Fixing the sixties: Learning to live “lovingly”

I am yet to reach the sixties. I know so many who have retired at sixty and revived their life with relaxation and renewal.

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When I recently read a refreshingly resourceful book titled, “Beyond Sixty,” the richness of living “lovingly” resonated very much. Today’s column is a reflection of this splendid book written by Janaki Bamunusinghe.

Overview

Sri Lanka, unlike its developing counterparts, has a high ageing population. An ADB report (2019) highlighted the salience of it as follows. “In Sri Lanka, the demographic shift to an aging society is far more rapid than in many other countries at a similar level of development and occurring at the same speed as in countries with much higher per capita income. This phenomenon has been set in motion by changes over a long time and will likely happen...It is essential that the country use the intervening decades to put in place the necessary systems and policies to respond to the impending challenges of an ageing population.”

As a Lankaweb report highlighted recently, Sri Lanka is facing a challenge of rapidly ageing population. Currently, about 12.3% to 12.4% of the population is over 60 years old, but this figure is projected to rise dramatically to 22% by 2037 and potentially reach 25% by 2041. This speedy ageing poses substantial economic, health-care, and social challenges for senior citizens, exacerbated by the ongoing economic crisis. As the report further observes, addressing the related issues requires urgent action from policymakers, including strengthening social protection systems, improving healthcare access, and supporting economic security for seniors. Collective action by seniors themselves can also play a crucial role in advocating for policies that better support their needs.

In such a context, focusing on life “beyond sixty” is something truly relevant and meaningful. That is exactly what Janaki has done with a well compiled assortment of ideas, insights, and implementations.

Variety of valued thoughts