DIGNIFIED OLD AGE

Do we often think about old age, about what an elderly person needs? Do we think that old age is inevitable and that we need to prepare for it while we're still young? How can we ensure that in old age life does not lose its meaning and that we have something to live on? I really wanted to write about this after an Azerbaijani who lives in Canada told me how old people live there - a real example to follow. After hearing this attractive story, I visualized our old people who, sadly, are not worrying about how to spend their leisure time, but how to earn enough to survive. It should be noted that Azerbaijan is only moving towards improving the quality of life of older people - they have already done this in Canada. You can judge a country's standard of living by the standard of living of its old people.

Striving for perfection

The UN Principles for Older Persons were adopted as part of what's known as the Vienna Plan which was passed by the World Assembly on Ageing in 1982. The document, approved by the UN General Assembly, sets out different ways to tackle the problems of older people. Azerbaijan has also adopted these principles and, as a result, our country has carried out most of the steps to improve the quality life of older people. Today this is one of the most important aspects of the state's social policy, the head of the parliamentary commission for social issues, Hadi Racabli, told Region+. One of the main areas of this policy is the adoption of legal documents to tackle the socioeconomic, political and status aspects of the lives of the older generation. "We are drawing up measures on social protection for the older generation. Preparing social services staff to work with older people is a crucial part of this work. It has to be acknowledged that the transition to a market economy has worsened the social risks for older people," he said.

A demographic imbalance can be seen across the world with the number of older people exceeding the number of young children. "The state is facing the need for the social re-adaptation of older people," the head of the parliamentary commission said. "In Azerbaijan, for example, it is very important to consider setting up centres to reintegrate older people. If they have become pensioners and stopped working, this does not mean that society can discount them. It is important to understand the psychology of the older person. He needs to know not only that his family needs him, but that his country does too, and then there are people without families. We shall become old one day, and concern about old age today is concern about one's own old age." The older generation really should live a dignified life and the state is obliged to provide them with a decent pension and, where necessary, jobs. Under the state programme adopted in Azerbaijan, their pensions should be equivalent to the subsistence minimum. Work is being done in this regard and a timetable for pension increases has already been drawn up.

"At present 90 per cent of older people in the country are labour pensioners, whose basic pension will soon rise to 80 manats and payments according to age for certain categories will significantly increase," Hadi Racabli said. "For example, pensions for lone old people will double. This process will continue in future too, as the ultimate goal of the policy is to ensure that every citizen has a dignified old age with a good quality of life. In 2008 the basic pension rose three times: in January it was 50 manats, in May 55 and in September 60. The basic pension is expected to increase twice in 2009: from 1 April to 65 manats and from 1 October to 70 manats. As for jobs, specialists from the relevant organizations must decide on places where an older person could be employed if he wants to work. Various NGOs need to work on this too - they could attract older people to work for them as volunteers. This applies to older people who feel a real lack of contact and do not know how to occupy themselves." 

He also touched on improving medical services for older people and providing social benefits for this. However, much remains to be decided here. "And older people who are at present in old people's homes should not be forgotten," Racabli said. "Azerbaijani society is very negative about the existence of old people's homes, perhaps it's our mentality, or possibly because people condemn those who refuse to look after their elderly parents. But this does not mean at all that there are no old people's homes in Azerbaijan. They exist and still provide a low level of care to their residents. We must not only take care to bring life in old people's homes to Western standards but also think about creating foster families. It is obvious that it's much better for older people to live in a family than in an old people's home. A lot of attention is at present being paid to deinstitutionalization - that is, to disbanding children's homes and moving orphans to care in a family. But older people are like children. Older people need care and attention as much as children and even the very best old people's home cannot replace the warmth of family life. But this requires a clearly thought-out state programme under which potential foster carers will be really interested in helping abandoned old people to forget that they have no-one and to live out their time in conditions that are as comfortable as possible."

Like in Canada

To go back to Canada's experience, social policy here towards older people has been carefully thought-out and a lot can be written about it. If attention is focused on organizing leisure time for older people, then their socioeconomic situation must all be in order. Our compatriot who lives in Canada says "old people there don't have to think about anything more than how to spend their time pleasantly or what new thing to learn". Every city in Canada is divided into districts and every district has clubs for older people - seniors. "They go there at a set time every week to discuss their problems. They discuss the news, various events, surprise each other with their cooking, prepare various charitable events and celebrate birthdays. It's interesting that these people are so used to living well that nothing disturbs them. When they are discussing problems, everyone speaks calmly, no-one raises their voice, everyone is very good-humoured. They play different games almost every day."

These clubs have many interest groups. Some study computers, others study foreign languages, others work on the subtleties of dressmaking and sewing. There are lots of activities. Older people have plenty to do.

Asked whether this kind of leisure activity can be organized for older people in Azerbaijan too, Hadi Racabli said "anything is possible if you want to do it". This way of spending time was actively promoted in the Soviet period. "But for older people to worry about how to spend their free time, their everyday problems need to be tackled. Azerbaijan is working hard on this and, God willing, our old age will be full of purpose and different interests."