Category: Population

Abstract

The global economy has gone high with a rapid population increase. Overpopulation in various countries has become the order of the day. This is because housing and food have become a problem leading to economic instability. Many institutions have been established in various countries to help in population monitoring or control. In this paper, Australia as a country has been depicted and some of the challenges it faces about population increase. The prediction has also been highlighted for 10 years covering up to the year 2020.

Introduction

Australia is one of the countries experiencing rapid population growth that tends to be a threat to the economy. The overall population of Australia is estimated to be 36 million though there is a given percentage that is not included. 24% of the Australian population are immigrants and when added, can sum up to 39 million. This has made Australia a country to come up with measures that can help curb the looming danger of economic instability. With overpopulation, the country may experience given challenges linked to housing or food program. It is due to this reason that Australia has launched a 2020 planning program.

Background

The commonwealth seemed to have released their estimation of the 2020 population including that of Australia back in the years 2010. This estimation was done to cover ten years. The commonwealth treasury wanted to give their budget estimation for posterity. According to the commonwealth research, Australia is most likely to realize a population increase of 36 million and this will show a population increase of 14 million (Eyland, 2004, p67). Housing is becoming a big issue in Australia and this is a sign of looming danger that negatively impacts the future generation of Australian residents especially by the year 2020. Statistics show a smooth and gradual increase in population In Australia since the year 2000. 24.6% of the Australian is covered by the foreign-born. According to the statistics, Australia holds the highest population of foreign-born residents in the world. In Australia, two couples are given citizen rights if they have a new-born in the nation. This falls among the factors that have triggered population growth hence causing food and housing problems. The Australian population is mainly composed of Greece, China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Germany, Italy, Yugoslavia, and many others.

Literature review

According to the statistics gathered over the years, the current population in Australia is approximately 21.4 million. There are many predictions made by different bodies though there are no substantial facts to support such prediction. IBIS, a statistical body in Australia, gave its prediction in nine years. In their prediction, they claimed that the total population of Australia will reach 25.7 million. This will be a total growth increment of about 1.5 percent. It is also estimated that the population growth rate has gone high than the expected standards hence making it very difficult to feed the robust population. According to various analysts, the population in the year 2020 will have grown by at least 1.5 percent leading to adjustments in the overall country market.

The Australian population is also affected by the immigration rate. There are very many people from other countries who immigrate to Australia in search of a living. This is because Australia is presumed to be home opportunities especially the business sector (Nations Unies, 2011, p34). Australia ranks among one of the economically stable countries around the globe though; it has a weakness when it comes to feeding its residents. It is very difficult to budgets for their robust population leading to loan leading programs from other countries. Due to the current population inflation, Australia as a state or country has decided to launch various programs that help in planning for the future population increment especially the year 2020. At times, it becomes very difficult to estimate the total population growth due to high death rates experienced over the last five 10 years. To get the population estimation of 2020, death rate and birth rate must be considered.

Discussion

In Australia, some rules and policies govern birth rates. This is to control the fast-growing population that may become very difficult to accommodate or sustain. IBIS World is one of the established companies dealing with issues of population growth and planning. Predictions made by this institution are always taken into consideration.

The median age of the Australian population is presumed to be 36 years. Another estimation or predication made by the IBIS World is that the death rate will increase annually as compared to the previous years hence making the population growth rate increase slightly. This increment in death rate is brought about by low fertility hence death rate will surpass that of the newborn babies. Apart from high death rates, the ratio of girls to boys about birth rate is 101:1000. Demography refers to the population of the given place including its density, ethnicity, and education level, the health of the people, the economic status, religious affiliations, and the additional religious affiliations.

Australia

• Population. The research of 2009 shows that the population of Australia is 4,579,000 people.
• Urbanization. Sixty percent live in towns.
• Education. The literacy rate is 95.8%.
• Emigration and immigration 3% of the countries people live in other countries.
• Population density.89.6 hubs /square kilometer. The median age is 27.5 years per total 27.5, the male is 27.1. The growth rate is 1.5% in the year 2010.

Some of the factors that might not have been included in this area but are the part of the demography are the birth rate, death rate, net emigration, net migration, sex ratio, infant mortality rate, under-five, life expectancy at birth, ethnic group, total fertility rate, mortality rate, HIV AIDS, nationality, religion language and literacy (United Nations, 2009, p145).

Brisbane

The latest data show that Brisbane has got a population of 14,701717.

• Fertility is said to be 3.0 children per month.
• Infant and child fertility per month is 45 death per 1000 people.
• Life expectancy is 44.2 years.
• Ethnic groups are Khmer, Vietnamese, and China.
• Languages are The Vietnamese, Chinese, German, Thai, Russia, Japanese and Korean.
• Religion is Buddhism.

Australian health program about population

Diseases are an outstanding threat to the health of the citizens of Australia. The kingdom of Australia is usually affected by a series of diseases. They majorly attack infants and that is why they likely to die from time to time. The threat of malaria is an outstanding problem in the two countries. Malaria is a common communicable disease that is caused by mosquitoes (Ha, 2011, p102). Mosquitoes breed in the areas that have stagnant water. They are hatched in the stagnant water and reproduce eggs. These mosquitoes mostly threaten pregnant mothers, infants, and the aged (Ha, 2011, p102). This is because malaria is dangerous and fatal when not correctly treated. The Australian states are affected by the threat of malaria that is caused by mosquitoes. Recently, Australia witnessed the death of young children due to malaria. Aimed at convincing people to sleep under the nets in the republic.

HIV AIDS pandemic is the factor that is also considered to be a big threat to the people of Australia. Young energetic people that could have been produced in this country are affected by the threat of the HIV AIDS pandemic, therefore, reducing their competence. The government of the two nations highlights the HIV pandemic as the main threat in the republic. The funds and the resources that the governments of the two states could otherwise use in the development are fetched and used to care for the sick people.

Another factor affecting the health of people of these nations is poor feeding habits. This is because most of the residents in this area are poor and they majorly depend on stable food as the only food. This is not supplementary as it does not satisfy people and does not contain all the required diet. This is because human beings should majorly feed on a balanced diet as a way of sustenance. This explains the reason why the children in Australia are largely affected by deficiency disease. Almost 70% of the children of Australia have are victims of kwashiorkor, marasmus, and some of the deficiency diseases.

The radioactive emission is now a threat to Australia. This is because of the war that hit the country for long in some parts are still experiencing the clashes at the moment. Scientists have proved that during the warring time, the weapons that are used do not compose after the war but remain affecting the residents of the area since they undergo a decay known as the radiation decay (Keyfitz, 1990, p56). This is explained as the half-life and the process and the emissions of the half-life affect the genetics of the individuals. The genes of the people undergo any type of change, especially when affected by radioactive emissions. This falls among the problems that are affecting the two countries. The effects of the emissions may damage the person’s future generation as they give birth to an abnormal offspring (Newton, 2008, p99).

Healthcare challenges in Australia

The government directs enough capital in the health care of these countries. The intervention of the government is expected to bring in and then employ skilled professionals and also teach and train young people on how to be health officers. This is because the government funds are quite a lot to meet the cost of the processes efficiently (Greenhalgh, 1998, p67). Also, following the fact that the private sector is taking part in the ensuring of health development, health is highly improved. One advantage enjoyed when the private sector enters the health care system in Australia is that it will fetch in different resources that are useful thereby, improving the health of the people (Mcdonald, 2003, p68). The reason is that the individual people usually got the individual funds to invest in the business and by doing so they end up developing the system of the country

Conclusion

The estimation made by various organizations or bodies in Australia was made after careful review of the challenges facing the nation. According to the current records, the overall population in Australia is growing at a fast calling for ideal measures to be put in place (Biswas, 2009, p44). A country that experiences a high population growth rate is presumed to be a healthy nation though other factors might also trigger a high population growth rate. According to the research carried out over the years, health seems to be a major contributing factor to rapid population growth in any country or continent. With the current healthcare system in Australia, the population growth rate may rise to a given level leading to overpopulation by the year 2020. Though population growth is encouraged, in Australia, this seems to be a big threat due to a lack of proper housing and food. With an additional population rate, Australia may by the year 2020 experience economic instability.

References

Biswas, AK, Tortajada, C & Izquierdo, R 2009, Water management in 2020 and beyond, Springer, Berlin.

Greenhalgh, G 1988, The future of nuclear power, Graham & Trotman, London.

Keyfitz, N & Flieger, W 1990, World population growth and aging: demographic trends in the late twentieth century, University of Chicago Press, Chicago.

Ha, T 2011, Greeniology 2020: how to live well, be green and make a difference, Melbourne University Publishing, Carlton, Vic.

Mcdonald, PF, & Khoo, SE 2003, The transformation of Australia’s population: 1970-2030, UNSW Press, Sydney.

Newton, PW 2008, Transitions: pathways towards sustainable urban development in Australia, Springer Science, Dordrecht, Netherlands.

United Nations 2009, World population prospects: the 2008 revision, Economic and Social Affairs, Web.

Eyland, S & O’toole, S 2004, Corrections criminology, N.S.W., Hawkins Press, Annandale.

Introduction

An Ageing Population refers to the phenomenon of increasing percentage of people who are above 65 years. Increased availability of good quality and affordable healthcare has increased the life span of senior citizens and the life expectancy. The rising phenomenon of aging has created new issues such as increased healthcare and rising costs of maintaining the senior citizens and continuation of the social security program has to be reconsidered. This paper examines the pros and cons of ageing and discuses important issues related to ageing. The paper also discuses ‘Ageism’ and the stereotyping and discrimination that the aged undergo.

Statistics on Aging

Gavrilov (et all, 2003) has pointed out that the world is growing older at an alarming rate and by 2050, 20 percent of the global population would be 60 years or older. The author has taken ageing as the retirement age and people who are above 65 years are considered as aged. A society is considered as older when 8 to 10 percent of the population is above 65. In 1900, the percentage of people who were considered as aged was 4.1 %, it was 12.6 percent in 2000 and by 2030 and the percent is expected to rise to 20 percent. Table 1 gives historic statistics and future projections for the ageing population.

Table 1. Ageing Demography and Statistics (Gavrilov, et all, 2003)

Observed and Forecasted Percentages of the Elderly (65+ years) in Selected Areas, Regions, and Countries of the World: 1950, 2000 and 2050.

In Table 1, it can be seen that the developed countries such as USA, Sweden, countries of Europe have high percentages between 21.1 % to 36.4 %. Developing countries such as India and China that had figures lower than 6.9 percent in 2000 will have increased the percentage to more than 15%. The main reason according to Gavrilov is the increasing availability of expensive healthcare facilities and the reduced fertility and birth rate among the younger people.

Pavilion (June 2007) has researched the gender related percentages and he suggests that females form a larger portion of the aged. According to the author, aging is increasingly seen in women and this has created “feminization” phenomenon in aging since females have a lower mortality rates. In US, the number of aged women was 20.6 million while in men it was 14.4 million and this gives a sex ratio of 143. For people who are above 85 years, the sex ratio increases to 243.

Problems Faced by the Aged

Crawford (12 January 2007) has written about the problems faced by the aged in UK and the issues that planners have to consider while planning for them. The author suggests that the growing population of the aged means that planners have to think of housing, convenience stores, healthcare workers and facilities and the increased cost of caring for the aged. Many of the older generation do not have support mechanisms such as children who care for their parents. In such cases, the government needs to provide suitable housing for single and couples. Affordable housing with standard live saving emergency equipment would help to reduce the number of people who wait for admission into healthcare facilities.

Harris (1 September 2007) has argued that caring for the aged has financial impacts on the healthcare system. The author reports that the fire departments in Columbia have increasingly responded to 911 calls and that many of the calls are not for any emergency condition but just that the aged needed transport to long-term care facilities. The author has suggested that such 911 emergency calls tend to divert ambulance services from true emergencies and also waste money.

Mellor (August 2007) has studied the behavior of nurses in long-term care facilities and suggests that though many nurses have a positive attitude towards care for the chronically ill and aged people, they lack gerontic nursing and socioeconomic and understanding of the ageing population. The author suggests that other than financial problems the aged have a problem of discrimination among certain sections who regard the aged as a burden to the society.

Myths of Ageism

According to Todd (2005), elders were regarded with great respect in the biblical times and even in mediaeval times where the life expectancy was less and if anyone lived beyond 50, the person was regarded as chosen by god for a divine purpose and given great respect. Since in olden times, there were no printing presses or writing materials, elders served as the storehouse of knowledge and were frequently consulted for events of the past and they were valued for their wisdom. Family and village history had to be memorized and repeated verbatim back then and the knowledge was passed on to their disciples and so on. The elders could relax, not work, eat drink and keep merry and assist in the education of the village children. With the advent of the printing press, this changed and history could be printed on paper and preserved so there was no need for the old people. Todd suggests that with the advent of the industrial revolution, families needed to be mobile, live and work in tough conditions and do manual repetitive jobs. There was no need for historic knowledge as machines did the work. Older members of the family were regarded as a burden now since extra efforts had to be taken to accommodate them.

Davison (Davison) has researched Ageism in colonial Australia and written that the colonial settlers and immigrants who first came to Australia were the young who had left their parents back in another country. The number of people who could be called as old was less than one person per thousand. When these young couples had children, these children grew up without seeing a really old person and they had no filial feelings or reverence for the old. As the years passed on, the first settlers grew old and their children and later their grandchildren grew up and came to despise these old people who actually did nothing but consumed scarce resources. With increase in medication, the life expectancy in Australia rose and also the percentage of old people. Since there was no tradition of caring for the old, the concept of Ageism grew and now affects almost all people.

Negative Feelings about Ageism

Beth (Beth 2003) has reported that with improved healthcare systems and technology, the life expectancy of senior citizens has considerably increased and this has given rise to a new kind of stereotyping called Ageism, for the old similar to racism and the discrimination and derogatory attitude shown toward African Americans and other race of deprived people. This attitude is not only shown by the general public but also by nurses and the medical fraternity who regard old people as a burden and who enjoy social welfare benefits, at the expense of younger people who pay taxes. Ageism is a very malevolent form of attitude since the older people do not have anywhere else to go and rely on healthcare professionals to meet their basic needs. Todd (2005) has suggested that in US, elders are institutionalized, marginalized, and stripped of dignity, responsibility and power, and were regarded as a burden by their children and the state.

Lindsay (Lindsay 1999) has suggested that ageism and the stereotyping and aloof attitude is present among nurses and senior nursing professionals. The author suggests that these attitudes are inculcated right from their nursing college days and they continue even when the nurses attain seniority. Very little has been done by professional bodies and the nursing institutions to remove this bias and negative attitude and the author has suggested that measures should be taken and counseling provided to remove such harmful attitudes.

Death Denying of the Aged

Ashby (2005) has suggested that death denying is the process where the life of a critically ill patient is prolonged by placing them on life support systems. He has discussed the case of a few patients who could be classified as being in the ‘vegetative state’ where it was medical technology alone that ensured that the patients lived. Zimmermann (2004) has argued that there is a reluctance and reticence on the part of the healthcare community and the society when it comes to palliative care or care for the dying. The author has argued that the society has become a death denying society where prolonging life becomes a test of the machines and technology that is bent on prolonging death. Death is no more regarded as a natural cause but a technological and clinical event and while instances of death in hospitals and institutions have risen, there has been a considerable decline in death at homes. The author has argued that the death denying society which includes pharmaceutical companies and medical professionals with specialized training, have increased the lifespan of human beings. Zimmermann has suggested that the death denying society has created an ‘atmosphere of denial’ where information is withheld from patients and their real condition is not revealed. The society creates a veil of silence and does not reveal such information to patients who want to know the truth about their health. The author has cited the works of some eminent authors and calls this masquerade as the ‘pornography of death’. The research pointed out that while explicit pornography is freely discussed, prudery is practiced while discussing natural death. The death denying society, has turned death into a mere medicalization practice and the funeral practices, display of grief and mourning has become detached and the survivors have become bystanders since there is a taboo on discussing death.

Threats to Social Security Act

The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB 28 June 2007) has raised serious concerns about the risks that the Social Security Act is facing due to the increased cost of caring for the aged. The Social Security Act is under the threat of collapsing from its own burden. The life expectancy of retired Americans has increased to about 72.1 years from the 60.1 years that was present when the act came into force. With increase in the number of retired people, there is a real fiscal danger of the fund being drowned in deficit. There are currently more than 39 million senior citizens who avail of the benefits and it is estimated that the total shortfall in Social Security and Medicare is about USD 18 Trillion. Employed workers are taxed to the extent of 12.4 % for social security and 2.8 % for Medicare and studies show that the inflow amount from taxes is not sufficient to balance the payments. The payments are done by heavily subsidies from the government and it is projected that by 2017, the huge burden of social security and other programs will become unmanageable or put in simple terms, the government will not be able to pay out the money. Attempts have been made by some administrators and presidents to tax the benefits or reduce the outflow of money, but this has been resisted by people.

Conclusion

An ageing population refers to the number of people who are greater than 65 years. By 2005, it is estimated that the 20% of the world’s population will be above 65 years. As a result, there has been increased healthcare costs and infrastructure development costs such as housing. The aged need adequate housing and long term critical care facility. The rise in population of the elderly has created certain negative feelings about the aged and this is called ageism. Certain sections of the population feel that the chronically ill and the aged are made to prolong their lives with advances in medical technology and the phenomenon is called as death denial. The paper suggests that enough care and facilities must be provided to the aged and that they should not be considered as a burden on the society.

References

Ashby Michael A, Kellehear Allan, Stoffell Brian F (2005), ‘Resolving conflict in end-of-life care’ MJA, Volume 183, Number 5, pp: 230-231

Beth Mary (2003), ‘Preventing Ageism in Nursing Students: An Action Theory Approach’, Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing, Volume 20, Issue 4, pp. 8-14

Crawford Jenny (2007), Planners face challenge of an ageing population, Planning: London, Ussue 1701, p: 26

Davison Graeme, ‘Our Youth is Spent and our Backs are Bent: The Origins of Australian Ageism‘

Gavrilov Leonid A., Patrick Heuveline (2003), ‘Aging of Population’. Web.

Gething Lindsay (1999), ‘Ageism and Health Care: the Challenge for the Future’, Australian Journal on Ageing, Volume 18, Issue 1. p. 2

Harris Melissa (2007), Non Emergencies Tie Up Ambulances: Aging Population Payment and Liability Issues, The Baltimore Sun Company, pg: A1

Martens Andy, Goldenberg Jamie L., Greenberg Jeff (2005), ‘A Terror Management Perspective on Ageism’, Journal of Social Issues, Volume 61, Issue 2, pp: 223-239

Mellor Prue, Daniel Chew, Jennene Greenhill (2007), ‘Nurse’s attitude toward elderly people and knowledge of Gerontic care in a multi purpose health service’, Australian Journal of Advanced Nursing. Melbourne, Volume 24, Issue 4, pp: 37-42

Nelson Todd D. (2005), ‘Ageism: Prejudice Against Our Feared Future Self’, Journal of Social Issues, Volume 61, Issue 2, pp: 207-221

OMB (2007), ‘Entitlements on the Brink: Office of Management and Budget’.

Pavilion (2007). ‘Rise in ageing population drives household growth’. Working With Older People. Brighton, pp: 6

Zimmermann Camilla, Rodin Gary (2004), ‘The denial of death thesis: sociological critique and implications for palliative care’, Journal of Palliative Medicine, Volume 18, pp: 121-128

Scientists and environmentalists do not understand “how to they can increase the world’s carrying capacity in order to support the ever-increasing human population” (Izazola & Jowett, 2010, p. 3). This essay identifies the major issues associated with the increasing global population.

Reasons for the Increasing Human Population

According to McKee (2012, p. 39), “several factors have contributed a lot to the current human population”. The Industrial Revolution presented new scientific inventions thus addressing the challenges affecting the world. Such technologies made it easier for human beings to produce more food. This strategy addressed the problem of poverty. The number of infectious diseases has reduced significantly. These advancements have increased the number of people in the world (Izazola & Jowett, 2010).

Modern technologies have “resulted in better practices such as sanitation and water treatment” (McKee, 2012, p. 48). These practices have addressed every health challenge affecting the globe. Human beings “have produced quality antibiotics and vaccines using advanced medical technologies” (Hopfenberg, 2003, p. 113).

Many individuals in the developing world have not embraced the idea of Family Planning (FP). Many communities “in the globe are enjoying better living standards” (Hopfenberg, 2003, p. 112). The above discoveries have encouraged people to have more children. This development has “increased the number of people in the world” (McKee, 2012, p. 34).

Dealing with the Issue of Human Population Growth

The world should embrace various methods and strategies in order deal with the current human population. The first method that can deal with this problem is FP (McKee, 2012). This practice will ensure more individuals to have a small number of children. The practice will “deal with various challenges such as poverty and economic instability” (Goudie, 2009, p. 65).

Public Awareness Programs (PAPs) will ensure every society manages its population. Such programs will ensure more people understand the challenges associated with population growth. Such programs will also “encourage more people to plan their families” (Goudie, 2009, p. 73).

China’s “One Child Policy” has made it easier for the country to manage its population. The strategy “has made it easier for the country to control and manage its population” (Goudie, 2009, p. 73). People should use similar policies in order to deal with this challenge. Governments “should introduce Sex Education in every learning institution” (Izazola & Jowett, 2010, p. 6).

Contraception “is a powerful strategy that can educate more people about the importance of Family Planning” (McKee, 2012, p. 45). This approach will eventually control the world’s human population. Scholars and scientists should come up with new methods in order to deal with this problem.

Problems Associated with Rapid Population Decline

The decision to reduce the number of people in the globe might produce new challenges. This “practice will result in smaller workforces” (McKee, 2012, p. 92). Many governments “will not collect enough revenues and taxes” (Goudie, 2009, p. 103). This development will affect many economies. The strategy might “affect the populations of different communities” (Goudie, 2009, p. 87).

The “decreasing number of people in the universe might also decide to exhaust every available natural resource” (McKee, 2012, p. 86). This malpractice can have numerous impacts on the lives of many people. Many countries will be required to hire foreign workers in order to support their economies. This development will affect the economies of different regions. This discussion explains why “the world should identify new concepts and ideas in order to deal with the problem of human population” (Hopfenberg, 2003, p. 114).

Reference List

Goudie, A. (2009). The Human Impact on the Natural Environment: Past, Present, and Future. New York, NY: Wiley.

Hopfenberg, R. (2003). Human Carrying Capacity Is Determined by Food Availability. Population and Environment, 25(2), 109-117.

Izazola, H., & Jowett, A. (2010). Population, Natural Resources and Environment. Demography, 2(1), 1-9.

McKee, J. (2012). Sparing Nature: The Conflict Between Human Population Growth and Earth’s Biodiversity. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press.

Introduction

The current population of a country is a product of the past trends in the population of the county under investigation. Consequently, this population will determine how the future population of the country will be. This has been demonstrated by a comparison of the population pyramids of the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Ethiopia.

A part from the past population trends in a country, other factors determining the current population of a country include the economic level of the country, influence from other countries and the effects of globalization.

This paper will discuss the effects of the current population in the United Kingdom, Indonesia and Ethiopia. This will be achieved by comparing the population current population pyramids of these countries. From the population pyramid, the paper will give an insight on the future expectations of the population in the countries under investigation.

Comparison of the three pyramids

The current United Kingdom population pyramid indicates a fare distribution of people across the ages. The number of people in each age group in the United Kingdom is almost the same. From the pyramid, it is clear that this population is made up of more middle aged people than young people.

It is, therefore, possible to conclude that the United Kingdom has an old population. This can be attributed to the effects of civilization and modernization which brought about the issues of family planning. The pyramid indicates that most of the people in the unite kingdom are in their fertile age, yet the number of children is less compared to older people.

With this population trend, the population risks a drastic decline in future. The small percentage of young people as indicated by the pyramid will not be able to maintain the population after the current people in their fertile age bracket will be aged (Ehrlich, 2001).

From this population pyramid, it is clear that life expectancy n the United Kingdom is high. This can be attributed to the good health care of the people living in the United Kingdom.

Unlike in the United Kingdom, there are more young people in Ethiopia as indicated by the pyramid. A close analysis of the Ethiopian population clearly indicates that majority of the people in the country are young people.

The pyramid presents Ethiopia as having a young population. This can be attributed to the fact that Ethiopia is a third world country. In its efforts to develop, the Ethiopian government has been able to provide adequate medical services to its people.

The people of Ethiopia have started applying modern farming techniques and this has in turn resulted into more food being produced to feed the population (Connelly, 2010). The presence of few old people in Ethiopia indicates that life expectancy in the country is low. Many scholars attribute this to the many tropical diseases in Africa.

With adequate medical services, the motility rates in Ethiopia has reduced significantly and this has been reflected by the population having many young people. In addition, the introduction of science and technology in food production has ensured adequate food in Ethiopia.

Consequently, the availability of food in Ethiopia has raised the fertility of the people, thus high birth rates as indicated by the pyramid. Going by this population trend, one can conclude that the population of Ethiopia has a very high potential of growing in future.

Many people in Ethiopia are below the fertility age as indicated by the pyramid. This means that by the time these young people reach their fertility age, the population is bound to grow tremendously (Weeks, 2011).

In Indonesia, the population pyramid indicates a gradually increasing population. From the pyramid, the difference between the young people and the middle aged people is not big. This indicates a stable population.

This stability can be attributed to the fact that Indonesia is a developing country that is affected by the effects of modernization and development. For instance, the people of Indonesia have started to embrace scientific methods of birth control.

Indonesians are also affected by polices adapted by other nations to check its population. The effect of this to this is that the population of Indonesia will grow gradually despite having a large number of young people (Pearce, 2011).

A close analysis of the population pyramid of Indonesia indicates a higher life expectancy as compared to that of Ethiopia. This shows that there is a better lifestyle in Indonesia than in Ethiopia.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the above is a discussion of the current population of three countries. From the discussion, it is clear that all of them have a unique population trend depending on the past population and other factors that have been indentified as influencing the population trend.

Consequently, the future of the population in these three countries will depend on the current population. For instance, mature population as is the case with the United Kingdom means a population decline in future while a young population as is the case with Ethiopia will result into population increase. The population of Indonesia may not indicate any significant change in future.

References

Connelly, M. (2010). Fatal Misconception: The Struggle to Control World Population: London: Belknap Press of Harvard University Press.

Ehrlich, P. R. & Ehrlich, A. H. (2001). The Population Explosion. New York: Touchstone Books.

Pearce, F. (2011). The Coming population Crash: and Our Planet’s Surprising Future: London: Beacon press.

Weeks, J..R. (2011). Population: An Introduction to Concepts and Issues: New York: Wadsworth Publishing.

The elderly population among different communities faces numerous challenges to cope with the fast changing lifestyle; they find themselves not rhyming with current generation life approach. With the differences they suffer from Discrimination and Social Exclusion; when living with an environment where one faces discrimination and social exclusion, there are high chances of getting stresses and depressed of the situation.

Getting old is inevitable; right after ones birth the process of growing old starts the World Health Organization within its programs has World Health Organization Ageing and Life Course Programme nicknamed “Active Aging” with the aim of developing mechanisms to assist elderly remain independent and active in the move to ensure they are integrated within the community in their old age life.

WHO is concerned on how longer people live as well as the quality of the lives they will live at old age. WHO demographic report of 1999 suggested that by 2025, the population of people above the age of 60 years is likely to increase by approximately 694 million (223% growth elderly population).

One common character that has been realized among the elderly is depression as they do not seem to be going okay with the requirements of modern life; they find themselves somewhat misplaced and not integrated in the system fully.

In simple terms, depression is a mental disorder where by one is not in the right mine to make sound decisions; it is not actually not a disease by itself but just a condition that would lead to diseases. When someone is depressed, he cannot reason well thus he cannot meet the expectations of life and further increases the discrimination and social exclusion.

Stressed people are more likely to suffer from diabetes especially in the old age: the state and equilibrium of insulin in a human being has an effect on how the person old age is likely to be.

There are two types of diabetes, one that the body is not able to produce its own insulin it is called diabetes type 1 (it is said to be insulin dependent). The second one is type two is characterized by insulin deficiency and resistance. It is the most common form of diabetes, in case someone is suffering from either than has stress, then the condition is life threatening.

Human beings are by nature social beings, they interact with each other at every stage of their development. When a person is stresses, he is more likely to withdraw himself from the people and his social life is affected. The internal surroundings that are, the family, friends and parental training can influence the attitude of an individual. The external factors are social interactions, educational institutions and church or other social groups.

The main contributor of discrimination and social exclusion is current generation lifestyle that seems to have been dominated by selfishness, individualism, and use of technology. The old people on the other hand seem to be willing to have social lives where they stay in extended family setting which younger generations seem to repel.

The number of old verses the young in modern community is another challenge, the old are reducing in number as they succumb to age and old age diseases. With the difference in ages, old people fail to get people they can socialize with; this leads to them feeling discriminated and social excluded.

In the recent years, the world has seen an increase in population of people. In turn, this has led to an increase in the population density in the world today. By definition, population density is the amount of people that are living or occupying a certain area divided with the size of the area that is being occupied.

It is estimated that 70 percent of world population occupy one mile per square. Due to having the high influx of people, various environmental issues arise due to the stress of the high number of people (Myarabians, 2010). Some of these issues that arise are not only the cultural issues or the economic issues, but others like personal space, privacy and the territory that someone is working around also tends to be affected.

By definition, personal space is the area around a person that the person feels is adequate enough to offer the comfort that he/she requires. Since people are different, comfort may vary due to the culture of the person, the age and also the context the person is in.

Personal space may also vary when the person in question has an unpleasant view about the neighbor, or if there is a case of stigma that the person may be having against other persons. However, the reverse of the same usually happens when the person in question has a different view about the person around him.

A good example is a scenario where there exists friendship between the people to other persons around him (Myarabians, 2010). Territoriality deals with the spaces available to people, which people need to sustain their lives comfortably.

Again as earlier noted, these spaces may differ among people of different age and beliefs. The relationship between the various people may be the cause of the behavior of people in reference to territoriality.

In the recent years, the importance of territoriality, privacy, and personal space concepts is becoming of much importance. The can be attributed to the increase in the population, as more and more people are being born in the world today.

In turn, the population density that has resulted has led to unavailability or denial of these concepts as space has become scarce as time goes by. Since urban areas attract the biggest influx of people, it has resulted to people being offered such locations as parks, zoos and gardens to supplement some of these unavailable pressures (Cormode, 2010).

Most of these concepts are no longer there, which is notably necessary to accommodate the big number of people in the world today. Incase people were to still keep these concepts; we would need another planet to settle the big number of people coming to the world every year.

Presence of zoos, parks or even gardens is of utmost of importance to people living in urban areas. The fact that these areas offer the people in urban areas a chance to enjoy a conducive environment without the pressures in the environment just shows how necessary they are in this day and age.

Most of these areas are also endowed with natural vegetation like trees, which some of these people lack in their surrounding as most areas in cities are filled with buildings. In these areas, the concepts of territoriality, privacy, and personal space are not much exercised as the areas are accessible to everyone who wishes to visit them.

When it comes to privacy matters, it is evident that no privacy exists in these areas as there are no secret areas for anyone. These areas are therefore aimed at ensuring that the society stays together, without these concepts, where time becomes more difficult to enjoy due the pressure of the population.

Population trend that exists between a certain groups of people has an effect on the noise that is around that group of people. The meaning of this is that urban areas have more noise than the rural or the suburb areas.

The reasoning behind this is due to the fact that there are more people in urban areas as the population there is denser. Through the years, the noise has always been in the increase due to the fact that the population of people in urban areas is in the increase (Hunt, 2011).

The effect that noise has on people is different among different people. For one, noise causes people to be ineffective in their work. Further, noise interrupts the concentration of people and destroys the seriousness that was already there.

On the same note, if there is no concentration there is usually the risk of occurrence of accidents among the people doing the work, if their minds roam from the job they are doing. To add on the same note noise reduces efficiency of some of the people. Most people find it hard to work properly with loud noises around them.

To a work place, noise pollution can be a nuisance and can even reduce the output of the workers as well as their effective working. To add on that, noise may lead to accident in a work or organization, especially if it deals with usage of machines.

In turn, there is need to ensure that there are ways that are put across to ensure that noise is reduced in the work place. One of the most suitable ways to do this is to eliminate the noise from the source. It is also notable that most of the noise that is experienced in industrial organization does not come from the work that is done, but from the machines that are used to do the work.

The realization further reinforces the need to ensure that the workplace is kept with minimum or even without any noise. There are various ways that can be used to minimize the noise from the source. One of such ways is installing muffles on the engine of the machine that is being used.

Presence of muffles in the machine area minimizes the noise that is directed to the work place, and subsequently the environment. The other way that noise may be reduced noise in the work place is usage of machines and materials that are noise-free. To add on that, damping may also be incorporated (Hunt, 2011).

The meaning of damping is that the person who is using the equipment holds it tightly to prevent the object from vibrating and subsequently causing noise. When the person holds the machine tightly, he tends to absorb the vibration that is produced by the machine in question as well as the noise.

Another way of eliminating noise at the source is ensuring that the equipment used is in the right condition. Faulty machines and equipment are usually likely to cause a lot of noise in the work place as people try to work.

The fact that some of these machines may even have rust on them poses a great danger to people working with this equipment as noise is not the only concern but also the danger posed by usage of these machines.

The other strategy that may be used is using sound enclosures and sound barriers. In case it might not be possible to be able to eliminate the noise from the source, the other way is to ensure that the noise is controlled before it gets to the workers.

Creating of a sound box is one of the ways that may be used to eliminate sound from getting to the workers. A sound box offers acoustics insulation properties that are essential in eliminating the noise that is existence in the environment. However, it is always necessary to ensure that other considerations like the size of equipment that may need to be transported in and out of the enclosed space are put in mind.

On the other hand, barriers are walls with acoustic properties (Scott, 2007). However, it is worth noting that barriers are only effective in achieving the objective of minimizing noise if they are very close to the source of the noise.

In case it is not close to the source or the machine producing the sound, there is the risk that sound will travel through to the other areas of the organization. Finally, the organization may resolve to set up the organization in a far place from noisy areas.

Such a move would lead to the organization resolving all problems that come with noise. An organization that is far away from the source of noise is likely to avoid problems that come with the noise such as accidental risks.

To sum up, the changes that have occurred in terms of population have resulted to various pressures in the environment. As discussed above, these concepts are no longer being held by people as the population that is in the world today is big and continually increasing.

People, especially in the urban areas, are notably accepting the fact that they may need to comprise as population density in these areas is big, and at the same time on the increase. In turn, the councils in these regions have resulted to coming up with some areas that people can release these pressures of population density.

Zoos and parks are some of the solutions that people in urban areas have been provided for them to be able to release these pressures. At the same time, these areas are also offering a chance to the dwellers of the urban areas with a chance to live together as they are not restrictive of who visits there, and the general public is allowed. Such should be the goal of everyone in the world today.

There is no way the world would be able to control the birth rate and the number of people in existence in the world at any given time, and the only way people can do favor to themselves is ensuring that they are accommodative of the people around them. Though these may be a sacrifice to most people in the world today, it is the only way that people can have peaceful coexistence.

References

Cormode, G. (2010). Individual Privacy vs Population Privacy: Learning to Attack Anonymization. Web.

Hunt, J. (2011). Two Strategies That Can Be Used to Reduce Noise in the Workplace. Web.

Myarabians. (2010). Effects of Population Density. Web.

Scott, E. ( 2007). How To Reduce Noise Pollution and Its Negative Effects. Web.

Global population trends for industrial and developing nations: Future Challenges and Implications

The global population trends have been of a major concern to World Governments, Organizations, and Scientific bodies. This was due to the world’s population exceeding 6 billion by 1999. Although there has been a drastic population growth, the trend has been non-uniform in all parts of the world.

For instance, in an industrialized region like Europe, the population by 2009 was 732 million and the 2050 population expectation is 609 million. However, for a developing region like Africa, at the same instance had a population of 1,010 million and expects 1,748 million by 2050 (Engelman, 2010).

It is wise to note that the developed regions though have many resources, are trying to control their population growth, and vice versa for the developing regions. This is quite ironical. The United Nations experts are in consent that the global population may reach its peak of 8 billion, and beyond 2040, it may begin to decline. Contrariwise, population growth expectation will be from the less developed nations.

Additionally, the average life expectancy in the industrialized regions is higher than that in less developed regions. This reveals that people in more developed regions are likely to live for long than their counterparts in developing regions. The varying fertility rate in these regions is responsible for the different population growth. For example, in United States women have two children on average while in Niger it is more than seven children (Fitzgerald, 2011).

Therefore, it is true that a high percentage of population growth occurs in developing regions, which already accommodates more than 82 percent of the global population. For developed regions, the reduction in fertility, improvement in health services, and rise in life expectancy leads to rise in median age since most people are aging (Lutz, 2004).

This scenario is the exact opposite of the developing regions, where the majorities are the young people. In explaining the population disparity, regions like Africa rely on traditional religions, which discourage family planning as a means of controlling birthrates. In addition, cultural attitudes encourage large families. They view many children as signs of wealth.

There are numerous challenges that are likely to face the two different regions. Urbanization, the movement to urban areas to get access better health care, education, and lucrative job opportunities, is an eminent challenge. With the insurgent of large population in the urban areas, problems like poor sanitation, inadequate water supply, and poor social services become common (Global Challenges Facing Humanity, n.d.).

Remarkably, these challenges will result due to the presence of unskilled groups with no sensible investments. Another problem of slum development will emerge, as there will be challenges of urban planning. Plans to improve these standards seem dim because the challenges are rampant in less developed nations with already strained economy. In Mexico, for example, statistics shows that alongside pollution, the city faces severe water shortage (Fitzgerald, 2011).

The next challenge is the decline in population and aging; this has been occurring in the industrialized nations. Women in Japan are focusing on career, an immense contrary to women in developing nations, focusing on giving birth to too many children. Apart from population decline in developed nations, there is an increase in the aging population. For instance, before the Industrial Revolution, those over 65 years were not more than 3 percent of the world population (Global Challenges Facing Humanity, n.d.).

Currently, those above 65 years constitute 14 percent in the industrialized nations. Contrastingly, developing nations have more of the youthful population than the old groups. In terms of cost, countries like Kenya experience high healthcare and education costs for the young population.

However, countries like United Kingdom face high healthcare and pension for the aged people. The few wage and salary earners bear this burden. Notably, developed nations are facing a challenge of supporting the increasing number of elderly group with the declining skilled youthful population. Therefore, these Governments channel a lot of money to support the elderly at the expense of the working population facing huge tax burdens.

Lastly, the developed nations will be facing workers shortage; thus, relenting on their immigration policies to curb this issue. The receiving nations have been treating immigrants with a lot of contempt. Factually, immigration could help to solve not only the explosive population in the developing nations but also the inadequate workers in developed nations. A country like Spain, with high aging population, has changed its immigration laws to allow more immigrants into the country (Hinrichsen & Robey, 2000). This will help to address the decrease in the workers-to-retirees ratio.

Conclusively, these challenges will automatically affect the state of the global business and economic sustainability. According to Lutz (2004), the world has a crisis in waiting. For example, the constantly increasing population in the developing nations coupled with unskilled work force, will lead to a decline in economic growth.

Again, the decreasing workers-to-retirees ratio implies more burden to the working class in the developed nations. Evidently, no single nation can effectively handle this global population trend. All these nations are at risk. Therefore, they should cooperate and put necessary adjustments and policies to solve these challenges, which, otherwise, could lead to worldwide social unrest.

References

Engelman, R. (2010). World Population Growth Slows Modestly, Still on Track for 7 Billion in Late 2011. Vital Signs.

Fitzgerald, B. (2011). Eco-Economy Indicators – Population| EPI. Earth Policy Institute. Web.

Global Challenges Facing Humanity. (n.d.). The Millennium Project. Web.

Hinrichsen, D., & Robey, B. (2000). Population and the Environment: The Global Challenge. ActionBioscience. Web.

Lutz, W. (2004). The End of World Population Growth in the 21st Century: New Challenges for Human Capital Formation and Sustainable Development. London: Earthscan.

Background

It is paramount for a social worker to take account of the needs of vulnerable populations. Particularly, the factors that are likely to pose a threat to the identified populations’ well-being must be identified and managed appropriately so that the target populations could develop efficient behaviors and coping mechanisms for handling threatening scenarios. Particularly, the needs of African American communities require close attention because of the socioeconomic concerns faced by its members and the emotional distress that they experience. The application of a biopsychological assessment may serve as the tool for identifying the current needs of the patient and providing her with the therapy and opportunities for developing coping mechanisms that will assist her in the future and help avoid developing psychological issues such as depression.

Patient

The focus on the cultural specifics of the patient particularly, on the issues faced by the representatives of the African American community, has shown that the patient is in dire need of reconsidering her current approach toward building relationships with her relatives, as well as changing her current work and sleeping at least 8 hours a day. The changes listed above may not be sufficient for the patient to fully recover, yet they will become the foundation for a gradual improvement in the patient’s life and health status. The importance of the identified change concerns primarily enabling the patient to become more independent in the management of their health issues, including their early identification, avoidance of the threats that may lead to the aggravation of their health condition, etc.

The patient is a 30-year-old African American female who has been working in the Navy and experiencing significant stress due to the pressure from her employee and family members. Furthermore, the patient has not been getting enough sleep over a significant amount of time, which has led to a steep rise in her distress levels. The strain under which she has been due to the unreasonably high expectations of her family that considers her a “golden child” should be viewed as the primary stress factor, whereas the emotional challenges that she has been having at her workplace can be deemed as the second most important factor. The fact that some of her family members are in prison and are going to live with her after their release should also be considered an important piece of information contributing to the increase in the patient’s stress levels and the overall emotional exhaustion.

Theory

When considering the current situation in which the patient has found herself, one must mention the Structural Family Theory (SFT). By definition, the identified theoretical framework implies determining one’s growth as an adult yet remaining a member of the family. Therefore, it allows measuring the ability of an individual to identify the factors and symptoms that may signal about health issues, as well as locate the available sources of assistance and information (Sewpaul, 2014).

Evaluating the patient’s situation, from the SFT perspective, one must clarify that the former has a very vague idea of self-care and is, therefore, suffering from a severe self-care deficit. Indeed, the patient’s inability to speak to others, listen to herself, and, therefore, isolate the factors that contribute to the enhancement of her stress levels and develop the strategies that will help eradicate the identified stress as factors show that the patient is in desperate need of help and counseling. The rationale for choosing the theory in question is quite obvious. Seeing that the patient is unable to take care of her own needs, it is crucial to teach her to get her priorities in line, reconsider the idea that her contribution to the family should not be reciprocal, and be able to identify health problems before they develop into serious ones. Furthermore, the application of the SFT approach is bound to help the patient manage the family-related issues since the framework focuses on the active engagement of family members into the therapy process. As a result, there is a high probability that the patient will change her current attitude toward the demands of her family members and focuses on supporting them without allowing them to rule her life.

As stressed above, the fact that the patient belongs to the African American culture must be taken into consideration when shaping the nursing approach. Indeed, a closer look at the patient’s cultural background will reveal that a significant emphasis on family values and support among relatives is placed in African American communities (Coontz, 2016). Therefore, it is imperative to make sure that the patient should not feel compelled to assist her family members without the slightest support from their side. Instead, one must promote the idea of unity and mutual support as the basis for improving the relationships between the patient and her family. SFT, in turn, is likely to serve as the foundation for introducing the concept of cooperation among the members of the patient’s family since the specified idea makes one of its core postulates (Boyd-Franklin, 2013). To address the unique characteristics of the patient’s culture in further interventions and the process of improving her relationships with the family members, one will have to consider several key factors. The first and most obvious, the fact that African American culture focuses heavily on respect for elders must be taken into account. Furthermore, possible disparities between the health and diet standards recommended by nurses and the ones that are viewed as appropriate in the African American culture should be listed among the key areas of concern. Finally, the suspicion of older African Americans toward innovative nursing and healthcare practices needs to be included in the list of issues that will have to be managed accordingly so that the needs of the patient could be met successfully.

To establish a strong bond between the client and a nurse, one will have to apply an adequate communication channel. In the case in point, it will be sensible to adopt the strategies based on meetings and group discussions. The concept mentioned above is bound to attract the attention of the at-risk population, thus, helping them learn more about the subject matter. Moreover, the adoption of a discussion-based system as the basis for encouraging active communication between a nurse, the patient, and her family can become the tool for encouraging the active patient education process. The incorporation of the approach based on discussion into the nursing strategy, in turn, will encourage every family member to participate and engage in the communication process. Thus, the premises for the successful management of the problem can be created.

Plan for Care

One must admit that, despite numerous issues and complications faced by the patient, she has shown impressive resilience toward the stress factors. She has a range of strengths of which she must be aware so that the process of treatment could occur at a faster pace. Furthermore, the identification of personal strengths will help her develop coping mechanisms that will not inhibit her personal and professional growth. For instance, the ability to focus on a particular goal and do everything possible to attain it can be viewed as an important asset. Indeed, the patient has been going against all the odds to have a good education and get a well-paid job. Even now that she has been experiencing sleep difficulties and family issues, she continues delivering good results. The fact that the patient is driven should be used to encourage her to focus on developing a resilient coping strategy and reconsidering relationships with her family. The appreciation of her family should also be viewed as an important asset. The understanding of family values can be used in therapy to improve the communication process between the patient and her family members.

Goals

At present, the following goals can be identified:

1. Introducing the patient to the idea of self-care and enhancing the significance of developing an appropriate self-management strategy (particularly, the development of a coping mechanism for addressing stress);
2. Encouraging the patient to learn more about her problem and be able to identify the symptoms of a possible recidivism issue, locate the available resources, and contact a nursing service.

The goals listed above align with the primary tenets of SFT. By placing a powerful emphasis on the importance of the patient’s independence, one will encourage her to focus on building a coping mechanism that will guide her toward better relationships with family members, management of stress at work, and, most importantly, learning to value herself. As a result, rapid improvement is expected.

The suggestions provided above can be supported by two recent studies published recently. For instance, a study by Demby, Riggs, and Kaminski (2015) indicates that the significance of the spiritual connection between the members of the African American community is crucial and can be supported with the help of SFT. Particularly, the study specifies that the enhancement of the connection between the community members serves as the means of preventing and managing depression, which is essential for the case in point. Similarly, research conducted by Friedman (2013) points to the significance of implementing the SFT framework to promote spirituality in the family and encourage a tighter bond between its members.

References

Boyd-Franklin, N. (2013). Black families in therapy: Understanding the African American experience (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Guilford Publications.

Coontz, S. (2016). The way we never were: American Families and the nostalgia trap. New York, NY: Hachette.

Demby, K. P., Riggs, S. A., & Kaminski, P. L. (2015). Attachment and family processes in children’s psychological adjustment in middle childhood. Family Process, 10(10), 1-16.

Friedman, R. S. (2013). Commentary on family-directed structural therapy: Ten years of building on family strengths. Journal of Family Strengths, 13(1), 1-5.

Sewpaul, W. (2014). A structural social justice approach to family policy: A critique of the draft South African family policy. Social Work, 41(4), 310-323.

Introduction

There is no doubt that an ageing population presents multifaceted problems to any country (Grenade & Boldy, 2008, p.468).Therefore, tackling problems experienced by ageing populations demand collaboration and coordination among different agencies.

It is against this backdrop that the minister in charge of MCYS asked Mr. Lim Chee Seng (my immediate boss) to prepare a report on the intangible issues of loneliness and depression among Singapore’s ageing populations. As a new executive at the ministry, my role was to help my boss prepare the report.

This report will therefore analyze the trends of ageing population in Singapore and resulting concerns, especially about depression and loneliness. It will also assess current strategies adopted to tackle these two issues and assess the effectiveness of those measures.

Trends with regard to aging Population in Singapore

An ageing population presents both opportunities and challenges to any society (Sadasivan & Osman, 2006, p. 2). According to Mustaffa and Alkaff (2011), the population of ageing Singaporeans has grown considerably since the country attained self-government in 1965 (p. 420).

This proportion grew from 2.5 % in 1965 to over 8.6% in 2009 (representing an increase from 47, 000 to 330,000 over this period). What’s more, this population cohort has also grown older. For example, the ratio of the very old (85 years and above) increased from 4,400 to over 27,500 between 1980 and 2009 (Mustaffa & Alkaff, 2011, p. 420; Chan, 2001, p. 3).

Based on the statistics presented above, there are several old-age related challenges (such as loneliness and depression) that must be addressed at all levels of the community

Loneliness and depression in ageing populations

No one can dispute the fact that aging is a natural process. What’s more, aging and depression are inseparable. The degree of isolation and depression among ageing populations in Singapore is on a steady rise. Mustaffa and Alkaff (2011) assert that social isolation and depression are major causes of suicide cases among the ageing populations (p. 420).

Previous studies have shown that about 80% of the elderly people who commit suicide suffered from social isolation and depression (Mustaffa & Alkaff, 2011, p. 421). It is thus imperative that all groups of the community (individuals, families, community, private sector and government) adopt preventive measures to address these issues.

The importance of addressing depression and loneliness among the older people is increasingly acknowledged in inter-national policy in Singapore.

Health promotion services have long been perceived by the government and other agencies as one of the strategies to enhance social integration in order to lessen loneliness and depression among older people (Cattan & White, 2005, p. 44; Biggs, 2008, p.115).

As noted above, Singapore will experience an unparalleled increase in the number of ageing population by 2030. In light of the abovementioned demographic trends, it is imperative that the government put in place strategies and programmes to address isolation and depression facing the ageing populations (Sadasivan & Osman, 2006, p. ii).

It is worthy to note that ever since 1980s; several committees have been established to tackle these challenges. For example, the Committee on Ageing Issues (CAI) was formed in 2004 to improve on the work done by earlier committees.

The CAI’s vision is to ensure that all facets of the society (individuals, family and the community) are educated on how to tackle issues facing old Singaporeans. CAI aspires to empower people to age with respect and treat old persons as important members of the community.

The Committee encourages the families to address the emotional and physical needs of their elderly members. What’s more, CAI encourages people to prepare for old age early. The Committee has also advised the government to implement appropriate programmes and policies to enable Singaporeans lead productive lives in their old age.

For example, CAI has made a number of recommendations to the government achieve these outcomes: (1) provide elder-friendly housing options; (2) make the public transport system receptive to the elderly; (3) augment Medisave Accounts of deprived Singaporeans when there are budget surpluses; and (4) promote strong family bonds to reduce depression and loneliness among the elderly members (Sadasivan & Osman, 2006, p. v).

Recommendations

Aging issues, particularly loneliness and depressions, are quite prevalent among old members of the society (Mima & Bond, 2003, p. 22). Consequently, these issues must be addressed via a holistic and an assimilated strategy that encompasses the private sector, community organizations and government.

At the individual level, it is imperative that the elderly are treated with dignity and respect and be considered as important members of their families. What’s more, there is an urgent need for a robust network of services at the community level to promote active participation of the elderly Singaporeans in social and economic development.

Finally, the government must initiate appropriate programs (and support the existing ones) to encourage positive relationships and social integration between the elderly persons and other age cohorts in Singapore (Ferrara, 2009, p. 34).

References

Biggs, S. (2008). Aging in a critical world: The search for generational intelligence. Journal of Aging Studies, 115‐119.

Cattan, M. & White, M. (2005). Preventing social isolation and loneliness among older people: a systematic review of health promotion interventions. Aging and Society, 25, 41-67.

Chan, A. (2001). Singapore’s Changing Structure and the Policy Implications for Financial Security, Employment, Living Arrangements and Health Care. Singapore: Asian MetaCentre.

Ferrara, H. (2009). Seniors’ Social Isolation. Western Australia: Centre for Social and Community Research.

Grenade, L. & Boldy, D. (2008). Social isolation and loneliness among older people: issues and future challenges in community and residential settings. Australian Health Review, 32(3), 468‐478.

Mima, C. & Bond, J. (2003). Alleviating social isolation and loneliness among older people. International Journal of Mental Health Promotion, 5(3), 20–30.

Mustaffa, M. & Alkaff, S. (2011). Depression among Elderly. IPEDR, 5, 420-423.

Sadasivan, B. & Osman, M. (2006). Committee on ageing Issues: Report on the Ageing Population. Web.

The growing population of the world is cause for concern since the food and energy resources are not expanding fast enough to keep up with population growth. Strategies that reduce population growth are therefore welcome by the international community.

The United Nations has established a link between population and development with modest and sustainable population growths being favorable to the development of a nation. With these undertones, the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) came up with a strategy for reducing population growth.

This strategy which was endorsed by delegations from 179 States proposed the empowering of women and giving them more opportunities in society (ICPD, 1994).

The rationale behind this proposal was that educated women were empowered and exhibited reduced birth rate than uneducated women. In the UN 1994 strategy, the role of women in developing nations was to be changed.

Women would no longer be seen as home makers and many of them would be provided with more choices to build careers by developing skills to gain employment.

It was projected that literate women would not only have fewer children; they would also be actively engaged in the socio-economic affair of the country therefore increasing the overall well being of their communities while at the same time curtailing population growth.

Focus was to be given to women who lived in rural areas where illiteracy rates were astronomical. The UN proposed to offer funds to developing nations so as to facilitate the increase in literacy levels by women in the respective countries.

Donor countries were supposed to offer complementary resources to deal with the increased expense that this strategy would incur (ICPD, 1994).

In my opinion, this strategy will help in population reduction efforts today. The 1994 UN strategy demonstrated a growing awareness that population, poverty, and consumption levels are interlinked and therefore, slowing population growth would have a reduce poverty and consumption.

Sapru (2010) reveals that while poverty rates in developing countries have decreased, the number of poor people has increased due to the population growth experienced in these countries.

If the current rate of population growth in developing nations continues uninterrupted, the food produced will not be enough to satisfy the whole population.

The 1994 strategy achieved success and the population growth rate reduced as female literacy rose. According to this strategy, the UN hoped to achieve a population of 7.2 billion in 2015 and have a stable population of 7.8 billion in 2050.

It is possible that this goal will be reached since the population currently stands at 7 billion. Even so, the number of illiterate women today is still high. The illiteracy level among women today is still markedly high.

The UN News Center (2010) reports that women make up two thirds of adults who cannot read or write. By increasing funding to literacy programs, this number can be reduced significantly.

Such a reduction will make the positive impacts of the population policy endorsed by the UN in 1994 even greater.

Almost 20 years after the 1994 conference, population growth remains a significant issue for the international community. A strategy for reducing population growth is still required today since the population is growing at an unsustainable rate.

By continuing with the 1994 UN strategy for reducing population growth, the world’s population can be stabilized therefore ensuring our future as the world’s resources are used in a sustainable manner.

References

International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). (1994). Summary of the Programme of Action. Web.

Sapru, R.K. (2010). Public Policy: Art and Craft of Policy Analysis. Delhi: PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd.

UN News Center (2010). Literacy has empowering effect on women, UN officials say. Web.