摘要：This article was mainly based on a review of secondary sources of data and assesses the efficacy of existing social protection measures in averting the syndrome of poverty in old age.This is inspired by the view that the elderly have an inalienable right to social protection.The paper argues that existing anti-poverty measures, namely public assistance; the Pension and Other Benefits Scheme and other social welfare programmes are compromised by low coverage of the elderly among other vulnerable groups and the failure to provide adequate benefits.The use of the means-test in the implementation of the Older Persons Act (Chapter 17:11) of 2012 restricts the number of beneficiaries.In order to guarantee income and good health in old age, there is need to transform existing social protection measures in order to increase their coverage and to review the Older Persons Act so that it provides public assistance universally to the elderly.In addition the government should provide financial support to families caring for elderly relatives and to stimulate and achieve sustainable economic growth in order to create a basis for funding social protection measures.KEY TERMS : ageing, elderly, poverty, social protection, public assistance.
其他摘要：This article was mainly based on a review of secondary sources of data and assesses the efficacy of existing social protection measures in averting the syndrome of poverty in old age. This is inspired by the view that the elderly have an inalienable right to social protection. The paper argues that existing anti-poverty measures, namely public assistance; the Pension and Other Benefits Scheme and other social welfare programmes are compromised by low coverage of the elderly among other vulnerable groups and the failure to provide adequate benefits. The use of the means-test in the implementation of the Older Persons Act (Chapter 17:11) of 2012 restricts the number of beneficiaries. In order to guarantee income and good health in old age, there is need to transform existing social protection measures in order to increase their coverage and to review the Older Persons Act so that it provides public assistance universally to the elderly. In addition the government should provide financial support to families caring for elderly relatives and to stimulate and achieve sustainable economic growth in order to create a basis for funding social protection measures.KEY TERMS: ageing, elderly, poverty, social protection, public assistance.
关键词：ageing; elderly; poverty; social protection; public assistance.
