Ageing and the Health Sector in Sri Lanka

Population ageing is an inevitable outcome of a positive demographic trend resulting from social and economic advancement. Thus it is important to promote through health education programmes, healthy life styles among the young and the middle-aged. For cultivation of lifelong healthy personal habits offers the best prospects for a heathy old age. The most significant are are those concerned with diet, exercise, avoidance of tobacco and alcohol, occupation and sleep. Regular mental and social activities are important in in maintaining good health and functioning in later years. With increasing longevity, families with four living generations will increase in Sri Lanka. But decrease in the number of children, and their dispersion due to migration and urbanization, would result in a fewer number of siblings being available for home care. Therefore, opportunities should be provided for "young olds" to take care of "old-olds" at home. It is important to teach adults to manage health and sickness in the household. This should include knowledge about nutrition and sanitation, and training about how to treat some forms of sickness without professional help, so as to assist the body's natural ability to recover from illness. It may also be important to provide appropriate training for out-of-school youth to take care of the elderly at home, while waiting for suitable employment. It is equally important to develop and expand community based health care facilities to serve the increasing numbers of old patients as an alternative to home care.