Daily Times

After doing further research into geriatric care, I have come to a realisation: it differs substantially, largely due to contrasting mindsets and cultures. There is the aspect of not only those who can afford this type of geriatric care but also the government aiding these payments, which I have seen to impact the elders in my family. Only the affluent can provide enough care.

However, countries have started advancing using technology, though at different standards and in different ways. This shows that it is possible to provide and improve geriatric care in a developing country.

I have seen the first-hand impact of finances on the provision of care for elders in one’s family. For instance, my Bari Ami (father’s grandmother) was an integral part of an affluent family and once she became wheelchair-bound, she had a dedicated carer and a nurse to take care of all her needs and requirements. On the contrary, my Amijaan (mother’s grandmother), who does not come from as affluent household, did not have any access to dedicated help or even a wheelchair. The only form of assistance she had was a bell at her bedside, which was used to call her grandchildren when she needed something. Needless to say, Bari Ami lived a longer and healthier life than Amijaan.

The government must introduce policies and specialised geriatric care to properly provide for the elderly population

In England, the government is prominently involved in geriatric care with the care home sector being worth around £15.9 billion. They provide a base fee for the resident, and the family pays more if the home requires a higher fee. This reduces the financial strain on the family and allows them to access a range of homes, depending on how much they are willing to pay or what they can afford. On the other hand, in Pakistan, there is no government involvement and is rather hope for the future. Because of this, home care is privately funded; resulting in only the upper class, or perhaps more wealthy people, affording this upcoming sector of care provision.

The ratio of private to public hospitals in Pakistan is currently at 3:10. This shows a substantial lack of services and proves why most of the population is unable to access geriatric care. It is primarily provided by private hospitals. The government hospitals provide substantially cheaper service; making them more appealing. However, the cheaper price results in a poor quality of service. Due to this, most patients would turn to private hospitals for better care and service; meaning they would be paying out of their pockets.

The elder population in Pakistan suffers from major challenges in geriatric care that must be addressed by the government. Mild cognitive decline is evident in 10 to 25 per cent of 70-year-olds, with dementia affecting about 10 per cent of the population. On top of this, 60 per cent of the elder population is clinically diagnosed with depression every year. In Pakistan, studies conducted in different areas reported that 23 per cent of elders in Karachi suffered from depression. This number rose to 42 per cent in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Along with this, 28 per cent of people above the age of 60 were found to have some kind of disability; hindering their ADL (activities of daily living), while about 10 million elderly people in Pakistan have osteoporosis. Taking this into account, the government must introduce policies and specialised geriatric care to properly provide for the elderly population.

Care providers in both communities primarily rely on the word of mouth and references to grow their business and gain clients. Companies also use other services to promote their care-provision as well as pamphlets and websites to provide information to the inquiring public.

Although in different ways, England and Pakistan have both used technology as a principal way of improving the care provided.

In England, data is recorded online instead of using charts; making it more efficient and environmentally friendly. Meanwhile, Pakistan is installing digital monitors in the residents’ houses to improve communication and efficiency between the nurses and clients at homes and doctors. Thus, a developing country can improve its geriatric care using the available resources.

All things considered, I believe that, unfortunately, those with less disposable income are unable to sufficiently fund necessary care for their elders. The government could play a major role in changing this, or at least in providing greater access to geriatric care to lesser affluent families. This could be done by either providing free or subsidised geriatric care, or by providing the residents or patients with a base fee that the family can then add on, just like in western countries. It would be great to see this implemented in a developing country. However, I think it is a stretch to expect something of this sort in upcoming years.

A more realistic expectation would be to implement policies that have already been created. An example of this is the National Policy, designed by the government in 1999, to promote better health of elderly people. It would implement the training of primary doctors in geriatric care and a health care system for the elderly, including physical therapists and social workers.

Another example of a policy that would significantly benefit the geriatric population is the relief package approved by Prime Minister Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain in 2004, which would ensure that basic social and medical needs of the geriatric population are met, and educating young people to care for senior citizens. However, this package was not enforced properly either.

Other policies that require correct implementation include the Social Security Act of 1965, Employees Old Age Benefits Act of 1976, Public Sector Development Programme and the Ten Years Perceptible Plan. Pakistan would benefit from a proper implementation of these policies and acts, as it would result in a better quality of service with higher availability, through public hospitals, for the elderly. This would mean that their families would no longer need to pay excessive amounts for geriatric care.

The writer is a freelancer