“It is a victory in life that the memory of the elderly is lost for things that are not important, but it rarely fails for those that really interest us”, this reflection about the book “Memory of my sad whores” , by Nobel Prize winner Gabriel García Márquez, a work that covers the feelings experienced during old age, as well as how a person assumes his role in society, eroticism and love in time of life.
In Colombia, old age begins at 60 years of age and people in that age range are called elderly, considered the last stage of the human life cycle. About seven and a half million Colombians are part of this population group, who are agents of development, who provide important contributions to society with knowledge, experience, wisdom, etc.
According to DANE, 14.4% of Colombians are elderly, of which, 38% are in a vulnerable situation and 15% of rural grandparents are in extreme poverty, in addition to the fact that, according to a study from the University of the Andes. , 84% of this population suffers from one or more diseases, most of them need special health care.
18.7% of Caldenses are over 60 years old, which is one of the oldest departments in the country, the Coffee Axis is the area with the largest number of elderly people in Colombia. Therefore, the construction of strategies is necessary that allows them to access welfare, seeking to determine the necessary guidelines to move from pure actions of welfare to proposals that allow them to become protagonists of the socio -economic dynamics of the territory.
The Government has a special responsibility to establish actions so that the elderly have more and better opportunities, for example, the Government of Caldas has the responsibility to transfer the budget to the municipalities to guarantee the operation of the Day Centers , Elderly welfare, etc. However, in the last period of the Government of the municipality of Supía there was a 65% reduction in allocated resources. If this situation occurs throughout the region, we face a deterioration in the quality of life of Caldense grandparents.
It is necessary to confirm the role of the elderly in various fields of society and the productive apparatus, which will include a gray-haired revolution, that those over 60 years of age are called to lead some of the sectors, breaking the poverty trap. and progress along the path of development, to this end I propose:
1. Activation of the silver economy: this is the sum of all productive activities involving the elderly, but it is not only about the sale of products and services, but is extrapolated to business processes, generation in business and training for employment. This economy allows innovation, diversification of the market and the competitive inclusion of the elderly, this aspect is unknown and unexplored, which is an instrument to change the working conditions and economy of this important population.
2. Strengthening the care system: Health promotion is a fundamental aspect of creating development, as well as, it is important to promote opportunities through networks that confirm the role of people together to our elders.
In Supía, health clubs are a strategy that promotes physical activity, integration and fun for the elderly, all of this is expressed by a group of caregivers who receive mental health care, training and education.
3. Targeted assistance: for grandparents in a more vulnerable situation and in a situation of abandonment, programs that provide them with food, housing and medical assistance, in addition to economic resources, should be supported -onon, because it allows them to improve their livelihood. condition.
During the campaign, President Petro promised to give the elderly a subsidy of $500,000 per month; however, so far this proposal has not been implemented, deceiving this very sensitive population. The local authorities were called to insist and demand that the national government provide a solution to our grandparents.
Elders are agents of development, they are knowledge and they are experiences that allow us as a society to progress. The gray hair revolution is welcome to make your living situation better.
