The Elder Story: Ground Reality during Covid 19 Impact & Challenges A HelpAge India report (2020)
BACKGROUND COVID 19 cases were first reported in India in January 2020, by March a nationwide lockdown was imposed. WHO declared it as a pandemic. According to Government of India, 1,45,779 active cases 1,54,329 cured/discharged, 8,884 deaths till 13th June 2020. Senior citizens are amongst the most vulnerable facing higher risk of infection and succumbing to COVID 19. This is due to decreased immunity and associated co- morbidities, and further amplified by challenges due to their socio-economic profile. SOME FACTS: • Elders constituted 8.6% of India’s population (104 million) in 2011. (Source: Census 2011) • Currently, there are an estimated 160 million elders in India, that is approximately 12% of the population. (Source: MSJE) • 90% of India’s elders belong to the unorganized sector. • 52% of elders in rural India live below the poverty line. (Source: SECC Data) A HelpAge India report (2020)
AIM OF SURVEY • Most elderly in India work to make ends meet, as there is no universal social security system. Most of them are in the unskilled, casual workers category mostly from the unorganized sector, who earn a meagre daily wage to survive. These people were hit hard by the lockdown for more than 2 months. Many of them did not have enough savings to sail them through and most of them were not credit worthy. The COVID 19 lockdown situation further impacted the economic condition of these vulnerable elders. Besides health and income, the other related aspects of lives of older persons likely to get impacted are social inclusion and mental wellbeing. • 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 and 4 UTs . It was designed to assess the aspects of life that were impacted by COVD 19 including, health care, livelihood, access to goods and services and assistance provided by various stakeholders. A HelpAge India report (2020)
BASIC PARAMETERS • Sample Size : 5099 Elder respondents Urban: 2639 Rural: 2460 • Age Groups : 60 - 69 years – Young Old 70 – 79 years – Old Old 80 and above – Oldest Old • Gender : 57% Males respondents 43% Female respondents A HelpAge India report (2020)
No. STATES & UTs 1. Andhra Pradesh 2. Bihar 3 Chhattisgarh 4. Delhi 5. Goa 6. Gujarat 7. Himachal Pradesh 8. Jammu and Kashmir 9. Karnataka 10. Kerala SURVEY SPREAD 11. Madhya Pradesh 12. Maharashtra 13. Odisha 14. Puducherry 15. Punjab 16. Rajasthan 17. Tamil Nadu 18. Telangana 19. Uttar Pradesh 20. Uttarakhand 21. West Bengal
MAIN FINDINGS Highlights
AWARENESS LEVELS Information on Signs and Symptoms of Covid-19 NATIONAL TOTAL 4656 (91.3%) 5000 4000 3000 2000 443 (8.7%) 1000 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD AMONGST ELDERLY DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL 3500 3294 (65%) 3000 2500 2000 1805 (35%) 1500 1000 500 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD AMONGST ELDERLY DURING THE LOCKDOWN AREA WISE : Rural vs Urban NOTE: • Of the total Rural 1969 (75%) Sample Size – 75% 2000 Elders stated that 1800 they suffered a ‘Loss 1600 1325 (54%) in their Livelihood’ 1400 during the 1200 1135 (46%) lockdown. 1000 • Of the total Urban 800 670 (25%) Sample Size – 54% 600 Elders stated that 400 they suffered a ‘Loss 200 in their Livelihood’ 0 during the Rural Urban lockdown. Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD OF THE BREADWINNER IN THE FAMILY DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL 3631 (71%) 4000 3500 3000 2500 1468 (29%) 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
LOSS OF LIVELIHOOD OF THE BREADWINNER IN THE FAMILY DURING THE LOCKDOWN AREA WISE: Rural vs Urban NOTE: • Of the total Rural Sample Size – 83% Elders stated 2200 (83%) that there was a ‘Loss in 2500 their Livelihood of the Breadwinner in their 1431 (58%) 2000 family ’ during the 1029 (42%) lockdown. 1500 • 439 (17%) Of the total Urban 1000 Sample Size – 58% Elders stated that there was a 500 ‘Loss in their Livelihood 0 of the Breadwinner in their family’ during the Rural Urban lockdown. Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING GOODS & SERVICES DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL NOTE: • 3973 (78%) The Top 3 Goods & Services elders had difficulty in accessing 4000 during the Lockdown were: 3000 1. Access to Food/ Groceries / 1126 (22%) Medicines. 2000 2. Domestic Help/ Household Maid. 1000 3. Access to Banking / ATM services. 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
DIFFICULTY IN ACCESSING GOODS & SERVICES DURING THE LOCKDOWN AREA WISE: Rural vs Urban NOTE: 2215 (84%) • Of the total Rural 2500 Sample Size – 84% Elders stated that 1758 (71%) they faced ‘Difficulty 2000 in Accessing Essential Goods & Services 1500 during the Lockdown’ . 702 (29%) • Of the total Urban 1000 Sample Size – 71% 424 (16%) Elders stated that 500 they faced ‘Difficulty in Accessing Essential Goods & Services 0 during the Lockdown ’ . Rural Urban Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
ELDERS FEELING CONFINED AT HOME & SOCIALLY ISOLATED DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL 3087 (61%) 3500 3000 2012 (39%) 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
ELDERS FEELING CONFINED AT HOME & SOCIALLY ISOLATED DURING THE LOCKDOWN AREA WISE: Rural vs Urban NOTE: 1545 (59%) 1542 (63%) • Of the total Rural 1600 Sample Size – 59% Elders stated that 1094 (41%) 1400 they felt ‘Confined 918 (37%) 1200 at home & Socially Isolated during the 1000 Lockdown’ . 800 • Of the total Urban 600 Sample Size – 63% 400 Elders stated that they felt ‘Confined 200 at home & Socially 0 Isolated during the Rural Urban Lockdown’ . Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
ELDER HEALTH: SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC DISEASES NATIONAL TOTAL 3181 (62%) 3500 3000 1918 (38%) 2500 2000 1500 1000 500 0 Yes No
ELDER HEALTH: SUFFERING FROM CHRONIC DISEASES AREA WISE: Rural vs Urban NOTE: • Of the total Rural 1679 (64%) 1502 (61%) Sample Size – 64% 1800 Elders ‘Suffering from 1600 Chronic diseases’ 1400 958 (39%) such as Arthritis, 960 (36%) 1200 Hypertension, Cancer, 1000 Diabetes, Asthma etc. 800 • Of the total Urban 600 Sample Size – 61% 400 Elders were ‘Suffering 200 from Chronic 0 diseases’ such as Rural Urban Arthritis, Hypertension, Cancer, Yes No Diabetes, Asthma etc. A HelpAge India report (2020)
ELDER HEALTH: WORSENING OF CHRONIC CONDITION DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL 1800 1784 (58%) 1600 1400 1302 (42%) 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Yes No A HelpAge India report (2020)
ELDER HEALTH: WORSENING OF CHRONIC CONDITION DURING THE LOCKDOWN AREA WISE: Rural vs Urban 970 (67%) NOTE: 831 (51%) 1000 814 (49%) • Of the total Rural 900 Sample Size – 51% Elders stated that 800 their chronic 700 471 (33%) condition ‘Worsened 600 during the lockdown’. 500 • Of the total Urban 400 Sample Size – 33% 300 Elders stated that 200 their chronic 100 condition ‘Worsened during the lockdown’. 0 Rural Urban Yes No
MAJOR FEARS OF ELDERLY DURING THE LOCKDOWN NATIONAL TOTAL 1916 (38%) 1749 (34%) 626 (12%) 447 (9%) 360 (7%) NOTE: The findings here are based on a cluster approach of the top 4 common responses.
MAJOR SUGGESTIONS TO THE GOVERNMENT BY THE ELDERLY NATIONAL TOTAL 1510 ( 30%) 1176 ( 23%) 979 ( 19%) 681 ( 13%) 559 ( 11%) 194 ( 4%) Financial Health Masks, Ration, Social Others Help, Checkups, Sanitizers for Medicines, Pension, Medicines Screening for everyone Pension door-to-door and Pension COVID 19 Delivery of Goods NOTE: • The findings here are based on a cluster approach of the top 5 common responses. • It is interesting to note, that more than 60% elder respondents mentioned Pension as their top need while 50% wanted Medicines & Healthcare needs to be addressed.
THANK YOU! HelpAge India works for the cause & care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life
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