Lietuvos gyventojų senėjimas XXI a. pradžioje : demografinis ir gyvenimo kokybės aspektai

LTŠiame straipsnyje siekiama atskleisti Lietuvos gyventojų senėjimo tendencijas XXI a. pirmame dešimtmetyje (1) ir įvertinti vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gyvenimo kokybę Lietuvoje (2). Gyventojų senėjimas analizuojamas keliais pjūviais: kaip demografi nis procesas, grindžiamas tam tikrais gyventojų amžiaus struktūros pokyčiais, ir kaip individų patiriamas specifi nis amžiaus tarpsnis, kurio kokybei įvertinti taikomas Aktyvaus senėjimo indekso (ASI) instrumentas. Demografi nių duomenų analizė atskleidė, kad Lietuva pasižymi sąlygiškai sparčiais gyventojų senėjimo tempais, tačiau gyventojų senatvės lygiu yra artima ES vidurkiui. Aktyvaus senėjimo indekso instrumento taikymas leido konstatuoti, kad Lietuvos vyresnio amžiaus gyventojų gyvenimo kokybės rodikliai yra žemesni nei ES vidurkis. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Aktyvaus senėjimo indeksas; Europos Sąjunga (European Union); Gyventojų demografinis senėjimas; Vyresnio amžiaus žmonių gyvenimo kokybė; Active Ageing Index; European Union; Lithuania; Population ageing; Quality of life of elderly.

ENThe paper focuses on the trends of population ageing at the beginning of the XXI century and on the life quality of the elderly in Lithuania. The analysis is based on the Lithuanian Population and Housing Censuses, Eurostat Statistics data and Active Ageing Index project results published by the Population Unit of the UNECE. The demographic data analysis suggests that population ageing between the last two Population Censuses (in year 2001 and 2011) is a sequential continuation of the demographic trends that have started much earlier. Compared to other European countries, Lithuania is among countries where population aging was the most rapid at the beginning of the XXI century. Yet the share of older persons in the total population is similar to the average of EU-28 countries. The analysis revealed that share of older population continues to be signifi cantly different between men and women; also regional asymmetries of population ageing have been identifi ed. In the light of this context it is rather important to fi nd out about the quality of life of rapidly increasing share of the older population.Based on the results of analysis of the Active Ageing Index, the life quality of the elderly in Lithuania is lower than average in the EU. The identifi ed areas requiring the most attention to activate the potential of older people in Lithuania include all four domains of the index: employment (employment rate for the age groups 65-74, 55-59); participation in society (participation in voluntary activities; political participation); independent, healthy and secure living (lifelong learning, independent living arrangement, severe material deprivation); capacity and enabling environment for active ageing (remaining life expectancy achievement of 50 years at age 55, mental well-being, use of information and communication technologies). More positive values in Lithuania were identifi ed on “care to children, grandchildren”, “physical exercise”, “relative median income”, “no poverty risk” and “educational attainment of older persons” indicators. The differences between men and women in total Active Ageing index are insignifi cant, but analysis of separate indicators reveals some asymmetries. The biggest gap was found on remaining life expectancy achievement of 50 years at age 55 indicator values. [From the publication]