True Meaning of Welfare For the Elderly Who Are Living in Poverty
Eunjung Cha November 2, 2012South Korea has become an “aging society” since 2000, which means the rate of an aged population over 65 years old out of the total population takes more than 7 percent. Also its process is the fastest in the world. As welfare for senior citizens has become a serious issue that have to be solved, the term “old aged refugee” became to be used widely. This indicates senior citizens who cannot deal with food, clothing and shelter due to extreme poverty, but also are neglected by their family and society. [1] These senior citizens are currently having difficulties in their daily life.
In fact, old people especially who are over 60 years old lived difficult lives after the Korean War. However, in order not to let their children live in poverty, old people have spent most of their lives supporting their children. As a result, many of them did not prepare for retirement. According to statistics conducted by the National Statistical Office in 2011, only less than 40 percent of senior citizens who are over 65 years old answered that they have been preparing for old age so far. [2] It implies that the rest of 60 percent mainly have to depend on little government subsidies or support from society in order to make a living.
Those who are living in poverty also live in poor conditions. Since poor seniors live in small houses which have unstable ventilation systems and sometimes no windows, they cannot get fresh air. This atmosphere makes senior citizens vulnerable especially in hot summer. Besides, they cannot afford to pay monthly rent for a house only with an old-age pension and support. Senior citizens feel necessary to get a job as well but they are so old that they don’t have many opportunities for it. Accordingly, it is no wonder that Korea has been ranked 1st in the rate of old aged people living in poverty among OECD member states even though the government is implementing welfare systems for senior citizens. [3]
The government has laid down the 2nd plan for aged society in the future. One of the plans is increasing rates of providing more public rental housing to poor senior citizens. [4] The purpose itself is good, but the overall policy for senior citizens needs to be implemented in the long term. That is, the government should not just pour money into providing useful facilities. Instead, it is necessary to build a society where seniors can live solid lives first. Since we cannot avoid a lot of serious problems seniors are facing in this aging society, we need to be prepared in advance so as to protect their rights to live. Eventually, increasing both quantity and quality leads to a true sense of welfare system for old people who are living in poverty.
[1] Jitae Jang, ‘Old aged refugees’ (Busan.com, 11 July 2012) <http://news20.busan.com/controller/newsController.jsp?newsId=20120711000075> accessed 24 October 2012
[2], [3] Chanhyung Park, ‘Old aged refugees’ (KBS News, 12 July 2012) <http://news.kbs.co.kr/tvnews/ssam/2012/05/2478607.html> accessed 24 October 2012
[4] Yujong Lee, ‘Assigning public rental housing for low-paid senior citizens first’ (dongA.com, 17 October 2012) <http://news.donga.com/3/all/20121017/50161550/1> accessed 24 October 2012
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