Expert wants gov’t to set up medical fund for retirees, aged
An expert in physiotherapy, pain and movement challenges has called on the Federal Government to institute a medical fund for retirees and all aged persons in the country.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Trust, doctor of Physical Therapy, Dr. Eze Nnamdi Charles, said aging puts a lot of stress on people and that elderly persons have some medical conditions that are associated with aging.
He said one way to salvage the challenges of aged persons in Nigeria, who are battling excruciating medical challenges, is to put in place a fund for their bills as well as sensitising them on the need to remain physically active.
Dr. Eze identified problems with bone health, also known as osteoporosis, back pains, especially arthritis or degenerative disease or spinal stenosis as some of the pain-related conditions that affect elderly people.
He explained further that osteoporosis is associated with the bones losing their mineral contents, making them weak while back pains make it difficult for the aged to walk for a long time without sitting down or even bending down especially when they go out to buy things.
The expert also noted that elderly people can help themselves by partaking in some exercises to keep active and wade off the pains.
“Elderly people should be able to, at least, take a walk, about 30 minutes of aerobic light exercises three times weekly; probably walking around or even gardening, pouring water on flowers and even helping out with house chores,” he said.
He also recommended light weight lifting and even heavier weights like carrying a full bucket of water as a way of keeping fit for elderly persons.
He said the treatment of bone-related pains involves increasing weight so that the bones do not lose their strength, adding that prevention is better than cure.
The expert cautions that retirees and elders must be mindful of their sitting and lying postures as they contribute to the overall bone health.
The high cost of healthcare is among the top worries of retirees and a major drain on their meagre monthly pension largely due to their exclusion from the National Healthcare Insurance (NHIS).
At retirement, civil servants and workers in the private sector are delisted from the NHIS and left to cater for their healthcare with their pension at the time that advancement in age would mean increased healthcare challenges.
Recently, the Executive Secretary of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, Barr. Sharon Ikeazor, expressed worry that pensioners were removed from the NHIS at the point they needed the health insurance scheme the most.
Ikeazor hinted that her directorate was drawing up a contributory social health insurance scheme for retirees under the Defined Benefits Scheme (DBS).
In addition to bone and pain challenges in old age, a Swiss researcher, Stefanie Behncke, found that retirement “raises the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease and being diagnosed with cancer. Estimates also indicate that retirement has quite diverse effects for different individuals.”
Retirement has also been linked with many health challenges such as Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and osteoarthritis partly due to old age. Scheme