The Senate passed in first reading a bill that would create the Código para la Protección de la Persona Envejeciente, a set of rules and dispositions that seek to benefit persons over 75 years old. The bill was presented by senators Eduardo Estrella (PRSC-Santiago), Milagros Ortiz Bosch (PRD-Santo Domingo), Manuel Bello (PRSC-San Juan de la Maguana) and Dagoberto Rodríguez Adames (PRD-Independencia). The bill creates the Consejo Nacional de la Persona Envejeciente, a council that would create measures in favor of senior citizens. Dominicans are thinking ahead. With a population of eight million people, 50% of which are under 18 years, the Dominican Republic right now does not have a large population of older people. But demographers say that come year 2025, 14.3% of the population or 1,670,000 Dominicans will be over 60 years. At present, elderly Dominicans depend on one of their children caring for them in their old age. New institutions, though, are being forced to aid the elderly, such as Ala Dominicana (Apoyo al Anciano) that works with over 300 impoverished persons of more than 60 years that reside in low income barrios. The Ministry of Health indicates that there are 521,000 people over 60 years in the Dominican Republic, or 6.3% of the population.
