Muscat, The number of Omanis in the age of 60
years or above in the middle of 2017 has reached 149,824, which is 6%
of the total Omani population of 2,505,369, according to the data
released by the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI). It
indicates that the rate of increase of elderly Omanis between 2013 and
2017 was 15.4%.
The percentage of males among the elderly was 48%, reaching
71,675 whereas the ratio of elderly females is 52% of the total elderly
people of the country, reaching 78,149. It means that there are 92
elderly men for every 100 elderly women among Omanis.
The largest number of elderly persons was in the age group
between 60 and 64, reaching 42,967 which is 29% of total elderly
population. With 20,955 elderly Omanis, the age group between 75
and 79 years is the smallest age group, which is 14 per cent.
The ratio of elderly of the age group of 65 years or more is 7 per
100 Omanis of the age group of 15 to 64 years. The same ratio was
recorded in 2013.
The population-aging index in 2017 fell by one point from 2013,
when every 100 Omani children under the age of 15 compared with 17
elderly Omanis in 2013 reached 16 elderly persons in 2017.
On the health status of the elderly in the Sultanate, the data
indicate that the number of visits of elderly patients in the age group of
60 years and over to outpatient clinics of the Ministry of Health in 2017
reached about 85,523 which is an increase from 65,874 in 2013.
The total number of elderly patients in the institutions of the
Ministry of Health was 2,304 in 2017, with the diseases of the
circulatory system being the main cause of their admission. They are
23% of the people with the other diseases.
The total number of deaths of elderly people aged 60 years and
above in hospitals affiliated to the Ministry of Health increased from
1,870 deaths in 2013 to 2,217 in 2017.
There were 647 deaths of elderly people due to diseases
related to the heart and blood vessels, which is 29.2% of the total
number of deaths of elderly people. In addition, 464 elderly died due to
blood poisoning, which is 20.9% of the total deaths in this age.
Similarly, 414 died due to respiratory diseases, which is 18.7% of total
deaths in this age group.
With regard to the educational status, the illiteracy rate of the
elderly Omanis in the age group of between 60 and 79 years fell from
30%, with their number reaching 37,496 in 2013 to reach 23.5% while
their number reached 22,604 in 2017.
The number of elderly Omanis employed in the public and
private sectors decreased from 2,380 in 2013 to reach to 2,165 in 2017.
The employed elderly Omanis in the public and private sectors
in the year 2017 were 0.5% of the total Omanis working in both sectors,
with 88.8% males and 11.2% females.
The number of elderly Omanis working in handicraft industries in
the age group of 60 years and above in 2017 increased to 3,870 people
compared to 2,796 in 2013, with the Omani handicraft industries
concentrated mainly in cotton, woolen fabrics, incense and cosmetic
products.
About 39% of Omanis retired from the government and private
sector in the Sultanate at the age of 60 in 2017, reaching 91,745
persons compared to 41% of the total number of those who retired in
2013, which was 69,247.
The number of elderly citizens insured by pension funds was
2,456 out of 438,862 insured by these funds.
In terms of social welfare, the data indicate that in 2017, the
number of elderly persons benefiting from social security was 33,889,
which is 42.6% of the total social security beneficiaries. About 53% of
these people were females and 47% were males compared to 32,356
cases in 2013.
The total amount disbursed to the old age group benefiting from
social security was RO 53,085,573, which is 43.2% of the total amount
disbursed in 2017.
The number of old people residing in the Social Welfare Home in
A’Rustaq is 38 during 2017, which is an increase of over 19 elderly
male and females Omanis during 2013. The number of elderly people
who were provided home care services was 1,227 in 2017.
In terms of security and safety, the number of elderly Omani
offenders was 363, which constitutes only 1.7% of the total criminals in
the Sultanate in 2017.
Regarding the participation in public life, the total land distributed
to the elderly Omanis in the age group of 60 years and above was
about 2,739 plots out of 36,902 plots distributed in 2017. The
percentage of elderly who got land among the total beneficiaries was
7.4%. Of them 84% were females and 16% were males.
The number of elderly in the age group of 60 years and above
who voted in the eighth elections of the members of Majlis A’Shura
2015-2019 was about 33,306, representing 11.2% of the total number
of voters, which is about 297,905. There were 590 candidates, of which
there were six male elderly Omanis. There was no elderly female in the
fray for the elections.
The number of elderly voters for the second term 2016-2020 of
the elections of municipal councils was about 25,369, which is 11.6% of
the total number of voters who were 218,779. There were around 731
candidates in these elections, of which 60 were elderly males, which
was 8.2% of the total aspirants. There were no elderly woman
candidates in the fray.
Source: Oman News Agency