THE PAINFUL SITUATION OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN D. R.

When our English teacher introduced the topic about elderly people, I started to remember an expression from an old reading book: "Only in Sparta it is pleasant to grow old", an expression said by a foreigner when he witnessed the veneration of the youth toward old people. At once I began to reflect how it contrasted to the situation that we see in our country, and I would rather say that "it is a misfortune to grow old in Dominican Republic," where elderly people are wiewed as useless individuals by the government and the society. It is painful to hear that, but this is it. According to statistics, there are about 900,000 people over 65 years old in D.R., and more than 60% of them lack of jobs, pension and retirement plans; therefore, they are not included in the health insurance system . Besides, a number of them only receave a minimum pension which does not even cover the medecins they need. Because of this state of unprotection, 51% of elderly people have to live with some family member or relatives, and in the worst of cases, alone. Acording to the Confederación Nacional de Unidad Sindical (C.N.U.S.), over 15% of elderly workers have been waiting even eight years for the pension. Not only the government shows indolent and irresponsable to elderly people, but also the city Halls, which according to the law, they must invest 10% of their budgets. Indeed, the State is breaking the law 352-98 which protects the elderly people.  However, there are some intitutions and volunteers who are giving their helping hands to the elderly people, working hard with all kinds of limitations, since they rarely receave the support they need to do a better job.