Growing Problems in Elder Care and the Right to a Healthy Life Under Threat
Psychologist Mevlüt Ülgen stated that isolation during old age and the urban structure reduce the quality of life.
While isolation, poverty, and urban transformation problems experienced during old age in İzmir negatively affect individuals' quality of life, experts point out that the right to a healthy life is at risk.
Aging Population and Care Burden
In this process where fertility rates are declining and the population is aging rapidly, the burden of elder care is largely left to families and women. Biological and sociological changes combine to make the lives of the elderly difficult.
Urbanization and Social Isolation
Modern urban structures such as mega-cities, vertical architecture preferences, and buildings without elevators trap elderly individuals in their homes. This causes them to completely disconnect from social life.
Health System and Rights-Based Policies
The capitalist health system based on market rationalism and elderly poverty threaten individuals' right to healthy living. Experts demand that this situation be addressed urgently with public policies.