Commission to evaluate problems of elderly people

ANKARA

The Turkish parliament has established a commission, following a joint proposal by five political parties, to evaluate the problems of the country’s elderly people and produce solutions for them.

The move came after Parliament Speaker Mustafa Şentop’s call, on behalf of the elderly, in a speech at a ceremony on “Respect to Elderlies Week” between March 18 and 24.

People aged above 65 are officially considered “elderly.”

According to the latest report by the country’s statistical institute TÜİK, the elderly population has reached 8.2 million out of the total 84 million.

The proportion of the elderly was 7.2 percent in 2010.

“The percentage has increased to 9.7 as of 2021 and is expected to reach 25.6 by 2080,” TÜİK said.

According to the same report, at least one elderly lives in 24.1 percent of the total 25.3 million households in Turkey.