser extent, their daily functioning.
The picture is complemented by the data on life expectancy. A person who reaches the age of 60 in Cyprus is expected, according to WHO estimates, to live an average of another 24.2 years. Of these, 18.4 are counted as years of healthy life, while the remaining 5.8 years are associated with functional limitations.
Practically, about a quarter of the life remaining after the age of 60 is estimated to be spent with problems that affect the individual's functionality.
From falls to hearing loss
The report also records individual health problems that affect older citizens.
The percentage of people over 60 years of age with hearing impairments is 20.5%, while vision problems are recorded at 11.9%.
Falls occupy a special place, with the relevant index standing at 9,636 cases per 100,000 people aged 60 and over.
These are problems that can affect the autonomy of the elderly and increase the need for support, either from professionals or from their family environment.
The main causes of death of people over 60 years of age, based on 2021 data, include ischemic heart disease, COVID-19, diabetes, Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, as well as strokes.
When, however, the causes of loss of healthy life years due to disability are examined, the picture is different. In the first places are back and neck pain, diabetes, falls, hearing problems and osteoarthritis.
Gaps in care
Of particular interest are what the WHO records on the organization of care in Cyprus. Cyprus has a national strategy for the elderly, policies to create age-friendly environments, actions against age discrimination and a policy for integrated primary health care.
The integration of palliative care into the health system's policy is also recorded.
However, the WHO notes that there is no policy for a comprehensive assessment of health and social care needs.
A second gap concerns people who take care of the elderly in the family or familiar environment.
According to the report, there are national training programmes for professional carers in Cyprus, but there are no corresponding national programmes for informal carers, i.e. relatives and other persons who offer care without working professionally in this field.
Poverty increases at older ages
In addition to health problems and care needs, the report presents data that highlight the economic vulnerability of older citizens.
The at-risk-of-poverty rate stands at 10.9% for people under 65 years of age, rising to 25.4% for the 65 to 74 age group and reaching 43.6% for people aged 75 and over.
The difference between the age groups is particularly large, as the index for those over 75 is almost four times that of the population under 65 years old.
The percentages refer to the relative risk of income poverty and should not be confused with indicators of extreme poverty or material deprivation.
At the same time, the report records that 92.7% of people who have exceeded the legal retirement age receive a pension.
The two findings highlight the difference between pension coverage and income adequacy: Receiving a pension does not necessarily imply that an older person is above the relevant poverty line.
An ageing society
WHO data also reflect the demographic dimension of the issue.
In 2023, approximately 265,000 people in Cyprus were aged 60 or over, representing 19.7% of the total population, which was estimated at approximately 1.3 million.
At the same time, data on the composition of households show that 19.1% of people aged 65 and over live alone, while 50.5% live as a couple without other persons in the same household.
These numbers become particularly important in combination with the health problems and increased support needs recorded at older ages.
The four-page WHO report does not include specific recommendations to the Republic of Cyprus nor does it propose a specific action plan. It gathers data from different years and captures existing policies, health indicators and gaps in information and care.
It is recalled that the aging of the population and the gaps in mark-year, home health care and the service of the elderly, is currently the subject of public debate as relevant remarks have recently been made about Cyprus and the EU.
About two weeks ago, the government announced the pilot implementation of a program for the operation of mobile elderly care units in the mountainous area of Limassol, while as we are informed, individual procedures are underway with the participation of Non-Governmental Organizations and other bodies.
