BHUBANESWAR: In a bid to make healthcare more accessible to the elderly, the State Government is set to create a network of trained personnel to provide home-based services to them.
Health workers, Ashas and anganwadi workers would be trained in attending to healthcare requirements of elderly population both in the urban and rural areas of the State. The personnel would make regular home visits to assess the condition of elderly members and provide necessary care.
Older persons suffer a multitude of health problems. Right from problems arising out of normal aging process like reduced eyesight, loss of hearing, locomotive disorders, skin and bowel function disorders, the contemporary society is seeing a surge in diseases like hypertension and diabetes. Due to advanced age and circumstances, most of the elderly are deprived of adequate or proper healthcare.
According to estimates, around 9.5 per cent of Odisha’s population are over 60 years old. Among the elderly, 30 per cent are 80 years or above. The problem is set to grow more acute in urban areas as elderly population is projected to go up to 25-30 per cent within 15 years. The UN has also flagged the issue and has made ‘sustainable and age inclusiveness in urban environment’, the theme of this year’s International Day for Older Persons which will be observed on Thursday.
“We have to be ready with appropriate structures to tackle the change in population demographics and resulting healthcare needs. The National Programme of Healthcare for Elderly (NPHCE) has already got started in the five districts of Nuapada, Nabarangpur, Koraput, Malkangiri and Balangir and will cover Mayurbhanj, Khurda and Sambalpur soon. Training of personnel has already begun in the five districts,” nodal officer Dr PKB Patnaik said.
Under the programme, 10-bed geriatrics units have been set up with separate OPDs, physiotherapy and rehabilitation units. Each unit has dedicated doctors with geriatry training, physiotherapists and counsellors. Besides, rehabilitation workers have also been posted at CHC level with the purpose of providing home-based care. They are required to make at least 10 visits to the elderly person in a month.
“The elderly population in urban areas needs special attention due to their circumstances. In rural areas, they have a support system like joint family or friendly neighbourhood, which is completely lacking in cities. Besides ensuring a robust elderly care mechanism, urban spheres should have specific elderly specific areas like parks, walking zones, socialising avenues to promote healthy and active aging,” Dr Patnaik stressed.