Healthcare in the Middle East and the Aging Rates Among the Population Research Paper

Introduction

The pollution of the elderly people in the world is increasingly growing at a rapid pace. This is with regard to its percentage in relation to that of the young people, as well as an increase in absolute numbers. Current population estimates has it that the percentage of the elderly people who are in the ager bracket above 65 years stands at 55 percent. A majority of these have also been shown to reside in the developed countries. There is a net increase of about 1.2 million people on the world’s elderly people, and the third world countries have been shown to contribute close to 80 percent of this increase (Abyad, 2001).

Statistics also indicates that by the year 2025, the overall population of the elderly people in the world shall have hit the 976 million mark. Of these, 72 percent shall be from the developing regions (Abyad 1994). The developing countries have lately been experiencing higher and faster rates of aging, thanks to a decline in the fertility rates of the population, in comparison to the developed countries (Eysa 2006). Notably, Asia, the Caribbean, as well as the Latin American countries have been recognized as the three regions currently experiencing the fastest aging rates amongst their population (Abyad, 2001).

Further, it is estimated that between the year 2000 and 2030, the population of the elderly in these regions shall also have doubled (Abyad 1996). The west has also been shown to have a high growth rate for its elderly populace. Sadly, these are also vulnerable to chronic disease and so the more reason why health care services should be provided to them. Indeed, the problems facing the frail and old, as well as the development of programs targeted at them, and the understanding of the principles applicable to such programs, is turning out to be a problem of international dimensions (Lipson, 1983).

Issues in the healthcare program of the elderly in Middle East

In comparison to their western counterparts, the issue of healthcare provision for the elderly in the eastern countries appears to be strongly under the influence of cultural values and the applied communication styles (Abyad 1994). Despite the variations amongst the members of Middle East with regard to ethnicity, they nevertheless appear to have some common behaviors and values. Such include the issue of strength affiliations amongst the members of a family, the styles used to interact, space and time orientations, and the attitudes held with regard to ill health (Abyad, 1995).

There are numerous problems that are faced by these countries in their attempt at providing adequate healthcare to their most vulnerable members of the society. Amongst these is a lack of the acquiring of the relevant and timely information, the issue of ‘demanding behavior’ usually exhibited by some the family members, as well as some conflicting beliefs concerning planned healthcare. There is also the issue of communication, in which it is usually regarded as a bad omen to issue a diagnosis (Lipson, 1983).

In the last couple of years, there has sprung up a number of models that are aimed at providing health care to the elderly community at a community level. This has not only been envisioned, but it is also being implemented with recorded success in a number of the developed countries (Diamond & Orzag, 2004). Some of these services include home-based health care, nursing homes, and hospice care (Eysa 2006).

In Iran, which is ranked as a developing country, has failed to closely followed system that offers health and social services to the elderly members of this country. It is only during the sunset years of an elder, or when they are gravely ill with a terminal illness, that there seems to be a consideration, even then this is mostly in the form of conventional methods. In the next couple of decades, it is expected that there shall be a rapid development of the elderly population in the Middle East. This means that for those less developed countries located in this region, then episodes of lowered economic development may also become a common occurrence (Diamond & Orzag, 2004).

The result of this is that it shall become increasingly hard fro this group of the elderly people to have access to adequate health care. The challenge then shall be on the respective countries to try and meet the health care needs of its rapidly increasing elderly people. This is expected to happen against a backdrop of a break down in the traditional support system that families in the Middle East have been providing to their elderly population (Eysa 2006). For this reason there is a need for policymaker’s to these developing countries to commit their resources towards the establishment of formal structures that offers support to the aged, in a bid to meet the prevailing challenges in the years to come.

The Middle East region is currently going through a ‘transition phase’ in health care provision, as evidenced by the unique rise in proportions and numbers of both the adults and the aged (Abyad, 1994). Given the fact that the elderly are more vulnerable to disease as well as disabilities, the rise in population of this group thus creates a sense of urgency towards the establishment of a system of healthcare for the group. Thus far, the available systems have proved that they are not adequately prepared to handle the prevailing situation.

Close to 50 percent of the global; disease burden is attributed to chronic diseases. When you combine this with the all too common infectious disease that are a characteristic of the developing countries, then a double disease burden comes into being (Abyad, 2001). The developing countries are this faced with a challenge of making a paradigm shift in their health care systems, to create room for the provision of health care for their elderly population, as well as in the management of the now too common chronic diseases.

From the perspective of the policymakers, it is expected that they shall give priority to the prevention of chronic disease, while at the same time also investing in health programs meant to assist the elderly. Particular attention should be directed towards prevention planning, through programs that are meant to delay the chronic disease from occurring in the first place (Abyad 1994). In addition, there should be an enhanced health care for the aged who are already victims of the chromic disease. There should also be an attempt to advance the daily life and functioning of the rising population of the elderly (Abyad 1996).

Political/socio/economic factors

According to the culture of the Middle East, the elderly are to be respected, while the existing natural family bonds are highly valued. The elderly family members are often seen as source of love, spiritual blessings, wisdom, and religious faith. There is also a generally regarded feeling amongst the population in the Middle East that by sending an elderly member of the population to a home for the elderly, this is tantamount to the violation of the community’s sacred duty.

Nevertheless, a lot of individual as well as groups are increasingly being challenged by this issue, and at times have no choice but to send their loved elders to a nursing home. Clearly, most of the elderly people that are either found in psychiatric or nursing homes found themselves there not because their families had abandoned them but rather as a result of their inability to attend to them. This group is made up of the elderly lot whose families have gone abroad, the elderly from financially challenged households, unmarried women, and those with disease that needs to be attended to by professionals.

Owing to a shift in morbidity patterns, chronic disease are now characterized by exceedingly prolonged states, a loss in the autonomy of the rising number of the old populace in the Middle East region, as well as dependency (Abyad 1994). In the Middle East, the elderly often receive economic and social support courtesy of a network of extended kinship, and especially from their children. The trend in the region now is shifting towards fewer children in a household, meaning that in the near future, there shall be a drastic decline in the number of children who can potentially support the aged. According to studies carried out in the developed countries, it has emerged that in a case whereby children are economically capable of looking after their aged parents, most of them do not hesitate to do this. Nevertheless, it is expected that with economic development comes a decline in the conventional models of family responsibility (Abyad, 2001).

Those youngsters that have assumed the city life may tend to be more preoccupied with worrying about their children’s future, as opposed to the difficulties that their parents are facing. Traditionally, women have chiefly been concerned with providing for the care of their families. The trend seems to be now changing though, as more women enter into the labor market both for economic and personal reasons. As such, they are no longer quite capable of acting as health care givers to the elderly in the family (Abyad, 1996).

The governments in the Middle East have made an assumption that the families of the elderly people shall still continue offering the care. Thanks to a shift in migration patterns, coupled with a shift in their economic conditions, it has thus been postulated that long-term healthcare provision shall occupy a central position in as far as the planning of healthcare is concerned (Abyad, 1994). The role played by the private sector in the provision of healthcare for the elderly cannot be ignored either. If the fragile nature of the governments finance is anything to go by, then the role of the private sector in as far as the provision of healthcare insurance for the elderly is concerned becomes necessary.

Social services and healthcare development for the elderly population in the middle-east

Thanks to medical technology advancement, the wellness and longevity revolution of the world population has been propelled in the Middle East region. The percentage of the elderly people in the Middle East region is rising at a faster rate, more than that of the sane population in the developed countries. It has also been projected that within the next ten years, there shall also be an increase in the number of those elderly people who shall be seeking fro care services. In the Middle East region, the systems of healthcare seem to have turned a deaf year to the needs of its elderly population (Abyad 2001).

In addition, the number of programs that offer health care to the elderly appears to be sporadic. A majority of these are also an initiative of either the private sector, or the community. Perhaps a categorization of the countries in this region suffices here. The first group consists of those countries that are experiencing rapid development, are endowed with substantial amounts of capital, and also have indigenous populations that are small.

Such countries include Kuwait, a majority of the states in the Persian Gulf, and Saudi Arabia. The second group consists of countries with less capital, medical infrastructure that is quantitatively large, as well as medical personnel that have been adequately trained. These countries include Israel, Egypt, and Algeria. The third group is made up of the nations that have had their extensive medical services brought to a halt, or reduced greatly in terms of scope, by civil war. These countries include Lebanon, Iraq, and Iran (Abyad, 2001).

Social security strategies

The issue of an aging populace is a source of challenge to the countries in the Middle East. The idea behind having strategies in social security is to enable a balance adjustment between revenues and benefits. This is in keeping with the standards that were put in place by the reforms introduced into the sector in the early 1980s. The book, ‘Saving social security-a balanced approach’ by Diamond and Orszag (2004) is both thought-provoking and well-written.

The authors persuasively argue that for there to be sound reforms, their must be a balance between the enhancement of revenues on one hand, and benefit reduction on the other hand. At the same time, this should all be accomplished without appearing to neglect the members of a community who are in dire need of social insurance. The suggestion by the two authors acts to restore sustainable solvency, as well as long-term balance for this plan, while; without subjecting any added strain to the reminder of a government’s budget. Additionally, the proposal offers protection to the benefits of young survivors and the disabled, while at the same time also cementing the social security protection for widows and the low income earning individuals (Diamond & Orszag, 2004).

Of importance too is the fact that this plan aids in the preservation of the central role played by social insurance. This is achieved through the provision of a base-level that ensures there is income for workers, as well as their families at such a time as when they might need it. In a bid to help us understand better the financial woes and achievements of social security, Diamond and Orszag (2004) have also provided a framework for such a program, and also the basis of there being a long-term deficiency.

The authors have also proposed a number of alternatives to the reform plan, and which they have suggested that they be explained upon evaluation, so that the shortcomings for such a program can be unearthed. This is aimed at helping in the replacement of the social security account with individual ones. As can be seen, the idea of social security savings is worth the effort of policymakers reading it, especially in the area of analysis, and reforms.

Social security debate is increasingly turning into an ideology. As such, unrealistic promises and scary strategies are slowly becoming the norm in as far as the issue is concerned. Diamond and Orszag (2004) have attempted to usher in decency and realism into the raging debate. They have helped shed light on those areas where the state may be at fault, while at the same time also offering ways and means through which to improve and strengthen the system, with minimal disruption of the livelihoods of its current beneficiaries, the future workers. The most vulnerable group here; the elderly, have also been considered

Political life vs. Medicare

According to Obelander (2003), the nature of the American political life has been such that it has come to regard Medicare as a cherished institution. As such, the program has earned itself the honor of being one amongst the few success stories of the American welfare society in the United States. Obelander (2003) further opines that its popularity stems mainly from the large number of families in the United States that it has thus far assisted. So much so that by 1995, statistics have indicated that close to 33 million elderly people were benefiting from it, and a further 4 million disabled individuals were also taken care of by the program.

In terms of reach, the Medicare program goes beyond its primary benefit; that of assisting the retirees. This has been achieved by way of relieving the children of its beneficiaries, as well as their grandchildren from the troubles of having to take care of their aged parents. In addition, the Medicare program, unlike some of the other government projects that only addresses the plight of the poor, also recognizes the place of the middle class, as all the retirees have an equal opportunity to become eligible member of the program.

Conclusion

It has been projected that by the year 20025, the population of the elderly people, that is, this in the age bracket beyond 65 years, shall have drastically risen. Currently, the population of this group in some of the developed countries appears to be greater than that of the youngsters. In addition, there is also evidence that in the coming few decades, the population of the elderly in the developing countries shall also have increased. A majority of the countries in the Middle East falls under this category. The culture if the Middle East population is such that the elderly members of the community and more specifically, in a family, are supposed to be taken care of.

As such the sending of such elderly people to a home for the aged is not look at too kindly. However, with more women getting formal employment, and children settling abroad, the elderly are left alone, and the alternative of a healthcare center is the only option. There seems to be a laxity on the part of the governments in this region to support health care for the elderly. Policymakers and the private sector are thus called upon to offer their assistance. Perhaps the nations in this region could borrow from the example of the American Medicare plan that has successfully supported its populace.

Works cited

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