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OPENING SPEECH BY THE HON. DR. ANTOINE MIFSUD BONNICI, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY IN THE MINISTRY FOR SOCIAL POLICY, AT THE SHORT-TERM PROGRAMME IN SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS OF AGEING FOR CHINESE OFFICIALS - UNIVERSITY RESIDENCE, LIJA
pr1825
03/12/2001
03/12/2001
Ladies and Gentlemen,
| Good morning. On behalf of the Government of Malta, | as Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Social Policy, it is indeed my pleasure to welcome you, citizens of the Republic of China, to this Short-Programme in Social and Economic Aspects of Ageing - a course organised exclusively for you by the International Institute on Ageing (INIA) in collaboration with the Zhejiang Working Committee on Ageing (ZWCA). I also appreciate and welcome the presence of His Excellency the Chinese Ambassador at this opening ceremony which gives further significance to this course. |
| Although there is no comparison between the | territorial size and population of China and Malta, there exists many similarities in the field of the older people of the two countries. In Malta, the absolute number of elderly people at present stands over 70,000 constituting about 17% of the population. This figure will reach over 90,000 in 2025 which means that almost one-fourth of the population will be 60+. At the same time, the percentage of the sector of the population between 15 and 59 years is estimated to drop from 62% in 1990 to 57% in 2025. The economic implication are obvious: we will have less workers supporting the over 60's. From 4.2 workers for every pensioner as it is today, in 2030 we will have 2.5 workers for every pensioner. |
| The same pattern is occurring in China. China has the | largest elderly population and is one of the fastest ageing countries of the world. From the present 130 million, which is about 10% of the total population, by 2025, the elderly population will reach 400 million, which is half of the elderly population in Asia and one-fifth of that in the world. China is facing a situation of the fast growth of the elderly, the highly aged population and the ageing of the rural population. This would have significant implications on the economic and social development of the country. According to projections, the elderly dependency ratio would continuously increase in the next half century. At present every 100 working people will support 10 elderly above 65 while by 2020, this ratio will increase to 100:15; by 2050 this ratio will reach 100:30. |
| Chinese society, like the Maltese society, has a very | strong tradition of family. The generation gap, as it exists in the western world, is rare. In fact, most older people live with their children and grandchildren. According to the survey conducted by China Research Centre on Ageing and other source materials, the extended family and the community in China still constitute primary sources of care for the elderly in maintaining the traditional responsibilities of providing them with necessary shelter, clothing, food and health care, among others. However, the widespread social change in China, combined with urbanisation, industrialisation and general trends towards modernisation, are weakening the extended family as a source of support for the elderly and increasing the need for government assistance, thus creating a further burden on the expanding national economy. |
| Likewise in my country, a strong family structure has | always been a characteristic of the Maltese society. Even nowadays despite the various strains which have influenced adversely the family structure, most help still continues to come from the family. In this regard, one has to bear in mind the smaller size of the average Maltese family nowadays, as well as the ever increasing employment of both unmarried and married women. |
| In many aspects, there exists also much similarity in | the attitude which both China and Malta are adopting in the care of the elderly. Both governments while trying to support and strengthen the family's traditional role of provider of care for the elderly, are at the same time providing public delivery systems for those elderly who cannot rely on themselves or on their families. |
| China is adopting an egeing policy to maintain | sustainable development by setting up a partnership elderly support system involving the state, the community, the family and the individual. Prime priority in meeting the challenge of population ageing is the development of the economy. Priority is also addressed towards the setting up of old age security system, which includes social insurance, social welfare and social relief, thus protecting the basic living of the citizens. Speeding up of the establishment of the community based old age care system is also being undertaken, as well as the setting up of a legislative system to protect the rights of the elderly. The gradual establishment of safety networks for the elderly is under way. These include family support, community based support security and policies and regulations of social support. Another objective is to raise the living standards of the elderly and to create an environment for healthy ageing. The development of community service for the elderly has been an important programme highly encouraged by the Chinese government. Thus the community service will ideally complement the role of the family in caring for the older persons. Main community services include: i) Medical services - Day care services and Medical care services; ii) Daily living services; Home Help; iii) Cultural activities - activity centres; life long learning - U3E; iv) Protecting the legal rights of the elderly. |
| In my country, the achievements of the Parliamentary | Secretariat within the Ministry for Social Policy since its institution in 1987, underline the government's policy to keep older people to continue living in their homes as long as possible. We are placing particular focus on community based care strategies that cater for the individual, thus providing for personal needs as distinct from former policies that maintained age as their criteria basis for entitlement when age alone is not reliable indicator of needs. Such services as the Home Care/Help, Telecare, Handyman Service, Domiciliary Nursing, Social Workers Services, Meals on Wheels, Day Care Centres, Incontinence Service, Respite Care are all strategies that were conceived and implemented with the primary aim of providing the necessary personal care and support that would enable an elderly person to continue living a dignified life within the familiar surroundings and privacy of his or her own home. All these services form the necessary basis of the present day community oriented personalised approach covering the totality of the individual's well being while reflecting the centrality of the human person and the human family. When living at home becomes too difficult, the elderly could move to institution. In Malta, my Secretariat has endeavoured to promote all issues that relate directly or indirectly to the health and welfare of the elderly and those with special needs. |
| Dear Colleagues. During these two weeks you will be | undergoing an intensive training programme that will underline the necessity of co-ordination between formal and informal support systems in the ralisation of our prime objective, that is to add life to years not just years to life. Proper emphasis has to be given to the economic needs of the elderly. You will be discussing various aspects - retirement age, pensions, family support, continued education, institutional care, health services, the family, the quality of services being given, human resources. All these and other topics you will be debating between yourselves within the framework of the changes of the family structure, the social, economic, technological and scientific development, the higher increase of the expectancy of life, in developed and developing countries, creating the necessity to develop new methods and skills to overcome the demands of modern life. |
| In conclusion, may I express my great pleasure and | pride in declaring this Short-Term Training Course open. I wish you all fruitful work and a pleasant stay in our island. |
Thank You.
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