Elderly In
Costa Rica Seen As Family's "Petty Cash"
Contrary to popular belief, in Costa Rica
the children don't always maintain their
parents when they reach retirement age. A
new study shows that some 100.000 Costa
Rican families live off the savings and
pensions of their elderly family members.
The study "Primer Informe sobre la Persona
Adulta Mayor" by the Centro Centroamericano
de Población (CCP) of the Universidad de
Costa Rica (UCR), shows that a third of the
elderly in Costa Rica maintain up to 35% of
the expenditures of their children, that
includes paying for university tuition for
their grandchildren and utility bills for
the family.
The study took into account the responses of
2.000 senior citizens and numbers from the
Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Censos (INEC).
The report reveals that is the case of the
100.000 Costa Ricans over the age of 65,
a population that concerned itself with
savings and now are earning interest, in
addition have a pension and many continue to
work.
Luis Rosero, director of the CCP and study
coordinator, says this group has up to three
sources of income and are easily converted
into the "petty cash" of the family.
Rosero said that families with university
age children finding it difficult to meet
their financial burden often turn to older
family members for assistance, and as such
the senior assumes part of the family's
economic burden.
Although in many cases the elderly make
their financial contribution voluntarily,
for Zulema Villalta, legal advisor to the
Comisión Nacional de la Persona Adulta
Mayor, the report indicates that there could
be cases of abuse of the elderly.
Villalta says that in many times children
abuse the situation.
Costa Rica currently has 300.000 seniors
which represents 6% of the total population.
However, by 2050 one out of every 5 Costa
Ricans will be over the age of 65 or an
estimated 1.3 million seniors. |
