New Delhi, April 28, 2018:
Ageing of the population is an ever-expanding global demographic phenomenon and is equally encountered in South-East Asia, including India. An estimated 8% or 96 million, of India’s population is aged 60 years and above. This proportion will increase to 19% by 2050. Life-expectancy at birth has continued to increase globally including India. In 1990, life-expectancy at birth in India stood at 58 years and increased to 65 years in 2011, an increasing trend that will continue.
Longevity of life is a scientific triumph but it is also associated with chronic diseases and disabilities, particularly noted in old age, affecting the overall quality of life and posing a challenge to families, communities and governments. The age-old balance of care of the old and very old at home is also being affected.
Wellness Health &You has been working for addressing the various issues faced by aged in India may it be for their personal needs or rights or making it easier for their adjustment in society. It is now taking up the issue of inadequacy of age-friendliness of the primary health care services being made available in homes, hospitals or personal clinics.
Most preventive health care and screening for early disease detection and management takes place in the primary health care setting at the community level. These primary health care (PHC) centers/clinics also provide the bulk of ongoing management and care. It is estimated that 80% of front-line health care is provided at the community level where PHC centers/clinics form the backbone of the health care system. Older people already account for a sizeable proportion of PHC center patients and as population’s age and chronic disease rates climb, that proportion will increase. PHC centers are on the frontline of health care and are thus familiar to older people and their families.
They are ideally positioned to provide the regular and extended contacts and ongoing care that older persons need to prevent or delay disabilities resulting from chronic health conditions.
The care of the elderly in the primary care setting or by society is largely seen as a neglected area with very little data on the type of problems faced by the elderly. The care givers, even the health professionals have no formal training in the field of geriatrics and the informal care givers, family members are not aware and coordinated adequately to provide adequate care to their own elder’s.
Wellness Health & You is launching a CERTIFICATE COURSE IN ELDER CARE on April 29, 2018 at DMA House, New Delhi. It shall provide basic knowledge on elder care and on needs of the elders that can be met in a GP setting.
Senior Faculty from the different hospitals will be a part of this course. This course will make the elder’s life easy and comfortable.
For more details, visit the website : www.meraswaasth.com
About wellness Health & You:
This mission has been launched by the Wellness Health & You, a non-profit organization working in the field of primary health care services with emphasis on providing them with quality, accessibility, affordability and equity.