Is Jamaica older, wiser?

Lovelette Brooks, News Editor

AS BABY boomers come of age and the early 1970s National Family Planning Board's (NFPB's) 'Two is Better Than Too Many' campaign put brakes on the country's runaway birth rate, Jamaica is in the throes of an expanding ageing population, greying dramatically.

Already, policymakers are adapting to these demographic changes, and are looking towards the 2011 Population and Housing Census for updated information so they can begin to accurately and adequately plan ahead.

With an estimated total population of 2.7 million - up from 2.6 million in the 2001 census - 14 per cent are expected to be 60 years and older, representing the fastest-growing age group in Jamaica. And in another five to 10 years, this high rate of growth is expected to accelerate even more, according to the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ).

"Several factors account for this," explained Easton Williams, manager of social policy, planning and research, PIOJ.

"Fertility drastically declined in the late 1960s to early '70s. We saw the entry of more women into the workforce and more women enrolled in universities. In addition, contraceptive use became more widespread. The sum total is that the average size of families became smaller."

This decline, he noted, had an impact on the structure of the population, resulting in a slight narrowing of the population base. "The 15-64 age group is increasing, which is the working age group, and the 0-14 is shrinking. In addition, people are living longer," Williams said.

According to statistics from the NFPB, pregnancy among young women ages 15-19 declined from 38 per cent in 2002 to 36 per cent in 2008, while those having live births declined from 34 per cent in 2002 to 30 per cent in 2008.

The existing fertility rate at 2.34 births per woman is a big drop from the 1970s of 4.5 births per woman. In 1975, for example, there were 137 births to women in the 15-19 age group. In the same age group it is now at 72.

Globally, the proportion of persons aged 60 years and older is expected to double between 2000 and 2050, from 10 to 21 per cent, whereas the proportion of children is projected to drop by a third, from 30 to 21 per cent, the United Nations projects.

As Jamaica continues to adapt to ageing demographics, many changes will be necessary to manage and access services aimed at the elderly. Jamaica Drugs For The Elderly and The National Health Fund are two social-protection programmes.

No longer an 'invisible' group, the elderly population is expected to swell to an estimated 500,000 in another 10-15 years as the ageing baby-boomer process continues. Private sector providers of age-friendly services have taken note.

"Businesses are targeting the elderly in the provision of services. Housing needs and provision have shifted from sprawling family homes to multi-storey single-family units; there have been shifts in demand for transport suited to the elderly; geriatric care has improved, including availability of medicines to treat common lifestyle diseases such as hypertension and diabetes," said Williams.

"Everyone counts" must then be viewed as more than a catchy jingle. The results of the census, which begins on April 4 covering a million households, will provide a planning platform not only for policymakers, but for everyone.

"We use the census data in various forms. Academia relies heavily on this data. We often get calls from persons setting up businesses and want to know where various pockets of people are concentrated. These include medical personnel and persons in the telecommunications sector," the PIOJ planner told The Gleaner.