Exceeded only by the United States and Canada, Cuba is the third country of the Americas, having raised in just four decades its life expectancy, which is now 77 years. The aging rates of the Cuban population are among the fastest of third world countries, but at the same time, Cuba makes the most efforts to guarantee this age group a good quality of life.

   By Luz Marina Fornieles  AIN's special
 

   Although the aging of the population is considered to be one of the most important achievements of humanity, it is, at the same time, a challenge to modern societies, which face the problem of providing appropriate solutions for the consequences of this natural deterioration process.

According to data of the United Nations, the demographic projections show that for the beginning of the 21st century, there will be some 600 million elderly, a figure that will double by 2025.

This is a universal phenomenon, and although the most developed regions are the most affected, some underdeveloped countries also show a gradual increase of the average age of their inhabitants.

The low rates of fertility and births, and the expansion of life expectancy at birth, which in the case of Cuba is 77 years --the average age in the region is 68-- cause the reduction of the number of youths in the communities; as a result, the number of elderly grows.

The programs of birth control implemented in developing countries also bring about the speeding up of aging. With a 13.1 percent of people aged over 60, Cuba is an example of a developing region with a significant aging rate of its population, which is the oldest in Latin America.

Predictions indicate that the figure will rise to 13,4 percent in 2010, because the rates of growth since the beginning of the century are 1,5 and double that of the total population, a consequence of the fast reduction of fertility and the increase of mortality.

There are currently 1,630,000 Cubans aged over 60 -almost 15 percent of the population--and according to experts, it will rise to 25 percent due to the programs implemented by the government to guarantee the elderly a good quality of life.

   ILLUSIONS TURNED INTO DREAMS

Data from the 1950s showed that life expectancy in Cuba was only of 55,7 years, which means that it has increased 22 years in the last few decades causing mortality rates today to be similar to those of the richest nations and life expectancy to be even higher than in those countries. It can be implied that aging is not only related with the increase of the elderly population, but with the number of years they will live after they have turned 60.

Prior to the triumph of the revolution in1959 in Cuba, the care of the elderly relied on a very small budget assigned by the government, which not always fulfilled its objective, and on the money collection of private and religious charity organizations. Then, there were only 20 old folks homes run by ecclesiastical personnel. From 1959 on, when only six percent of the population belonged to that age group, the political and social changes taking place were also radical in the conception of health care, which was made free for all. This policy brought along the modification in health care services for the elderly.

Dr. Enrique Vega, national director of the program mentioned above, says that Cuba is one of the fastest-aging countries, but at the same time is one of the most active of the Third World in favour of that group of the population.

Currently, there are 778,000 elderly people grouped in 178 Senior Citizens Clubs, where they spend the day in an constructive way, have lunch and snacks and have a social and community life before returning to their houses in the afternoon. They represent 35 percent of the senior citizens (60+years old).

Among the new measures applied in that direction are the model of domiciliary attention, from which benefit today more than 96,000 senior citizens who live alone and receive daily care, an action supported by the ministries of health care and labor and social security.

Around six thousand elderly people are permanently placed in Old Folk Homes. There are also 125 Care Homes housing those with more delicate health, and 38 Geriatric Wards and health institutions throughout the country.

Another local achievement aimed at improving the quality of life of the elderly is the Senior Citizen Centres, which in just over five years of existence, has helped around 30,000 individuals with studies about family coexistence, personal health hygiene, efficient use of free time, safety and social assistance and human development. Another 13,000 senior citizens enrolled this year to these courses of cultural and scientific upgrading, which has around 700 venues in the 14 provinces of Cuba.

THE 120-YEARS-OLD CLUB

Some 2,500 people, from the more than 11 million Cubans, are over the age of 100, of which 70 percent are women. Most of these are healthy and many live alone, a side effect of their great vitality. The 120-Year-Old Club was created on September 2003, and from that moment on, more than 5,000 people have joined, both Cubans and foreigners, from newly-born children to centenarian men and women.

According to the group's president, Dr. Eugenio Selman, to reach a satisfactory longevity one must adopt healthy habits from an early age because everyday must be lived with the utmost quality.

We can live a long life, like Methuselah, who according to the bible lived 969 years, by taking on healthy habits, quitting smoking and moderating the consumption of alcohol, exercising, eating a balanced diet rich in vegetables, in addition to taking part in cultural activities that bring happiness and optimism.

In modern and past societies, a great interest in longevity has prevailed.

It is estimated that in the Bronze Age the average life expectancy varied between 18 and 20 years; while during the Roman Empire it did not surpass 23. In the Middle Ages, it increased to 35 years and in the 19th century, it rose to 44 years. In the 1960s, the average age of older people in the world reached the 70s and currently it is close to 80.

This increase has a lot to due with the elimination of infectious diseases in old age, the improvement of diagnosis techniques and the efficient treatment of a great number of deadly conditions over the last few decades.

Cuba is the third country in the American continent to increase the life expectancy of its population by some 20 years, only surpassed by highly developed countries such as Canada and the United States.

Such social and human advance is even more relevant, when the country engaged in such achievement has been facing a constant economic war for almost 50 years by the United States, a dagger stuck in the heart of the society. (AIN)

REMINDER : HIGH SOCIAL COSTS

In Cuba, there are 1,495,000 retired people, 10 percent of the population, and almost 400,000 collect social assistance. According to the National Budget for 2007, 3.9 billion pesos were earmarked for pensioners, a greater sum than last year's budget equalling a seven percent growth. Meanwhile, 1.2 billion pesos were assigned for social assistance, 5.7 percent more than in 2006. In November 2005, pensions for retired people and those on social assistance were increased to a minimum of 164 and 122 pesos, respectively.

AIN 15-10-2007