Jasmina Ivanovic, senior advisor with the Ministry of the Labour and Social Policy, says that the registration from 2002 shows that 157 out of 160 municipalities in central Serbia and Vojvodina are, demographically speaking, old. She stresses that the ageing process will be continued, and that the number of older than 65 is expected to increase for one third by the end of 2050, which means for 8.000 people per one year.
"While the number of elder population increases, the number of young people keeps reducing. It is thus no wonder that Serbia keeps sixth position on a scale of the most oldest countries in global, with an average age of 40,7 years, after Japan, Germany, Italy, Finland and Bulgaria," Jasmina Ivanovic explains.
Regional countries also face with such gloomy demographic picture, and Croatian press warns that their population will be reduced for one million by the half of this century, with an average age of 48.5 years.
Luckily, Serbia has recognised its own longevity problem, alongside with political, economic and social ones. The National Strategy on Ageing 2006 - 2015 has being adopted, the purpose of which is to direct the social and industrial reforms, in order not only to satisfy the needs, but also to use every potential of elder people.
"Concerning noninstitutional care in Serbia, elderly may spend their free time in clubs and daily centres, where they are able to meet their matches and attend various activities. That type of protection is considered to be appropriate one because it supports living with their family members, in their natural surrounding. One person households regarding hardly movable or completely unmovable are able to use `House Assistance` services in a large number of Serbian municipalities, which actually concerns geronto-housewives` services, who come every working day, buy food, prepare light meals and help in keeping personal and household hygiene," she says.
Concerning institutional protection, our interlocutor says that Serbia has 14 nursing homes and 27 gerontology centres which are used by 8.500 people. Central Serbia counts 26 private nursing homes with more than 600 vacancies.
Brankica Jankovic, the Belgrade Gerontology Centre`s General Director, confirms that there are enough institutions for accommodating elder citizens so far, but stresses that other services aren`t developed as much as necessary. French experiences, according to her, show the significance of psychologists` presence in such centres.
Elder people often need someone to talk to and that is one of the reasons why they take "House Assistance" services wrong. Daily centres are also necessary, explains Brankica Jankovic, stressing that the first centre of that kind in Serbia is expected to be opened next year in Belgrade, and negotiations on opening daily centre for Alzheimer`s disease diagnosed people.
"The city of Vienna may be a good example, for it has perfect social care system and elder population enjoys positive treatment. Noninstitutional care is particularly developed, and social services of all kind are very much affordable. People in Austria prepare for their old age on time, thus taking care of life insurance tradition which in fact covers the service`s costs, because their pensions are not brilliant comparing to their standard. Government, however, takes care of those who cannot afford that comfort. The problem in Serbia is that social care services are developed only in major urban centres and aren`t accessible for large majority that lives in countryside," the Belgrade Gerontology Centre`s director explains.
There is a large number of old people living in one person households lacking their family`s support. Apart the accustomed kinds of care systems, new approaches on that subject are taken into consideration, such as adoption or bestowing old people in other families under the state patronage. The idea of a local Polish University seems very interesting, for it started a "Rent-a-grandparents" programme, the purpose of which is to facilitate everyday life for busy couples with children. The programme comprises elderly without their own families, who help their "grandchildren" in doing their homework and who spend free time together.
The demographic tendencies` analysis show that two million centenarians will live on our planet in the next 50 years, underlining that these tendencies might be challenging because the increasement of disability and loosing the capability for standalone living begins when one gets to 75 years of age.
Experts warn that although our lifetime has been extended, our working life seems to be shorter however. Young people decide to work only after they finish with their studies, which last longer than before. An average Austrian works ten years less than before, and spends six years more in his retirement comparing to 1950. The increasement of number of pensioners threat the pension system financing, which in fact leads to the extension of working life, pensions` reduction comparing with salaries and contribution increasement.
Men in our country will retire once they fill 65 and women 60 years of age. Unlike the situation in Serbia, where most of people desire to retire as soon as they begin working, residents in the EU and other developed countries seek for different kind of jobs even after 65. Psychologist Paulina Firicaski explains that any kind of occupation may keep mental and psychic health and help us find another meaning of life.
"It is not determined by material reasons; although pensions aren`t enough for decent life, but by the identity and personal integrity affirmation. Work keeps two primary human needs in life - the need for belonging and self-esteem. Creativity and willingness to learn are two things that may be preserved until the very old age, and "Universities for elderly" are the best proof for that fact," Firicaski says.
According to her, authorities are searching for ways to liberate working places for another generation of experts. Open competitions prefer people younger than 30 or 35, which makes an additional tension for people older than 30.
"Retirement represents one of the major life stages, which inevitably causes psychical changes. This stage may be inspiration for finding the meaning of life by keeping the faith, event though physical abilities are attenuating, the number of friends reduces and the feeling of reaching to the end of a lifetime becomes more intensive," Paulina Firicaski emphasises.
Serbia faces serious demographic ageing process, which needs to be in accordance with social as well as developmental and economic policies. That process implies not only the reform of pension, health insurance and social care systems, but a new approach to life and an entirely new philosophy of society. Ageing is not a disease; it only needs psychological preparation on a personal level - by work, positive emotions, friendship and life cherishing.
* Sandra Pekic is a journalist with International Radio Serbia. (Photo: European Communities, 2009) CEV Magazine is an online publication of the Centre for European Values.
