- Understanding the need for company and activities post-retirement
Provincial data published by the Department of Census and Statistics shows Sri Lanka’s population at 22 million in 2023. Of this, 2.7 million are over the age of 60. According to a United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) issue brief on population dynamics and sustainable development published this year, Sri Lanka’s population is ageing rapidly, with one in four Sri Lankans projected to be over the age of 60 by 2041.
The implications of this, as per the report, include Sri Lanka needing an additional Rs. 76 billion for public consumption by 2037, mainly due to the future growth of the older population who require social protection measures and additional funds for healthcare.
While the Government will be required to consider the growing ageing population when formulating policy, closer to home is another issue: the wellbeing of our elderly.
Stating that 14% of adults aged 60 and above live with a mental disorder around the world, the World Health Organisation (WHO) listed risk factors such as exposure to adversity; significant loss in intrinsic capacity; a decline in functional ability; adverse events such as bereavement or a drop in income; reduced sense of purpose with retirement; ageism; and social isolation and loneliness.
The latter, WHO stated, affects about a quarter of older people. In order to better understand this issue within the local context, The Daily Morning Brunch reached out to a few individuals who are either experiencing a drop in socialising post-retirement or work with elderly persons.
Drop in income
Many in Sri Lanka invest their retirement funds in fixed deposits (FDs), relying on the interest they receive. However, a drop in interest rates has posed a significant challenge to the elderly as their income has now reduced. This is the main issue people talk about, said 75-year-old Priyanath Mendis.
According to him, with the rising cost of living, his peers depend more and more on their retirement funds, invested in FDs, but the lower interest rates have resulted in a decrease in income. Some are even unable to afford their medicine, he said.
“This is the main problem that most people are facing and it’s the main thing people mention when we talk to them,” Mendis said.
When asked how he continues to meet people and socialise, Mendis shared that he worked for the State Pharmaceuticals Corporation, with retirees getting together and forming a society. “We meet very often, discuss things, and have meetings and get-togethers. And we go on trips.”
The association meets people, looks into the wellbeing of past employees, and helps past employees who are facing various difficulties. This keeps him occupied, Mendis said.
A problem some of the members face is travel and transportation. Some live in outstation areas and have to bear an expense when travelling to Colombo for the meetings. This means that they can attend meetings once a year or so, but can’t join events regularly.
“We have an annual get-together. For such events, they come, because they want to meet their old friends and enjoy a day, before going back. Otherwise, for small occasions, those living in outstation areas don’t come. This could be because of the cost of living, since they don’t have a source of income and this isn’t a pensionable corporation,” he said.
Mendis shared that sometimes, children limit their parents’ outings, as they aren’t stable with age, and with regard to the association he is part of, some members attend the events with their children. However, if the children aren’t free, they are unable to attend.
Meeting people regularly is beneficial, Mendis said, adding: “They are idling at home, but when we meet after a long time, they talk about the past and what happened. They like to relive those memories. They enjoy the day.”
While there are many benefits to such social activities, not many have a way of meeting others. Mendis pointed out that his area of residence, a town in the suburbs of Colombo, doesn’t have any such organisations or activities, except for the church. While there were some discussions about starting such an initiative, nothing materialised from these talks.
Mobility challenges
The mobility challenges that come with age were an issue that Ranjit Hewagama brought up. He had been working for over 50 years, beginning a career in law at the age of 20. He worked in Sri Lanka, before moving to Jamaica in 1975 and then the Solomon Islands ten years later. He worked in the Solomon Islands until last year, when he came back to Sri Lanka.
“I was a very active person, I played a lot of games, and every morning and evening, I would go on a 40-minute power walk. I lived in a hotel for around 15 years, where I had an apartment and would meet a lot of people. I would walk up to the sea or the pool area, where you can meet a lot of people and sit and talk with them. And time passes like that,” Hewagama recalled.
His health problems due to arthritis, which have been vastly improved by physiotherapy, were one of the reasons he returned, but since coming back, he has found it difficult to get used to the new environment. These lumbar issues make it difficult to walk and limit his outings, as he can no longer walk in Colombo like he used to. This is something he misses, Hewagama said.
He does keep in touch with two ex-colleagues, and while he can’t visit them as he no longer drives, he does talk to them over the phone. He also lives with and lives close to family.
“I do a lot of reading and at the moment, I’m involved in writing about my stay in Solomon Islands from 1985 to 2023,” Hewagama said. He served as the Chief Legal Draughtsman of Solomon Islands.
“The problem here is that I don’t get around so I find it a bit boring but luckily I read a lot,” he said, explaining that if travelling wasn’t an issue, he would like to visit community clubs and get involved in activities.
What can be done for the elderly
While understanding what the elderly need or would like, it is also important to look at what we, as a community, can do for them. Kumu Fernando, who is involved in elders’ homes in Colpetty and Rajagiriya, shared her experiences with her late mother and what she felt could be done.
“When my mother was alive, she used to go once a month to a programme that is still being held at the Scotts Hall, Methodist College. It was held on the first Saturday of the month and they used to have quizzes and games and stuff like that,” she said, adding: “Those are the things that they appreciate.”
She explained that her mother would look forward to the monthly programme and meeting her friends. She was a regular participant in this programme up until the Covid-19 pandemic.
Fernando shared that the elderly, especially those in care facilities, would appreciate a visit from people. “If they are housebound or are by themselves at home, they would welcome meeting people of their age and generation,” she added.
Fernando suggested: “You can for a start have a sing-song and then ask them what they would like to do or what they would like you to do.”
Priya Esankamal is also involved with an elders’ home, and said the residents of this facility enjoy activities like board games, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. They also enjoy events where they get to sing, dance, and have fun. “On their own, they play the board games they have, but when someone goes and sits with them, plays some music for them to sing or dance, that alone is enough,” she said.
According to Esankamal, activities related to storytelling, meal preparation, and even grooming days, with pedicures and foot scrubs, have been quite popular.
They are also encouraged to make items like scrunchies, purses, and pouches, which would keep them occupied, but can also be sold at pop-up sales, which would help them earn some money.
She added: “The youth can visit these people and do a little bit of chair yoga and similar activities. They mostly like to sing and dance, so if the youth can be proactive and visit them and keep them entertained, even once a week or month, that kind of thing will be great.”
“We do a project in church where we – most of the ladies are 60-plus but they live in their own homes – meet once a week. We have started collecting half-used exercise books from schools and people we know and we remove the good pages and turn them into brand new books to be sent to schools in the outskirts, like Jaffna and down south,” Esankamal shared.
She pointed out that such activities should not be strenuous or take too long, as the elderly prefer activities in small doses, like half an hour to an hour.
They also like to talk, Esankamal said, adding: “Most of these ladies have lost their spouses. The children are out of the country. So, getting them to talk about their childhood and things they did in school: that alone is enough.”