DEPARTMENT OF

HEALTH: Care for Older

Persons
PUNO, Jude Tommy E., NAVALAN, Edward Joseph.
III-ACN

GOALS of the DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH.

A HEALTHY AND

PRODUCTIVE
LIFESTYLE AND A
BETTER QUALITY
OF LIFE FOR OLDER
PERSONS ARE
PROMOTED.

INTRODUCTION: Older Persons

Population aging is a demographic phenomenon indicated

by a stable increase in the number and proportion of the
elderly and a corresponding decrement in the proportion
of younger age groups.

This is because to an increase in life expectancy, mortality

reduction and fertility reduction that are brought about by
new advances in medical technology and medical care as
well as by improved socio-economic conditions.
(National Objectives for Health, 2005-2010)

According to NEDA, Philippine Population

Projections 1980-2030 (as cited in National
Objectives for Health, 2005-2010) There are
estimation of five million older Filipinos aged 60
years old and above. Older persons consist a little
over six percent of the total population, but the
proportion is expected to be more than 10
percent by 2020 as the number of older persons
doubles by that time.

According to PHS 2000 (as cited in National

Objectives for Health, 2005-2010) The leading
causes of mortality for this age group

are non-communicable diseases:

diseases of the heart, diseases of the vascular
system, and cancer. On the other hand, the leading
causes of morbidity are infectious in

nature , such as influenza, pneumonia and TB.

Other common health-related problems

among older persons are difficulty in
walking and chewing, hearing and visual
impairment, osteoporosis, arthritis and
incontinence.

Disabilities and impairment in function

increases with age and adversely affect
the quality of life of older persons.

The diseases that show greater percentage of

the elderly population dying from are:
cardiovascular (66 percent), pneumonia (65
percent), peptic ulcer and other gastrointestinal disorders (56 percent), diabetes
mellitus (52 percent), and TB (51 percent).
The percentage of the elderly population
dying of malignancies, kidney diseases and
septicemia are also significant.

Mortality rate of accidents are one

tenth of all age groups.

Alzheimer's Disease and Parkinson's

Disease are diseases of old age though
they are not prominent causes
of death in the country.

REPUBLIC ACT 9257

RA 9257 (The Expanded Senior Citizen's

Act of 2003) provides for higher health care
subsidies for older persons from both the
private and public sectors. This law is the
main instrument by which older
persons would be empowered to
seek and demand for the highest
quality of care available.

NATIONAL OBJECTIVES FOR 20052010

OBJECTIVES

INDICATOR

TARGET

Morbidity among
older persons
is reduced.

Morbidity rate
Reduce by 50
from all causes per percent.
100,000 older
persons.

To be determined

Mean life
expectancy.

70.5 years
Male: 67.8 years
Female:72.8 years
Philippine
Statistical
Yearbook,
2004.

72 years
Male: 70 years
Female: 75 years

BASELINE DATA
AND SOURCE

STRATEGIC THRUSTS FOR 2005-2010

Redefine the minimum health care package for older persons. The package should
consist of health services tied up with pre-financed sources of care in order to
improve accessibility to older persons.

Build the capacity of health human resources toward the promotion, prevention,
cure and supportive care for older persons.

Integrate into current licensing and accreditation requirements, building,

facilities, equipment and personnel standards appropriate care for older persons.

Develop community-based and institution-based models of health care for older

people.

Pursue the implementation of laws and policies for the protection and
improvement of the quality of life of older persons such as the RA9257 or The
Expanded Senior Citizens Act of 2003.

Essential Health Care Package for

Older Persons:

1. Management of illness

2. Counselling on substance abuse

3. Nutrition and diet counselling

4. Mental health

5. Oral care

6. Healthy lifestyle advocacy

7. Screening and management of

chronic debilitating

and infectious diseases

8. Post-reproductive health care

Essential Health Care Package for Older

Persons:

A list of essential health care package for

older persons had been drawn up but
services have remained inadequate.

Although health facilities, especially

hospitals, have noted higher utilization of
health services by older persons, however
most buildings and facilities have not
been provided with reasonable
accommodation for the special
needs of older persons such as
ramps to complement stairways, bed with
adjustable heights, adequate support bars,
etc.

This is on top of the lack of geriatrics

specialists in the country.

REFERENCE:

Department of Health. (2005, October). National Objectives for Health 20052010. Retrieved from
http://www.doh.gov.ph/sites/default/files/NOH2005.pdf