According to the Statistics Department of Lithuania, in the beginning of this year, more than half a million people aged 65 and older lived in Lithuania. In more than ten years this number has increased by 58.7 thousand, but the total population during this period decreased by almost half a million. The number of people aged 80 and over has increased significantly.This indicates a rapid aging population of society. According to the forecasts of the European Union Statistical Office, the rapid aging of the population in Lithuania continues. It is possible that in 2060 almost 37% of the Lithuania's population will be elderly people.
Here in Lithuania exists a huge social exclusion of older people. It is determined by the extremely poor financial situation of retired people . Small pensions, a persistent shortage of money severely restrict the choice of pensioners."The average pension of a senior is about 300 euros, it is very difficult to live with such a quantity of money. Elderly people need better food, many medicines for certain diseases, but pensions are very small, while medicines and food are both expensive. Therefore, money is not enough, you have to buy cheap products and save a lot." Says pensioner Lilija Zebliockiene.
The lack of money prevents seniors from accessing cultural, social, consumer services for which they need to pay. "A retired person can not go to the theater or to the cinema. We just barely have enough money for medicines and food, but we want to live a full-fledged life. This low income source does not allow us to integrate into society and go somewhere." Claims senior Erika Klikniene.
Retirement age people are attributed to a more vulnerable social group. This is due to the minimum income (pension), limited ability to integrate into work and earn a living, as well as poor physical health. Employers are more skeptical about older people, they are trying to avoid hiring seniors. This is one of the factors that prevents them from actively participating in public life. According to the data of Statistics Department, last year in Lithuania only 5 percent of pensioners had jobs.
The problem was explained by Petras Ruzgas, the chairman of the Lithuanian Pensioners Union named 'Bociai'. According to the talker, employers do not want to hire older people because they think that seniors will hardly adapt to the collective and will have difficulties of communicating with younger colleagues. Employers think that elderly people will not have enough foreign language and computer skills. "Well, in fact, I think that an elderly person can perfectly handle his duties." Ruzgas claims. The goal of reducing social exclusion is to help elderly people actively participate in communities and live a full-fledged life. But how many people of this age can not enjoy it? How many of them do not have relatives or friends anymore? How many of them, imprisoned in their beds, when their whole world is a daily view through the window? "Yes, many seniors are really lonely. Of course, some of them also receive social assistance, they are attended by municipal staff, but many of seniors are left in oblivion. How do they live, only God knows." Says the chairman of the Lithuanian Union of Pensioners.