Russia’s Elderly Mostly Women Living Alone with Less Medical and Other Support than They Need, Moscow Experts Say

Paul Goble

    Staunton, May 5 – Last month, the Russian government adopted a new strategy for addressing the problems of the country’s pensioners in place of the document adopted in 2016 (government.ru/docs/54753/). As always, the new document paints a beautiful future; but commentaries are highlighting many of the problems that those of pension age in Russia face.

    One of the most useful of these is provided by Marina Izmailova, a professor at the government’s Finance University (profile.ru/society/starost-v-radost-kak-gosudarstvo-hochet-uluchshit-zhizn-i-zdorove-starshego-pokoleniya-1693971/). Among the figures she provides about Russia’s elderly and their problems, the following are especially important.

•    The number of Russians above pension age now stands at 34.5 million, approximately one resident in four, a figure that is projected to grow by two million by 2030.

•    Because life expectancy among Russian women is far greater than among Russian men, women dominate the Russian elderly with that dominance becoming ever greater with age. Amng Russians aged 60 to 69, there are 11.4 million women and 8 million men. Among those 80 an dover, the comparable figures are 3.63 million and 1.22 million.

•    Since 2017, Russia has increased the number of gerontologists from 200 to 1600 but must increase that figure still more to meet the needs of the increasing number of elderly.

•    Forty-two percent of those over 65 live alone, with the number of invalids now numbering 5.3 million. At present, however, the state provides long-term care for only 173,200 of them.

•    Moscow has organized a variety of programs to keep the elderly active but it must do more to increase financial literacy and access to the elderly lest they fall into deep poverty or become victims of fraud.